Three Most Important Functions of Art - Essay Example

There is no particular definition of art, however Art can be said to be an arrangement of different elements in a way that appeals to senses, and an expression of emotions that can range from music to paintings.Art can be said to be a personal recreation of the world. Purpose (function) or the aesthetic appeal (form) It is important to appreciate both beauty and purpose of an artwork. At first sight we appreciate the beauty and then try to find the meaning and purpose that was intended by the artist. Art work is produced to appeal to our sense that is why we appreciate the appearance of a piece of work. This is what can be defined as aesthetics. These two dominant roles are meant to complement and balance each other in any artwork. Any artwork is said to have a hidden function that often helps educate people about nature and help them fulfill the emotions and spiritual needs of human beings. Therefore form complements functionality by following emotions and adding aesthetic appeal. However some school of thoughts has claimed that art is predominantly defined by aesthetics. Symbolism or iconography  Art is not about understanding a piece of work, therefore if one cannot read the contents in a piece does not mean that they cannot appreciate it. Symbolism or iconography both entails identification and interpretation of the subject matter in any artwork. Appreciating a piece of art requires an open mind thereby leaving it open to interpretation and thus lies the beauty in it.in a piece that is not easily understandable or readable, beauty is derived from the creation of visual experience or basically its aesthetic form. Creativity essential to your definition or is imitation Plato described art as an imitation of nature. This means an artist is influenced and driven by elements of nature. Art according to the definition can be influenced by many factors such as experience, imagination and even imitation. Creativity consist of the ability to combine ideas in a unique way and make a useful association; it comes from human imagination as well as outside forces like nature and experiences and creates originality.Creativity and imitation are mutually exclusive in that creativity can also inspired by other peoples work. Imitation in art is as a result of a connection between the original artist and the imitator; the imitator may try to show a certain side and expression that was not in a piece of work originally. Imitation therefore is influenced by originality thus a form of art in itself. Imitation has been used by many influential artists to restore damaged artefacts like Apollo statuette (Richter 204), imitation is a key to survival of art and it is also an act of imagination where the intent is different. Therefore, both creativity and imitation are essential to the definition of art given as they create a personalized recreation of the world around us. Three most important functions of Art The most important function of art is the ability to communicate. It aids persons from different parts of the world communicate culture, history, and individual expressions. Art propagates ideas and conjures emotions. Communicating thoughts, ideas, and emotions Art expresses deep emotions of the artist and also evokes those of the viewers.it uses the power of visual image to sway a person’s thinking thereby enhancing communication from one person to another. Art infects another person with you feeling in a way that they themselves begin to experience these emotions. This kind of communication brings people together, joining them in the same emotion and thus bringing progress and unity among humanity.Art is a form of self-expression for an artist. They express their thoughts on their natural surroundings and other life forms through art this is their way of communicating and raising awareness to others. They bring out that which is not easily seen or felt easily by other people. This arouses people’s appreciation and provides an opportunity for change. Communication does not necessarily need to be complex it may be a simple statement of beauty. Entertainment YasumasaMorimura held that art is entertainment. It can function as an entertainment tool used for relaxing the viewer. However, art is not mere entertainment but a form of entertainment. This can be established by live arts that have in modern day been incorporated in disks and video forms for easier access. Music, poetry and other forms of art provide entertainment to the viewers while at the same time passing communication from the artist the viewer. Different forms of art are enjoyed by different people. Art that is created with the intention of being heard, seen or felt has been created for entertainment as Aristotle put it. Art as a form of entertainment engages the audience and transforms their experience. As a means of political protest or social injustice Art educates us about the realities our surroundings, it opens our eyes to the world around us and the makes us aware of the social as well as political injustices that are perpetuated all around the world. Art is thought provoking and educational, it has been defined in the 20th century as the visual images to bring about political change and eliminate social injustices.it questions the subversive aspects of our society and criticize them, and it raises awareness on the injustices in the society and oppression. Art has been used in various continents to raise awareness about issues affecting them like autism, human trafficking and environmental conservation among others. Artists and art have the power to craft the society by paving way to a democratic space that is needed in the society; they address truths that have no easy solutions. Freedom of speech empowers art to speak out on the injustices and malgovernance that are cohabiting in our society. Art finds its educative purpose by opening up closed minds and awakening the dormant ones in the society. Modern society has seen the rise of protest art that involves creative works concerned with social movements and activists and often used as part of demonstrations. They have played a big role in influencing the society, public discourse and participation in politics. Art has acted as a catalyst for positive social change and transformation. Fine Art Fine art is art created for aesthetic purposes, hereby meaning that the intention of the artist when creating the art was for the enrichment of man or society. The work should be created to be admired or interpreted as a reflection of the society. It refers to the skills used to express the creativity of the artist to engage the aesthetic sensibilities of the audience; it is pleasurable (Theodore 106). Popular Culture It is also known as pop culture came to form in England in the 1950-1960. It denote the ideas that are mainstream with a certain culture, these are the current collective preferences in various fields like music, jokes, fashion among others. In the western culture this has been heavily influence by mass media. Artists use images and items from popular culture as the elements in their art (Shirley 3).  This involves taking symbols out of their original context and creating them in new ones. It takes objects from ordinary life and subjects them into art giving them meaning. Artist in this genre are called pop artists. Kitsch This form of art is not easily defined. It has been said to be a chap imitation of art that uses popular or cultural icons in exaggerated contexts. Kitsch is said to be unaesthetic and unappealing. It is a simplistic message that is meant to stimulate a large mass of people an unreflective response.it is denoted as manipulative and employs the world with strong negative inferences. It is mostly used politically to arouse the public’s emotions and derives basic memories engraved in people’s minds to evoke a response or emotion (Adele 365). Craft Craft has been described as a form of work that results in a tangible output. Craft involves skills and techniques; it involves the application of human intelligence. The work of craft produces useful objects that can be used for human purposes, crafts tend to produce aesthetic products but they also have an external purpose and this differentiates them from art which is purely aesthetic. Conclusion Art helps one discover, explore, think and appreciate. The beauty of art lies in the communication that the artist has with the viewers. It appeals to our emotions and inspire us to appreciate and in some cases change our surrounding.Artists look at the world differently and then express their visions to their viewer and this is self-expression it builds ability and skills at the same time educate and open minds. Art is important in reminding us of our customs and cultures while still bring the world together. Works cited Barker, Adele. Consuming Russia: Popular Culture, Sex, and Society since Gorbachev. Durham, N.C: Duke University Press, 1999. Print. Fedorak, Shirley. Pop Culture: The Culture of Everyday Life. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2009. Print. Gracyk, Theodore. The Philosophy of Art: An Introduction. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press, 2012. Print. Richter, Gisela. Red-Figured Athenian Vases in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Vol. 1 and 2. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1936. Print Read More