Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Lesson 1
Lesson 1
Learning Outcomes
Art is a sublime extension of humanity. Wherever people go, art follows. There is no
denying this great relationship established between people and art that is simply shown even in
the amazement of a lady standing in front of the statue of Michelangelo’s David in perfect
proportions and the wonder of a man towards the intricate tribal tattoos on the body of Apo Wang
Od which she herself tattooed.
art – (mass noun) the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination,
typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated
primarily for their beauty or emotional power
– https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/art
“Art is not, as the metaphysicians say, the manifestation of some mysterious Idea of
beauty, or God; it is not, as the aesthetical physiologists say, a game in which man lets
off his excess of stored-up energy; it is not the expression of man's emotions by external
signs ; it is not the production of pleasing objects; and, above all, it is not pleasure; but it
is a means of union among men, joining them together in the same feelings, and
indispensable for the life and progress toward well-being of individuals and of humanity”
– Count Leo Tolstoy, Author/Writer
“Art is for other people. It’s not just for yourself.” It [Art] “can evolve in so many different
ways, in so many different process(es), techniques.” – Pacita Abad, Painter
Do you also perceive art the way it was defined or described above? What are your bases
in defining art? Read the definitions again. This time, try to figure out what makes each different
and what makes each similar.
Art Appreciation vs Art History
In the Preface section of this module, you were given the significant connection
and purpose of the Art Appreciation course in your chosen program and in your life as a
whole. It must be emphasized further that art appreciation as a field goes beyond mere
applause for a dance gracefully performed or a loud cheer for a song beautifully sang.
When appreciating art, these are some of the questions you need to ponder deeply:
Closely related but different in some aspect to art appreciation is art history. Art
history is a discipline or area of study which investigates the early developments of a piece
of art in a specific time and place. People who practice this field present their analysis and
interpretation of an artwork using a set of methodologies in an objective manner. Below
are some of the basic questions they try to explore:
To put this simply, anybody can appreciate art but not everyone can be called an
art historian. However, to fully appreciate a work of art, one must consider in consulting
its history for a more profound understanding of its development and contribution to
society.
Assumptions and Nature of Art
Art, like all other concepts has underlying assumptions. This implies that the value
and nature of art is dependent on people’s capacity to sense, think, and express in various
contexts which set the parameters of what art is and what art is not.
Art is Universal
Many artists, art critics, and educators believe that art is universal. This view on
the universal characteristic of art comes from the idea that it affects people despite the
differences in culture and language across time and space. Similarly, art communicates
directly to our common humanity (Eger, 2015). Ernest Boyer, previous President of
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, stressed that
He noted that art is part of life and a way of life. He also believes that children must
receive “knowledge and understanding of civilization’s most profound works”. This
resonated clearly in most education systems in the world which integrate arts and
humanities in their curriculum.
Art is Cultural
Relative to the notion that art is universal is the view that art is cultural. Art reflects
the reality in every society since mankind inhabit the earth. For instance, the bull paintings
in the Lascuax cave in France depicted the behavior of primeval people while the two
Sanskrit epics Mahabrata and Ramayana became the foundation of the moral system of
ancient Indian civilization. In the Philippines, the sentiments and aspirations of the Filipinos
are carried massively through songs. From kundiman and harana to pop and other modern
genres, a listener can identify the “Filipinoness” of the music through its lyrics aside from
the instrumentalities.
Every period in time, there is art which manifests how it was lived. Some of the
things left in the past are relived and immortalized in art.
What is creativity? When can we say that someone is creative or being creative?
What is the relationship of creativity to imagination and expression?
Creativity is an activity that can be felt and seen in almost any human endeavors.
In art, creativity must nest in the zenith of an artist’s character. From the word create, the
artist is expected “to make” or “to produce” a thought or a thing out of feeling or experience.
However, creativity does not settle only on simple alterations on what is existing, has been
existing, or has existed. Rather, it focuses more on how the artist was able to produce an
authentic creation out of this existence. The created output, however, is not the end of
creativity. It must serve as a doorway for an observer to experience the procedures behind
the masterpiece itself which is made available to the human senses. Simply, creativity is
a creative process – a composite of many stages.
“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will
what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” – George Bernard Shaw
How can one perceive creativity and imagination? Through what mode of
expression?
Suggested viewing:
Creativity, Imagination and how we talk about Art: Tim Daly at TEDxManchesterVillage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pGHaajgP3s
Hayao Miyazaki's Thoughts on Creativity & Imagination
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0__j4ODg-rU
*If you have the chance to have a mobile data or connect to a stable internet, you can view the video above
for more insightful information about the topic.
Learning Activities
A. Direction/s: Write your own definition or description of art. Express it in not more than three
sentences only; however, do not just use a single word or phrase for your definition. This will
help you in answering Letter B.
B. Direction/s: Provide what is asked for. Use only words or phrases as answers to be presented
in bullet form. Under the Differences column, provide two answers. Under the Similarities
column, write five answers.
https://www.lexico.com/en
/definition/art
Steven Patrick
Fernandez, Playwright
Congratulations!
You’ve completed the learning activities in Unit 1. For your assessmment, you will be required to
unleash your metacognitive and artistic skills by being both critical and creative. Have fun while
doing the task.
Concept Mapping
Direction/s: Using a concept map or diagram, illustrate the relationship of the concepts of art
history, art appreciation, creativity, imagination, and expression using a graph in a symbolic and
creative way. Use the space below for this task. You can present your concept map either in
layout or portrait position. The rubric is provided in the next page for your immediate guidance
and reference. The same rubric can be found in the Appendix of this module.
Rubric for Concept Mapping
Needs
Excellent Good Fair
Indicators Improvement
5 4 3
2
All pieces of Majority of the Some pieces of A few pieces of
Accuracy and information are pieces of information are information are
Succinctness very accurate information are accurate and are accurate and
of and are very accurate and are satisfactorily most are lengthily
Information succinctly mostly succinct. succinct. presented.
presented.
The concept map The concept The concept The concept map
shows very clear map shows clear map shows a is haphazardly
Connection and organized and organized slightly clear and done.
and presentation of presentation of organized
Organization relationships relationships presentation of
of Concepts among among relationships
concepts/ideas. concepts/ideas. among
concepts/ideas
Balance among Balance among Balance among Balance among
concept map concept map concept map concept map
structures, clarity structures, clarity structures, clarity structures, clarity
of words or of words or of words or of words or
phrases, and phrases, and phrases, and phrases, and
Legibility of unity of unity of unity of unity of
Presentation composition in composition in composition in composition in
the presentation the presentation the presentation the presentation
are observed in are observed in are observed in are not observed
all parts of the most parts of the some parts of at all.
concept map. concept map. the concept
map.
The design of the The design of The design of The design of the
concept map the concept the concept map concept map
provides a very map provides a provides a provides a vague
relevant symbolic good symbolic satisfactory symbolic
meaning to the meaning to the symbolic meaning to the
Creativity of presentation of presentation of meaning to the presentation of
Presentation relationship relationship presentation of relationship
between and between and relationship between and
among creativity, among creativity, between and among creativity,
imagination, and imagination, and among creativity, imagination, and
expression. expression. imagination, and expression.
expression.