Aesthetics

Introduction

Ceiling of Sistine Chapel

Tiffany Lamp

The Potato Eaters by Van Gogh

Water Lilly Pond by Monet

Don Quixote by Picasso

Eyes in Heat by Pollock

Campbell's Soup Can by Warhol

Questions…

• What is art? Are these pieces of Art?

• How do you determine what is good or bad art? Any requirements?

Intuition

1. The act or faculty of knowing or sensing without the use of rational processes: immediate cognition. b. Knowledge gained by the use of this faculty; a perceptive insight.

2. A sense of something not evident or deducible; an impression.

Perception

The word, perception, comes from the Latin word:Capere - to take Per (the prefix) - ‘completely’

1.The process, act, or faculty of perceiving: OBSERVATION 2.The effect or product of perceiving: CONCEPT3. Psychol. a. Recognition and interpretation of sensory stimuli based chiefly on memory.

In psychology and the cognitive sciences, perception is the process of acquiring, interpreting, selecting, and organizing sensory information.

3 Definitions for Aesthetics:

1. a particular taste for, or approach to, what is pleasing to the senses--especially sight;

2. a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of art and beauty;

3. a particular theory or conception of beauty or art.

Art vs “Not Art”

• As a class, come up with several definitions of art.

• As a class, find some thing in the room that is “not art”

• In small groups, list 4-6 reasons why the object is not a work of art

The philosophy of aesthetics asks and tries to answer the

“Big” Questions: • What is art?• What makes a piece of art beautiful?• How important are personal tastes when judging

the quality of art?• What are the standards for judging art? • Why is originality so important in art? How do we

define what is original or what is creative?

What makes a work of art original or creative?

If Warhol worked from other people’s photographs,

is his work really original? … Why does he get to copy, but I can’t?

Original source material, Flowers series by Andy Warhol, 1964, Two-sided collage; adapted from Modern Photography magazine, June 1964, photographic spread of color transparencies by Patricia Caulfield. ©AWF

Andy Warhol, Flowers, 1970, Published Edition, screen print on paper, 36 x 36 in. ©AWF

Who decides what is art?

Who decides what makes an artwork special, valuable, or good?

Andy Warhol, Brillo Soap Pads Box, 1964, silkscreen ink and house paint on plywood, 17 x 17 x 14 in. ©AWF

Questions to determine what we think is good in

ethics and in art (Values/Ethics) 

• What value does this artwork have?

• Is this painting beautiful?

• What values would be reflected if this room was part of your school?

• What would be the ethical implications if a majority of Americans agreed to hang this painting in their living rooms?

Art…

• “The product of creative human activity in which materials are shaped or selected to convey an idea, emotion, or visually interesting form.”

Aesthetic theories provide different answers to these

questions:

What makes something a work of art?

What do we learn from it?

What value does this work have?

Basic Aesthetic Theories:

1. Representation (imitation, realism, mimesis)

2. Expressionism (emotionalism)

3. Formalism

4. Communication of moral and religious ideas

5. Symbolic (non-verbal) communication

6. Instrumentalism

7. Institutionalism

Representation (imitation, realism, mimesis):

The essence of art is to picture or portray reality. Good art mirrors the world, imitating nature or some ideal form.

Martin Johnson Heade, Thunderstorm at the Shore, c. 1870-1871, oil on paper mounted on canvas attached to panel 15 3/4 x 23 3/4 in. Carnegie Museum of Art, Howard N. Eavenson Memorial Fund

Expressionism (emotionalism):

The essence of art is expression of the inner emotions, feelings, moods, and mental states of the artist. Good art effectively and sincerely brings these inner states to an external objectification.

Both Aristotle and Nietzsche both agreed that artists should be

concerned with how their works will affect their audience.

Willem de Kooning, Woman VI, 1953Oil on canvas

Formalism: The essence of art is “significant form” - lines, shapes, colors, and other formal properties of the work; representation, expression, and other subject matter are irrelevant. Good art uses formal elements to trigger an “aesthetic emotion” in sensitive observers.

Donald Judd, Untitled, 1974, Stainless steel and Plexiglas8 x 194 1/2 x 14 in. Carnegie Museum of Art, Purchase: gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Denby, by exchange

Communication of moral and religious ideas:

The essence of art is the communication of important moral and religious values from the artist to the observer. Good art is a form of sincere communication by the artist that “infects” the observers with those important moral ideas.

Simon Bening, St. Gertrude de Nivelles, from the Hours of Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg (1490-1545), Archbishop and Elector of Mainz c. 1522-1523, opaque water-based paint mounted on board 7 x 5 in. Carnegie Museum of Art, Bequest of Howard A. Noble

Symbolic (non-verbal) communication: The essence of art is the

communication of important ideas and other knowledge through symbolic (non-verbal) languages. Good art communicates its meaning effectively through this non-verbal language.

Jacob Ochtervelt, Lady with Servant and Dog, c. 1671-1673, oil on canvas, 27 1/8 x 22 7/8 in. Carnegie Museum of Art, Henry Lee Mason Memorial Fund

Instrumentalism: The essence of art is its usefulness in helping us to comprehend and improve our overall life experiences. Good art is always a means to some important end.

Romare Bearden, Pittsburgh Memories, 1984, collage on board, 28 5/8 x 23 1/2 in. Carnegie Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald R. Davenport and Mr. and Mrs. Milton A. Washington

Institutionalism:

Andy Warhol, Brillo Soap Pads Box, 1964, silkscreen ink and house paint on plywood, 17 x 17 x 14 in. ©AWF

Art is determined by status conferred upon it by the institutions of the art world not by an observable property in the artwork itself.

Barry Le Va, On Corner - On Edge - On Center Shatter (Within the Series of Layered Pattern Acts), 1968-1971, twenty sheets of glass 59 x 79 in. ( 91 x 150 x 201 cm) Carnegie Mellon Art Gallery Fund

What is your philosophy of art?

• Do you look at the composition of a piece and its use of color? Do you look at the line quality, the shapes and texture of the work? Do you look for unity and rhythm in works?

If so, you may be a Formalist. You look at the importance of the visual elements of art

What is your philosophy of art?

• Do you look at the ideas being expressed in the work? Are you trying to find out what the artist was thinking or trying to communicate through their work? You may be an Expressionist. An Expressionist stresses the importance of the communication of ideas and feelings found in a work of art.

What is your philosophy of art?

• Do you look at a work to see how well it resembles something found in nature? Then you are a Mimetic or Representationalist. You look for realism in art.

What is your philosophy of art?

• When looking at a work do you look for its function, whether or not it promotes a belief or causes a change? You may be a Instrumentalist.

What is your philosophy of art?

• Do you dissect a work looking for hidden meaning? Do you analyze the use and placement of each object in a work? You may be a Symbolist or Semiotic looking for the use of signs in symbols in artwork.

What is your philosophy of art?

• When examining art, do you rely on the opinions of experts such as an art critic or art historian? You may be an Institutionalist.

Review

3 definitions for aesthetics:

1. a particular taste for, or approach to, what is pleasing to the senses--especially sight;

2. a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of art and beauty;

3. a particular theory or conception of beauty or art.

http://www.philosophersnet.com/games/britney_spears.php

Assignment

• On Edmodo, post a picture of a piece of art on display in the library. Write a short post about why you feel this is a work of art. What aesthetic theory or theories are you employing when you judging this piece as a work of art?

Group codes: HZT4U1-01 (fegq77)

HZT4U1-02 (gcrzxw)

HZT4U1-03 (xk7ka3)