When a piece of art is created, whether with a quill, paintbrush, Nikon or computer, it brings out the individual artist’s personal creativity and style. It also is a vehicle for expression that can bring joy, happiness and comfort. It can evoke memories and emotions in the viewer that cannot be explained or understood.
Defining what is art is a complex process, because it has to take into consideration not only the objective facts that can be observed, but also subjective experiences and interpretations. A work of art is a tool for understanding the world, not just the physical world as science seeks to do, but the human and social world as well.
It’s no secret that the definition of art is constantly changing and evolving as new artists, techniques, and materials are introduced. While the eighteenth century’s focus on what constitutes a “fine arts” was important in establishing the study of art as an academic discipline, the modern era of art history has shifted the definition to incorporate a broad range of artistic forms.
In the beginning, when students are evaluating an artwork, it is important for them to write down objective information about the piece, such as its name, artist, date and medium. This helps them to analyze the information in order to make connections, reflect and ultimately share their opinions about it with the rest of the class.
Once students have analyzed the artwork objectively, they can begin to speculate about what the artist was trying to communicate to the audience. This step can be a little trickier because it requires the students to be creative and think outside of the box.
The best way to do this is to divide the artwork into groups of four images each and ask them to group them in any way that they like. Then, have them explain why they grouped the images together. They can also use this as an opportunity to explore what they like about the pieces in the different groups and why they chose those particular artworks for their groups.
A common theme that comes up in the discussions is how certain artworks have an ability to surprise the viewer. This can be a positive or negative experience depending on the nature of the surprise. For example, the unexpected beauty of a piece of art can be a wonderful experience, but the disappointment of an artwork that falls short of expectations is not.
In terms of what makes something art, anthropologists suggest that it may serve a ritualistic or symbolic function in the context of a culture. It can also be an expression of a spiritual connection or a response to life’s challenges.