Lesson 1: Reading Visual Arts
1ST RULE ART IS SUBJECTIVE
Reading Visual Arts is a course that develops students’ ability to innovate,
appreciate, critique, and analyse. Through transdisciplinary and
multimodal approaches, this course equips students with broad knowledge
of the human disciplines that characterized modernity, cultural studies
that underpinned modern life. Knowledge on the tacit understandings
people have of the visual domain, cultivate their imagination, make sense
of the importance of visuality, explore the effect the idea of aesthetics has
on reading of visual texts, analyse the economic effects of a globalized
market, and illustrate explanations and arguments with images and
anecdotes that are highly eclectic. All these are grist to the mill when
studying visual culture, and in developing the sorts of literacies that allow
us to read and analyze the visual material that makes up our everyday
world.
Sanchez, Abad, and Jao (2011) mentioned that art, like love, is difficult to
define. That’s because art concerns itself with “the communication of
certain ideas and feelings by means of a sensuous medium.”
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy says that “art’s contingent
cultural and historical features are emphasized by some definitions of art.”
Philosophy plays an important role in the definition of art as philosophy
even has a word to refer to the philosophical study of beauty and taste
aesthetics.
We can define art according to the possession of their representational,
expressive, instrumental and formal properties.
Art will always related human condition.
What does art do?
1. Appeal to human emotion
2. Art can arouse aesthetic and moral feelings.
3. Art can function on a therapeutic level
How Does Art Look?
- Express the artist’s creativity to engage an audience’s aesthetic
sensibilities
Institutional approach to art: regardless of any formal definition, art
schools, museums, and artists can get away with what they consider as
art
Proceduralist approach: art is labeled as “art”: through a process by which
it is created or viewed
What Makes Art Beautiful?
In the context of art, beauty refers to anything that pleases the senses the
interaction between line, color, texture, shape, motion, and size. Human
instinct to appreciate harmony, balance, and rhythm
The branch of under philosophy that deals with the appreciation and
nature of art, beauty, and taste is aesthetics
FUNCTIONS OF ARTS:
Social and Cultural Function
Arts also showcases group identity and pride in the form of tattoo, flags,
and banners
Aesthetic Function
Art are created to beautify and decorate, say for instance, a house, a
building, or a public space.
Religious Function
Art to worship their gods, as evidenced by statues of gods
Economic Function
In art, there is an opportunity to make money
Art Categories (Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Literary Arts)
Visual arts
• Painting
• Architecture
• Sculpture
• Drawing
• Photography
Lesson 2: Reading Visual Arts
A “picture paints a thousand words”: the degree to which pictures-visual
culture-can communicate or present not just forms, but stories too.
What is reading in Visual Art?
Understanding visual art is context-dependent. It is an active and creative
process
Reading the visual: activates personal context
Three main points in seeing as reading:
1. We see the things we are actively engaging with our environment
rather than simply reproducing everything within our line of sight.
2. Every act of looking and seeing is also an act of not seeing-some things
must remain invisible if we are to pay attention to other things in view.
3. The extent to which we see, focus and pay attention to the world.
Cultural Literacy: general familiarity with and an ability to use, the officia
and unofficiial rules, values, genres, knowledge and discourses that
characterize cultural fields
Cultural Trajectory: seeing something from a cultural perspective
Techniques of seeing as reading
Selection and omission: every act of looking and seeing is also an act of
not seeing.
Suggests set of relationships between and stories about different aspects
establishes a hierarchy with regard to the potentially visible
Seeing in time and motion elements that contribute for better
interpretation
• Color
• Shape
• Movement
• Texture
• Distance
• Light
Text and Intertext
Text – a collection of sign which are organized in a particular way to create
meaning.
Sign – treated as a meaningful part of the unit that is the text.
Intertextuality - use other texts to create new texts
Text and Genre – Genre in visual arts refers to the style or category of
artwork that shares common characteristics. While not as clearly defined
as in literature or music, visual arts genres often revolve around subject
matter, technique, or style.
Visual Technologies
How do our bodies and brains engage with the world around us?
Tacit Seeing – Intuitive understanding we have of visual information. It’s
the way we instinctively recognize patterns, shapes, and colors, even if we
can’t consciously articulate how we do it.
Seeing as literacy – “Arresting reality” in visual arts refers to the ability of
an artwork to capture and hold the viewer’s attention in a compelling and
thought-provoking way.
Technology for us to see – birth of new technologies in order for us to
better interpret the arts
Lesson 3: Reading Visual Arts
Iconography – is the study of symbols, images, and their meanings,
especially within a cultural context. It involves analyzing the visual
elements of artworks to understand their underlying symbolism and
messages.
Pre-iconography: This is the initial stage where the artwork is examined
purely in terms of its formal elements, such as lines, shapes, colors, and
composition.
Iconography: In this stage, the specific meaning or symbolism of the
image is identified. This requires knowledge of the historical, cultural, and
artistic context of the artwork.
Iconology: This is the final stage where the deeper, underlying meaning or
significance of the artwork is revealed. It involves understanding the
cultural, philosophical, or religious ideas that the artist is expressing
through the image.
Narrative Art
• Art that tells a story or conveys a narrative through visual elements.
• Examples: Paintings depicting historical events, religious scenes, or
mythological tales
Nudism
• Art that features nude human figures.
• Examples: Classical sculptures, Renaissance paintings, and
contemporary photography.
Religious Art
• Art that depicts religious themes, figures, or symbols.
Personification and Allegory
• Personification is the attribution of human qualities to non-human
entities. Allegory is the use of symbols to represent abstract ideas or
moral lessons.
• Examples: Paintings depicting personified figures of justice, liberty, or
death; allegorical paintings like “The Triumph of Death” by Pieter Bruegel
the Elder.
Portraiture
• Art that depicts individuals or groups of people.
• Examples: Self-portraits, family portraits, and group portraits.
Nature
• Art that features natural elements, such as landscapes, seascapes, and
animals.
• Examples: Impressionist landscapes, wildlife paintings, and botanical
illustrations.
Still Life
• Art that depicts inanimate objects arranged in a composition.
• Examples: Paintings of flowers, fruits, and household projects.
Protest Art
• Art that expresses social or political messages, often in a provocative or
challenging way.
• Examples: Graffiti, street art, and political cartoons.
Fantasy Art
• Art that depicts imaginary or mythical creatures, worlds, or events.
• Examples: Illustrations from fantasy novels, video games, and movies.
Abstract and Non-Objective Art
• Art that does not represent recognizable objects or scenes.
• Examples: Abstract expressionism, geometric abstraction, and non-
representational art.
Lesson 4: Reading Visual Arts
Art vs. Design
Art is typically created for aesthetic or emotional purposes, while design is
created to serve a practical function or solve a problem.
Purpose: Art is often created for its own sake, while design is created to
serve a specific function or purpose.
Function: Art is often non-functional, while design is always functional to
some extent.
Audience: Art is often created for a broad audience, while design is often
created for a specific target audience.
Process: Art is often created through a more intuitive and exploratory
process, while design is often more structured and methodical.
Art Theory: The Theory of the Artist as an Outsider
Avant-garde artists – Those who challenge conventional artistic norms and
introduce new and innovative ideas.
Avant-garde artists
Pablo Picasso:
Known for his pioneering work in Cubism
(Head of a Woman, & Weeping Woman)
Marcel Duchamp
Leading figure in the Dada movement
Andy Warhol
Warhol’s work explored themes of consumerism, celebrity, and mass
media. Repetitive
(Marilyn Monroe)
Jackson Pollock
Key figure in abstract expressionism
Outsider artists
Henry Darger
Created elaborate and detailed paintings depicting a fictional world.
Bill Traylor
Creating simple yet powerful depictions of rural life. (Red Man)
Henry Darger
“I figure that it’s better to be a sucker who makes something than a wise
guy who is too cautious to make anything at all.” (American, 1892-1973
by Henry Darger)
Niko Pirosmani
Known for his naïve and colorful paintings of landscapes, animals, and
people (Fishermen in red shirt)
Josephine Butler
Artist with autism who creates detailed and intricate drawings and
paintings.
(Collection of Dance)
Self Portrait by Jean Dubuffet
Outsider artists are those who operate outside the mainstream art world
or do not conform to traditional artistic conventions.
Outsider art was coined by Jean Dubuffet. Outsider artists may have
limited or no formal training in art, and their work may be characterized
by its raw, expressive quality.
Art Theory: The Theory of the Artist as an Outsider
• The theory challenges traditional notions of art and artistic value.
• It has broadened our understanding of what constitutes art and who can
be considered an artist.
The Legend of Banksy
An anonymous British graffiti artist known for his acerbic and
antiauthoritarian art, often done in public places.
Lesson 5: Reading Visual Arts
Three-Dimensional Media
Three-dimensional media refers to art forms that have depth, height, and
width. They can be touched, felt, and experienced in a physical space.
Famous sculpture in the Philippines
Luneta Park
The park is a significant cultural and historical landmark, serving as a
tribute to the country’s national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. Rizal was executed by
the Spanish colonial government in 1896, and his execution site is now
marked by the Rizal Monument in the park.
Installation
• Temporary or permanent: Can be site-specific or movable.
• Often interactive: Encourages viewer participation.
• Combines various materials:
May include sculpture, painting, sound, video, and performance.
Site-specific art
• Created for a particular location: Integrates with the architecture,
landscape, or cultural context.
• Ephemeral or long-lasting:
Can be temporary or permanent
Architecture – Functional and aesthetic: Serves a purpose while also being
visually appealing.
FUNCTION Architecture
• Ensuring the building serves its intended purpose efficiently. Examples
include hospitals needing to facilitate patient care and schools designed to
enhance learning.
• Incorporating features like fire escapes, ramps, and sufficient lighting.
• Utilizing energy-efficient materials and technologies to reduce
environmental impact.
Pompidou Center
• freed up vast interior spaces for flexible use.
• easily reconfigurable, allowing for diverse exhibitions, events, and
activities easy access to all levels, making the building user-friendly.
Architect’s dream is the engineer’s worst nightmare
Craft and design
• Functional and decorative objects: Created for use or enjoyment.
• Wide range of materials: Includes ceramics, textiles, glass,
metalworking, and more.
Methods and Materials of Three-Dimensional Media
Welding – process of joining two or more pieces of metal or thermoplastics
by applying heat and sometimes pressure.
Carving – process of shaping material (such as wood, stone, or ice) by
cutting or chipping away parts of it to create a desired form.
Assembly – process of putting together various parts or components to
create a complete structure or object.
3D Printing – creating three-dimensional objects from a digital file.
Involves layering materials to build up
Computer-Aided Design – software used to create and manipulate 3D
models on a computer.
