ART 1: WHAT IS ART? 8/6/2012

Leonardo DaVinci Mona Lisa Date –

Mark Rothko No. 61 (Rust and Blue) Date -1951

Marcel Duchamp Fountain 1917

So, What is Art? There are three words we use to define art:  Subject  Form  Content

Subject  A subject is a person, place, or thing. It can even be an idea.

Form  When looking at art, form means the organization of:  The Elements of Art  The Principles of Design  The physical material the artist used

Content  The emotional and intellectual message of an artwork. The “why?” behind the work.  “Why was this painting made?”  “What is it about?”

Other Important Factors  Art has a subject, a form, and content but it also has  A vocabulary  A history  Social and/or political context

A Vocabulary  The key to talking about art is knowing the vocabulary  Elements of Art: Line, shape, form, color, value, texture, space  Principles of Design: Contrast, emphasis, balance, pattern, rhythm, movement, unity  Along with these there are many other vocabulary words we will discuss

A History  Art has been around since the beginning of time. There is history behind every piece of art that is made, something that connects it to the past.  Artists are inspired and influenced by art history and the things done in the past.

A History cont.  When looking at art history there is a line of influence that runs through it all, things done 1000 years ago can be connected to contemporary artists by looking at an artist’s influences.  These influences are very complex but we will gain a broad grasp of them.

Gustave Moreau – Pieta, 1852 Michelangelo – Pieta,

Gustave Moreau – Pieta, 1852 Georges Rouault

Social/Political Context  Art is a “thermometer of culture”. It tells if a culture is healthy or not, what the culture values, who a culture values, etc.  It often strives to correct social, political, or cultural wrongs, or to show the culture what is wrong about it.

Social/Political Context cont.  What do you think this culture valued? Lascaux Cave painting, estimated to be 17,000 years old

Social/Political Context cont.  What about this culture? Andy Warhol Marilyn Monroe c. 1960’s

Social/Political Context cont.  Have you ever seen this artwork? Does it have a political motivation or context?

What does art do?  Art creates beauty  Art communicates  Thoughts  Ideas  Beliefs  Art expresses  Feelings  Thoughts  Emotions Vincent Van Gogh – Starry Night

Review  Art can be defined by these three terms:  Subject  Form  Content  Other important factors to think about include:  The vocabulary of art  The history of art  The social, cultural, and/or political context of art  Art does at least three things:  Creates beauty  Communicates  Expresses