In all times, men have given special significance to the part of art that transmits religious feelings. Socrates, Plato, and other ancient men viewed art with a religious perspective. The same holds true for Christian and Mohammedan art. In our own culture, even religious peasants have expressed their feelings in art. Some teachers go so far as to condemn all art. Here are some points to consider when studying art. In order to understand its significance, we need to know what it really means.
Art starts when a person expresses a feeling, which is then evoked in others. A child’s experience of fear in an encounter with a wolf is expressed in a painting or a poem, which describes the boy’s surroundings, his lightheartedness, and the distance between him and the wolf. Those who listen to his words are infected with those feelings. In turn, others may learn to appreciate this work of art.
The world of art has evolved throughout history and is difficult to define precisely. Artists have been experimenting with our conceptions of what art is throughout history. Some people define art as anything that is created with the mind and is beautiful. Others see art as the expression of shared creativity or as the result of one person’s imagination. Whatever the case, art has two fundamental elements: form and content. The latter includes the materials used in creation. The former is the objective of art, while the latter is a way to express an emotion or evoke an emotion.
Definitions of art have changed throughout history. The Greek word for artist is “techne,” which means “mastery.” From this, the Latin word “tecnicus,” the English words “technical” derive. In ancient times, art was equated with manual labor, while the latter was a matter of skill and knowledge. It was also seen as an expression of the human spirit. Its history traces to the ancient world.
After the Renaissance, art was divided into two broad categories: fine art and common art. The former reflected the cultural snobbery and moral standards of the European establishment. The latter was more subjective, and artists found greater freedom to express their thoughts in art. Throughout the 20th century, there were many new categories. For example, the conceptualist movement was created to challenge the idea that an objective “work of art” is worthless.
Conventional definitions of art deny that art is a medium for expression, communication, and exploration of formal elements. These definitions have largely been influenced by the emergence of radical artworks in the twentieth century. For this reason, art cannot be defined as “stuff” or a stifling of artistic creativity. Artistic expression can be a great means of communication. In the context of art, we can’t help but wonder what it means for us.