The Subject of Art (Art Appreciation)
Summary
TLDRThis lesson explores the different subjects and types of art, highlighting the relationship between form and content. It covers representational, abstract, and non-representational art, discussing how each is connected to reality. The sources of art, such as nature and history, are examined, along with different subject matters like landscapes, portraits, and still life. The lesson emphasizes how content in art carries factual, conventional, and subjective meanings, illustrating how art forms are essential in conveying these messages to the viewer.
Takeaways
- π¨ Art can be categorized into three types: representational, abstract, and non-representational.
- πΌοΈ Representational art is based on real objects in reality, with subcategories like realism, impressionism, idealism, and stylization.
- π³ Abstract art represents real subjects but transforms them in a way that alters their appearance or meaning.
- π Non-representational art has no reference to reality and exists purely for aesthetic purposes.
- π Sources of art include nature, history, literature, and other forms of media and technology.
- π Landscape art focuses on natural scenery, with elements of abstraction often influencing how the artist portrays the environment.
- π€ Portrait art depicts individuals, with self-portraits being examples created by the artist themselves.
- π Content in art refers to the meaning of the work, which is inseparable from its form.
- π‘ There are three levels of meaning in art content: factual (literal), conventional (cultural symbols), and subjective (personal interpretation).
- π¨ The elements of form, such as composition and technique, are crucial to making the content of an artwork meaningful.
Q & A
What is the relationship between form and content in art?
-Form and content are inseparable in art; they are the structures and the substance of the artwork, respectively. The form gives shape to the content, and the content gives meaning to the form.
What are the three types of art according to Mark Fussell?
-The three types of art according to Mark Fussell are representational, abstract, and non-representational.
What is representational art and what are its subcategories?
-Representational art is art that depicts an actual object in reality. Its subcategories include realism, impressionism, idealism, and stylization.
How is abstract art different from representational art?
-Abstract art takes the subject from reality but represents it in a transformed way, where elements are manipulated to convey a different perception than what is being represented.
What is non-representational art, and how does it differ from abstract art?
-Non-representational art is created without any reference to reality. It differs from abstract art in that abstract art starts with reality but distorts it, while non-representational art does not start with reality at all.
What are the sources of subjects in art?
-The sources of subjects in art can include the artist's work, autobiographies, films, artifacts, photographs, natural history, and literature.
Why is the artist's work considered a primary source of art?
-The artist's work is considered a primary source of art because it is original and informative, often obligating the perceiver to think critically about the artwork.
How does nature serve as a source of art?
-Nature serves as a source of art by providing materials for construction and inspiring themes and subjects in artwork, reflecting the artist's effort to develop and perfect creations.
What are the different kinds of subject matter in art?
-Different kinds of subject matter in art include landscape, portrait, still life, historical, figurative, and social political themes.
What does the term 'content' in art refer to?
-The term 'content' in art refers to the meaning of the work, including its subject matter and the ideas or themes it conveys.
What are the three levels of meaning in the content of art?
-The three levels of meaning in the content of art are factual, conventional, and subjective. Factual meaning is literal, conventional meaning is symbolic, and subjective meaning is the artist's personal interpretation.
Outlines
π¨ Understanding Art: Forms and Content
This paragraph introduces the concept of how form and content in art are inseparable. It discusses common questions about the meaning of art and lays out the objectives of the lesson, including understanding different types of art subjects, differentiating between representational and non-representational art, and analyzing the meaning of art content. The paragraph emphasizes that understanding art requires recognizing various forms and subject types, which will be elaborated on in the lesson.
πΌοΈ Representational Art: Realism to Stylization
The paragraph explores representational art, which directly depicts objects from reality. It outlines subcategories such as realism, impressionism, idealism, and stylization, giving the example of a self-portrait. Representational art aims to portray objects as they are, whether through realistic or stylized forms. It emphasizes that this type of art is anchored in the actual depiction of real objects, serving as a direct representation of reality.
π Abstract Art: Reality with a Twist
This section delves into abstract art, which represents reality in a transformed way. It explains that abstraction alters the subject, like depicting a tree, but not as an exact replica of the tree. Abstract art conveys a message, differing from how reality is perceived by viewers. Originating in the 19th century, movements like impressionism and expressionism contributed to the rise of abstraction, which distorts reality while maintaining a connection to it.
π Non-Representational Art: No Reality Reference
This part distinguishes non-representational art from abstract art. Non-representational art is created without any reference to real-world objects, aiming purely for aesthetic expression. While people often confuse it with abstract art, non-representational art does not begin with any basis in reality. The key distinction lies in whether the artist starts with or without a reference to the physical world.
πΏ The Sources of Art: Nature, History, and Beyond
The paragraph explains the different sources from which art draws inspiration. These include nature, autobiographies, films, and artifacts related to the artist. Nature is a primary source, providing materials and inspiration, and history serves as another key source. The discussion stresses that art often reflects a recreation or development of what nature or history has provided, positioning the artist as a creator who builds upon existing elements.
π Art and Literature: Historical and Textual Sources
This section focuses on literature as another major source of subject matter for art. Historical texts, mythology, sacred writings, and other literary forms provide inspiration for art. The paragraph highlights the relationship between art and literature, explaining that these sources serve as a foundation for artistic creation and interpretation, complementing the inspiration drawn from nature.
π Kinds of Subjects in Art: Landscape, Portraits, and More
Here, the paragraph discusses the various kinds of subject matter found in art, including landscapes, portraits, still life, and historical or social themes. It provides examples such as landscapes focusing on natural scenery, where an artist may capture the environment in an abstract or realistic form. Portraits, including self-portraits, are explained as depictions of individuals, reflecting personal or societal themes.
ποΈ The Content in Art: Factual, Conventional, and Subjective Meanings
The final paragraph delves into the meaning of 'content' in art, which refers to the message or significance of the artwork. It outlines three levels of meaning: factual (literal and easily recognized), conventional (culturally or symbolically understood), and subjective (open to personal interpretation). The paragraph emphasizes that both form and content are essential in conveying meaning, with examples like flags representing countries or symbols like a red heart representing love or martyrdom.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Representational Art
π‘Abstract Art
π‘Non-representational Art
π‘Sources of Art
π‘Content in Art
π‘Form
π‘Factual Meaning
π‘Conventional Meaning
π‘Subjective Meaning
π‘Landscape
Highlights
Art forms and content are inseparable, as form gives meaning to the content in art.
Representational art is based on reality and includes subcategories like realism, impressionism, idealism, and stylization.
Abstract art transforms reality into a different representation, conveying a message through altered perception.
Non-representational art has no reference to reality and is created purely for aesthetic purposes.
Sources of subjects in art include autobiographies, films, artifacts, and photographs of the artist.
Natural history is a primary source of art, providing materials and inspiration from nature.
History, literature, and written works are other important sources of art, including sacred texts and mythology.
Art subjects can range from landscapes, portraits, and still life to social, political, and historical themes.
A landscape artwork focuses on natural scenery, while portraits depict individuals, often as self-portraits.
Content in art refers to its meaning, with three levels: factual, conventional, and subjective.
Factual meaning is straightforward and directly apprehended from the artwork.
Conventional meaning includes elements like colors and symbols, representing groups, cultures, or organizations.
Subjective meaning is unique to the artistβs interpretation, offering a personal articulation of the artwork.
Form in art includes composition techniques, media, and design elements, crucial for understanding content.
Without form, content in artwork becomes meaningless, emphasizing the importance of structure and elements.
Transcripts
[Music]
introduction
artwork is meaningless in the absence of
form and the content are forms and
content inseparable
the first question that is frequently
asked is what is it
or what does it mean
hence to understand further this lesson
will discuss the subject types of art
the source of subjects kinds of subjects
and content in art
learning objectives
at the end of this lesson the student
should be able to understand the
different subjects of the arts
distinguish between representational and
non-representational art subject types
recognize the various types of subjects
and
analyze the meaning of the different
content of art
the subject type of art
according to mark fussell there are
three types of art to be considered the
representational
the abstract
and the non-representational
the representational art
representation alert is art that is an
actual object in reality
representational art has subcategories
which include realism impressionism
idealism and stylization
for example a self-portrait or when one
draws or paints exactly like what is
being portrayed
the abstraction
abstraction is a type of art that takes
the subject into reality but in a
different representation elements are
being represented that transform the
subject
for example if an artist is painting a
tree but not as the tree that is being
represented then it is a tree but not
the actual tree
in other words the subject conveys a
message in which the perception of the
perceiver is different from what is to
be perceived
an abstract type of art evolved during
the 19th century when both impressionism
and expressionism were methods that were
used
for example distortion of the real basis
of art
thus if the artist begins with reality
then it is an abstract art form but not
the actual representation
a non-objective or non-representational
type of art is only made by a subject
for aesthetic purposes
one might say that this type of art is
the same as abstract art but it is often
the mistake of the perceiver
how can one recognize if an art object
is abstract or non-object art
very simple
if an artist starts with no reference to
reality
then the actual output is called
non-objective or non-representational
art
the sources of subject
sources in art may take any form such as
artwork autobiographies films of the
artist artifacts of the artist
photographs of the artist etc
if one tries to analyze the sources of
art its focus is on the artist's work
why
precisely because it is original
primarily the artist's work is
informative in such a way that the
perceiver is obligated to think
critically about such artwork
one of the sources of art is natural
history itself
the actualization of one artwork
originates from nature
nature provides the materials for the
construction of houses and other
infrastructure simply because it is
necessary for humanity to live which is
its very purpose
but this does not end here
speaking of purpose the idea is for the
artist to procreate god creation by
developing things toward perfection and
discovering new things out of what has
been developed
thus devaluing art is the start of the
depletion of nature
another source of art is history and the
product of it is none other than its
written output
a very concrete example is literature
examples of literature sacred text
greek and roman mythology
judeo-christian tradition other text art
etc
thus there are only two sources for the
subject art nature the cosmos or the
universe and literature
other sub sub-sources are the mediums of
art and other technological artifacts
kinds of subject
there are several kinds of subject
matter in art which include landscape
portrait still life historical
figurative social political etc
according to thania mcardle landscape
refers to an artwork whose primary focus
is natural scenery such as mountains
forests cliffs trees rivers valleys etc
in other words the surroundings are the
basis for one's art meaning one can
freely picture them to portray the
present moment
the style the way the artist's layout
may occur upon perceiving the moment of
transformation of his or her
art that is the reason why according to
bloomberg landscape paintings embrace
the freedom of abstraction to form by
way of line color and form the last
remaining remnants of a traditional
landscape into mere suggestions of the
natural and built world
another example portrait in art
a portrait is a depiction of a certain
individual
a self-portrait is a self-portrait taken
by the artist themselves
thus all subject matter in arts gives a
meaning that requires humanity to
reflect and understand arts essence
the contents in art
the term content refers to the meaning
of the work subject matter
to understand the meaning of content one
should also understand forms
this term is important because its use
is to designate a genre pattern and
rhymes
the term forms according to dorothy
baranski refers to the works composition
techniques the use of media and the
implementation of the different elements
of design
[Music]
thus without form in an artwork the
content is meaningless
now there are three levels of meaning in
the content of art factual conventional
and subjective
the factual meaning refers to statements
that are literally or narratively
directly apprehended in which the
content object of the artwork is easily
recognized when an artist presents their
work
the conventional meaning refers to the
elements of a particular artwork
presented by an artist to symbolize or
depict a group of people or culture
in other words the colors lines and
other elements of art that is a flag
indicate to what country or organization
they belong
the subjective meaning of art refers to
the subjective definition in which an
artist conveys a particular articulation
of art
in other words the lines and colors of a
symbol that is a red heart may be
defined as compassion love martyrdom etc
you
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