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Understanding Art and Humanities

This document provides an overview of a Humanities 2 course being taught at Makilala Institute of Science and Technology. The course focuses on understanding the role of humanities and arts, clarifying misconceptions about art, and exploring the importance of personal experience in art appreciation. It covers topics like defining art, assumptions about art, and why studying humanities is important. The course content examines encounters with art and the evolution of how art has been defined over time. It also discusses assumptions that art is universal, that art is not nature, and that experiencing art involves personal engagement.

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Krizzle May Castro
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77 views5 pages

Understanding Art and Humanities

This document provides an overview of a Humanities 2 course being taught at Makilala Institute of Science and Technology. The course focuses on understanding the role of humanities and arts, clarifying misconceptions about art, and exploring the importance of personal experience in art appreciation. It covers topics like defining art, assumptions about art, and why studying humanities is important. The course content examines encounters with art and the evolution of how art has been defined over time. It also discusses assumptions that art is universal, that art is not nature, and that experiencing art involves personal engagement.

Uploaded by

Krizzle May Castro
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

MAKILALA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


MUNICIPALITY OF MAKILALA
Concepcion, Makilala, Cotabato
S.Y. 2021-2022
_______________________________________________________________________________
Entrepreneurship Department
Arts and Humanities

Course Number: Humanities 2 Instructor: Marlene L. Oasay


Course Title: Arts and Humanities Mobile number : 09204011624
Credit Units : 3 units email: marleneoasay2801@[Link]
Module number: 1 FB: Marlene Oasay
Duration: 2 weeks

I. Learning Outcomes:
After reading this module, you are expected to:
1. understand the role of humanities and arts in man’s attempt at fully realizing his end;
2. clarify misconceptions of the art
3. give the importance of personal experience in art.
II. Topics:
Lesson I. What is Art? Introduction and Assumptions
Lesson II. Art Appreciation: Creativity, Imagination and Expression

III. References: Collingwood, RG.(1938) The Principles of Art Worsetershire Read Books,
Ltd. Bernardo Nicolas Caslib, Jr., Dorothea C, Garing, Jesreel Anne R.
Casaul. Art Appreciation, Rex Book Store, October 26, 2017.

IV. Course Contents:


Why study the Humanities?
Assumptions of Art – Art is Universal.
Art is not nature.
Art involves experience.
Art is something that is perennially around us. Some people may deny having to do with the arts but
it is indispensable that life presents us with many forms and opportunities for communion with the arts. A
bank manager choosing his tie to wear together with his shirt and shoes, a politician shuffling her music
track while comfortably seated on her car looking for her favorite song, a student marveling at the intricate
designs of a medieval cathedral during his field trip, and a market vendor cheering for her best in a dance
competition on a noontime TV program all manifest concerns for values that are undeniably despite
tangentially artistic.
Despite the seemingly overflowing instances of arts around people, one still finds the need to see more and
experience more whether consciously or unconsciously.
As one moves through life, one locates better, more beautiful objects of desire. One can never be totally
content with what is just before him. Human beings are drawn toward what is good and ultimately,
beautiful.
This lesson is about the yearning for the beautiful, the appreciation of the all consuming beauty
around us, and some preliminaries and clarifications on assumptions that people normally hold about art.

ACTIVITY 1
Let’s Get Started

In the first column of the table below, list down your most striking encounters with arts. On the second
column, explain why you thank each encounter is an experience with arts. Give at least three (3) encounters.
1

My Encounter with Arts Why?

1.

2.
3.

Why Study Humanities?

For as long as man existed in this planet, he has cultivated the land, altered the conditions of the fauna and the
flora, in order to survive. Alongside these necessities, man also marked his place in the world through his works.
Through his bare hands, man constructed infrastructures that tended to his need, like his house. He sharpened swords
and spears. He employed fire in order to melt gold. The initial meaning of art word “art” has something to do with
all the crafts.

The word “art” comes from the Latin “ars ” which means a “craft “or specialized form of skills carpentry or
smithing or surgery. Art then suggested the capacity to produce an intended result from carefully planned steps or
method. When a man wants to build a house, he plans meticulously to get what the prototype promises and he
executes the steps to produce the said structure, then he is engaged in art. The Ancient world did not have any
conceived notion of the art in the same way that we do now. To them, art only meant using the bare hands to produce
something that will be useful to one’s day –to-day life.

Ars in medieval Latin came to mean something different. It meant any special form of book-learning, such as
grammar or logic, magic or astronomy .It was only during the Renaissance Period that the word reacquired a
meaning that was inherent in its ancient form of craft .Early Renaissance artists saw their activities merely as
craftsmanship, devoid of whole lot of intonations that are attached to the word now. it was during the 17th century
when the problem and idea of aesthetics, the study of beauty began to unfold distinctly from notion of technical
workmanship, which was the original conception of the word of “art. It was finally in the 18th century, when the word
has evolved to distinguish between the fine arts and the useful arts. The fine arts would come to mean “not delicate or
highly skilled arts, ”but” beautiful arts.”This is something more akin to what is now considered art.

The humanities constitute one of the oldest and most important means of expression developed by man.
Human history has interested how man evolved not just physically but also culturally, from cave painters to men of
exquisite paintbrush users of the present. Even if one goes back to the time before written records of man’s
civilization has appeared, he can find cases of
mans attempts of not just crafting tools to live and survive but also expressing his feelings and thoughts.

Pre-historic men with their crude instruments already showcased and manifested earliest attempts at recording
man’s innermost interest, preoccupation and thoughts. The humanities then ironically, have started even before the
term has been coined. Human persons have long been exercising what it means to be a human long before he was
aware of his being one. The humanities stand tall in bearing witness to their magnificent phenomenon. Any human
persons, then, is tasked to participate, if not, totally partake in this long tradition of humanizing himself.

Assumptions of Art

A . Art is Universal

Literature has provided key words of Art. Among the most popular ones being taught in
school are the two Greek epics the Iliad and the Odyssey . The Sanskrit pieces Mahabharata and Ramayana are also
staples in the field. These works purportedly written before the beginning of recorded history ,are believed to be
Man’s attempt at recoding stories and tales that have been passed on, known and sung throughout the year. Arts has
always been timeless and universal, spanning generation and continents through and through. In every country and
in every generation, there is always Art. Often times people feel that what is considered artistic are only those which
have been made long time ago. Age is not a factor in determining art .An “art is not good because it is old ,but old
because it is good.

B. Art is not Nature


In the Philippines, it is not entirely novels to hear some consumers of local movies remarks that these movies
produced locally are unrealistic .They content that local movies work around certain formula to the detriment of
substance and faithfulness to reality of the movies. These critical minds agree that a good movie must reflect reality
as closely as possible.
One important characteristics of art is that it is not nature.
Art is man’s expression of his reception of nature. Art is man’s way of interpreting nature, Art is made by
man, where - as nature is given around us .It is in this juncture that they can be considered opposites . What we find in
nature should not be expected to the present in art too.
Movies are not meant to be direct representation of reality. They may, according to movie maker’s perception of
reality, be a reinterpretation of reality, be a reinterpretation or even distortion of nature .

C. Arts Involves Experience

For most people, art does not require a full definition .Art is just experience. By experience
we mean the actual doing of something .When one says that he has an experience of something, he often means that
he knows what that something is about . When one claims that he knows the endless cycle of loving .When one
asserts having experienced preparing a particular recipe, he in fact asserts knowing how the recipe is made . Knowing
a thing is different from having from others what the said thing is . A choreographer who cannot execute a dance step
himself is a bogus. Art is always an experience . A painter cannot claim to know how to paint if he has not tried
holding a brush. Dudley et al.( 1960) affirmed that “All art depends on experience ,and if one is to know art, he must
know it not as a fact or information but as experience .” A work of art then cannot be abstracted from actual doing. In
order to know what an artwork is, we have to sense it, see or heart it and see and heart it. An important aspect of
experiencing art is its being highly personal, individual and subjective . It depends on who the perceiver is, his takes,
perceptions of art is always a value of judgment .one cannot argue with another person’s evaluation of art because
one’s experience can never be known by another. The saying says ,Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.”

Activity II
Answer the following questions as precisely yet as thoroughly as possible .Answer the questions in 2 to 3
sentences only and use the space provided.

1. If you were the artist, what kind of artist would you be?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

3
2. Why is art not nature?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Why is art ageless and timeless?


________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Why does art involve experience?


________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

Avtivity III
Choose one artwork under each given category that you are familiar with. This can be the last artwork that you
have come across with or the one that made the most impact to you. Criticize each using the guide questions provided.

Categories:

1. Movie 4. Music
2. Novel 5. An Architectural structure
3. Poem 6. A piece of clothing

Category:____________________________

Artwork:_____________________________

1. What is it about? What is it for?


___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

[Link] is it made of?


___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

[Link] is its style ?


____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
4
5. How good is it?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

V. Evaluation
Answer the following questions briefly , 3 pts. Each.

1. What is the role of humanities and arts in man’s life?


_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

2. State the different assumptions of arts and clarify each.


_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

3. How important is personal experience in art?


_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What do you mean by this saying “Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder?”
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Note: Submit this module after two weeks in hard copy.

Common questions

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The education curriculum aims to alter misconceptions about art by clarifying that art is not simply about its antiquity but about its ability to convey beauty and meaningful experiences, irrespective of age or origin . It challenges the notion that art must mimic nature, instead framing it as an interpretation created through human imagination and experience . By addressing these misconceptions, the curriculum encourages a more nuanced understanding of art as an evolving, experiential, and interpretative practice .

The curriculum identifies several assumptions about art: art is universal, not nature, and involves experience . These assumptions inform the study of art by establishing that art transcends time and place, is distinct from natural objects or phenomena, and relies on personal experience for both creation and appreciation . Understanding these assumptions helps learners contextualize art within human culture and experience, recognizing its timeless yet subjective nature .

Personal experience plays a crucial role in both appreciating and creating art as art is inherently experiential . Experiencing art requires engaging with it through the senses, making it a subjective activity where individual perception and personal history influence how one interacts with art . Dudley et al. noted that to truly understand art, one must know it through experience, not just as abstract knowledge .

Art is considered universal and timeless because it transcends generations and cultures, constantly prevalent throughout human history . This is evidenced by the global impact and enduring legacy of literary works such as the Greek epics 'The Iliad' and 'The Odyssey,' as well as the Sanskrit epics 'Mahabharata' and 'Ramayana,' which are studied and appreciated worldwide despite their ancient origins . These works demonstrate art's capacity to convey universal human themes and experiences across different eras and societies .

The concept that art involves experience emphasizes that true artistic practice is grounded in active engagement rather than passive observation . For instance, a painter cannot truly understand their craft without physically painting, highlighting the necessity of involvement in the creative process . This notion separates genuine artistic endeavor, which demands personal investment and experiential knowledge, from superficial engagements that rely solely on theoretical understanding or observation without active participation .

The concept of art has evolved significantly from ancient times. Initially, the word 'art'—derived from the Latin 'ars'—referred to crafts or specialized skills such as carpentry or smithing, focusing on producing useful objects through careful planning . During the Renaissance, art was seen primarily as craftsmanship. The 17th century marked a shift where aesthetics, or the study of beauty, began to develop distinctly from technical workmanship . By the 18th century, art split into 'fine arts,' focused on beauty, and 'useful arts,' retaining the idea of skilled craftsmanship .

The humanities have been a fundamental means of expression for human culture and identity, tracing back to prehistoric times when humans used crude instruments to express their thoughts and feelings . Humanities document the evolution of cultural identity, capturing the essence of what it means to be human long before civilizations recorded history through texts or artifacts . They provide a platform for expressing shared experiences and individual creativity, thereby shaping and reflecting cultural and personal identities over time .

The evolution of art’s definition from craft to aesthetics reflects broader cultural and intellectual shifts towards valuing beauty and abstract concepts over purely functional craftsmanship. Ancient and medieval associations of art with practical skills evolved during the Renaissance, when craftsmanship began to incorporate more aesthetic considerations . In the 17th and 18th centuries, this transformation aligned with growing attention to beauty and emotion, distinguishing fine arts from useful arts and complementing the Enlightenment’s intellectual emphasis on human emotion and subjectivity . This progression mirrors society’s expanding appreciation for human creativity beyond utility .

The idea that 'Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder' highlights the subjectivity inherent in artistic critique and appreciation. This notion implies that art’s value and beauty are determined by individual perceptions, leading to diverse and often contentious evaluations of the same artwork . It fosters an environment where personal experiences and backgrounds shape one’s interpretation and valuation of art, underscoring the role of subjectivity in artistic appreciation and complicating the establishment of universal standards for critique .

Art is distinct from nature because it is an expression of human interpretations and reimaginations of reality, rather than a direct representation . While nature is given and exists independently, art is a man-made construct utilizing interpretations and distortions to convey meanings or emotions . This distinction allows art to be appreciated as a unique creation, valued for its ability to communicate subjective experiences and insights rather than merely replicating the natural world .

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