What Is Art?

Historically, the concept of art has been highly contested. Historically, people have either viewed or created art, depending on their values, beliefs, and needs. Today, however, art has become a highly subjective practice, with a majority of people choosing traditional definitions and a minority pursuing originality and difference. Many people seek to explore the relationship between art and their personal lives and are motivated by an interest in craft and individual vision.

The very definition of art must include its relationship to human life and its relation to other human beings. It has been argued that every work of art creates an intercourse between the creator and receiver. In other words, the recipient of art enters into an intimate relationship with the artist, and with other people who experience the same kind of art. That is, art evokes feelings in humans that are distinctly personal. It also inspires a wide range of emotions, from awe to disgust to cynicism.

Art appreciation is the study of works of art that have meaning beyond re-presenting an object. Students learn to recognize, analyze, and interpret works of art, and then integrate their understanding into an integrated worldview. For the purpose of this survey, all images used in the survey are considered works of art. This survey is not exhaustive of all works of art. If you have questions about the meaning of these works, contact us via our website or write a comment below. We would love to hear from you.

Throughout history, rulers have used art as a communication tool. They may not have desired recognizable portraits, sculptures, or paintings of themselves, but they did want the people to know about their position, wealth, and other attributes. These signs of power are both ways to reassure the people of the ruler’s power and to alert enemies of his authority. If you have the time, it’s well worth your time. And, if you’re curious enough, you can find examples of this in any art world.

Neuroaesthetics studies the neurobiological bases of aesthetic experience, and the neuroscience behind it. Researchers use fMRI to study participants’ aesthetic and emotion-related judgments. The results show that people who experience art are more charitable and prosocial than those who have no experience with art. While this study has largely not been related to the aesthetic experience of film or art, it’s still interesting to explore. And there’s still a lot more to learn.

In terms of aesthetics, the prevailing use of the term “aesthetic experience” implies that art aims to cause pleasure in the viewer. In this way, scientists have a primary objective: to describe the perceptual processes that lead to liking and joy. But this reductionism significantly limits the range of human experiences and capacities. Further, it is a philosophically dubious concept of art. Furthermore, “able to produce aesthetic experience” is a weak theoretical framework in art evaluation.