What is Art?

Art is something that is perennially around us.

Some people may deny having to do with arts but it is indisputable that life presents us with many
forms of and opportunities for communion with the arts.

Assumptions of Art
1. ART IS UNIVERSAL
- It evokes an emotional response from us if it is doing the job well. The best art is beautiful and inspires
awe. Some art, such as illustration, tells a story or shows you fantastic places or people. Some art has
a specific style that appeals to certain groups of people.
-art has always been timeless and universal, spanning generations and continents through and through
2. ART IS NOT NATURE
-it is not a natural occurrence. However, man has taught himself to find art in nature.
-art is man's expression of his reception of nature. it is man's way of interpreting nature and is made by
man whereas nature is given around us
3. ART INVOLVES EXPERIENCE
-art is just experience meaning to say, it is the "actual doing of something"

Functions:
1. PERSONAL FUNCTIONS OF ART
• The personal functions of art are varied and highly subjective.
• Functions depends on the artist who created the art.
• An artist may create an art out of self- expression, entertainment, or therapeutic purpose.
2. SOCIAL FUNCTIONS OF ART
• Art is considered to have a social function if and when it addresses a particular collective interest as
opposed to a personal interest.
• Art may convey message of protest, contestation, or whatever message the artist intends his work to
carry.
3. SOCIAL FUNCTIONS OF ART
• Political art is a very common example of an art with a social function.
• Art can also depict social conditions such as photography (pictures of poverty)
• Performance art like plays or satires can also rouse emotions and rally people toward a particular end.
4. PHYSICAL FUNCTION OF ART
• The physical functions of art can be found in artworks that are crafted in order to serve some physical
purpose.
• Architecture, jewelry-making, interior design all serves physical functions.
5. OTHER FUNCTIONS OF ART
• Music was principally used for dance and religion.
• The ancient world saw music as an instrument to facilitate worship and invocation to gods.
• Music was essential for synchronicity of dancers. Music guarantees that warriors were simultaneous.
6. OTHER FUNCTIONS OF ART
• Today, music has expanded its functions and coverage.
• There is a lot of music that has no connection to dance or religion.
• Example: Serenade – People compose hymns to express feelings and emotions.
• Music is also used as accompaniment to stage plays and motion pictures
7. OTHER FUNCTIONS OF ART
• Sculptures have been made by man most particularly for religion.
• In the Roman Catholic world, the employment of sculptures for religious purposes has remained vital,
relevant, and symbolic
8. OTHER FUNCTIONS OF ART
• Architecture may be the most prominent functional art. Unlike other forms of art, buildings take so
much time to erect and destroy. One cannot dismiss taking into consideration the function of a building
before construction.

9. OTHER FUNCTIONS OF ART

• It is also in architecture where one can find the intimate connection of function and form.