2022-03-24 01:52:15 -05:00
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# Chapter 1 - Discovering a World of Art
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## Table of Contents
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[[TOC]]
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2022-03-24 07:59:32 -05:00
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## The World as We Perceive It
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What is the difference between passive and active seeing?
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### The Process of Seeing
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- Seeing is an inherently creative process
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- Trompe-l'oeil murals are a perfect example of this (making space out of something flat)
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- What we perceive is dictated by our complex perceptions of the world
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- Just taking it in, no further examination
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### Active Seeing
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- We can understand our filters (prejudices) and learn to look more closely beyond them
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- Everything seen is colored by our perceptions of the world and our history with it
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- Properly perceiving and understanding the meaning of a work
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## The World as Artists See It
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What is the creative process and what roles do artists most assume when they engage in that process?
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### The Creative Process
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- All artists have shared fundamental desire to create
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- In order to create artists engage in _critical thinking_
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- Creative process is an exercise in critical thinking
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### Art and the Idea of Beauty
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- For many, the purpose of art is to satisfy aesthetic senses
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- In western culture beauty is associated with order, regularity, right proportion, and design
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- Hallmarks of the Greek Golden Age
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- Work of art itself may not be beautiful, but the higher level of awareness given to the viewer may be thought of as a
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form of beauty
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### Roles of the Artist
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- Most artists think of themselves as assuming one (or a combination) of four fundamental roles
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1. They create a visual record of their time and place
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2. They help us to see the world in new and innovative ways
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3. They make functional objects and structures more pleasurable by imbuing them with beauty and meaning
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4. They give form to immaterial ideas and feelings
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#### 1.) Artists Make a Visual Record of the People, Places, and Events of Their Time and Place
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- Sometimes artists only want to record accurately what they have seen/are seeing
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- Art of portraiture is a direct reflection of this desire
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#### 2.) Artists Help Us to See the World In New Or Innovative Ways
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- Literally, help us take a new understanding to an object
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- For instance, hang trees
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#### 3.) Artists Make Functional Objects and Structures (Buildings) More Pleasurable and Elevate Them Or Imbue Them With Meaning
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- For instance a coffin with a sculpture of a film projector upon it
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- Demonstrates the person the coffin is for loved films or was in some way connected to films
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- We want our spaces to be more appealing
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- Green Architecture is an example of this
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#### 4.) Artists Give Form To The Immaterial -- Hidden Or Universal Truths, Spiritual Forces, Personal Feelings
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- Minkisi are small statues in Central Africa that have power from the dead/spirits and some speakers can harness power
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through them
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- Aminism is the belief that inanimate objects posses souls
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- Most religious artworks
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## Seeing the Value in Art
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How does the public come to value art -- or not?
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### Artistic Value and the "Culture Wars"
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- Value of art is not all about money
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- Art has intrinsic value
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- A minor had her genitals presented as art, was fought in court as whether or not it was "Criminally Obscene"
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- Basically, how much can art toe the line with what is culturally acceptable and what defines art as valuable is tied
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to how that art presents itself (e.g. not just a straight picture but has some form or substance)
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### The Avant-Garde and Public Opinion
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- Avant-Garde works are usually viewed with reservation as it typically has little context for which to view it
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- Hard to appreciate what is not understood
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### Political Visions
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- If art appears to be promoting a specific political or social agenda then there are bound to be parts of the public
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that disagree with its point of view
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- That political vision of an art piece can shift with time as the public's understanding changes
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## Key Points
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### Differentiate Between Passive and Active Seeing
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- Everything we see is filtered through our understandings and prejudices
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- Through art we can see past our own filters or at least understand our filters
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- Art allows us to look more closely at the world
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### Define the Creative Process and Describe the Roles That Artists Most Often Assume When They Engage In That Process
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- Artists share desire to create, but their response is divergent
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- Artists must be an explorer and inventory
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- Artists think of themselves as assuming one of four roles
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- Record specific times places visually
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- Imbue objects with beauty and meaning
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- Give form to feelings and ideas
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- Help us see the world in new and innovative ways
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### Discuss the Different Ways In Which People Value, or Do Not value, Works of Art
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- Monetary value of a work of art is determined by the art market
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- Often established by auction houses
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- Art has intrisic value
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- Public usually receives innovative artwork with reservation
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- Has little context to understand and appreciate the art by
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