Arts Appreciation Module 1

1. 1
WHAT IS ART: Introduction and Assumptions
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this module, you should be able to:
1. Understand the role of humanities and arts in man’s attempt at fully realizing
his end;
2. Clarify misconceptions the art;
3. Characterize the assumptions of arts; and
4. Write and categorize art works by citing personal experiences.
Overview
Art is something that is perennially around us. Some people may deny
having to do with the arts but it is indisputable that life presents us many forms of
and opportunities for communion with the arts. A bank manager choosing what tie to
wear together with his shirt and shoes, a politician shuffling her music track while
comfortably seated on her car looking for her favorite song, a student marveling at
the intricate designs of a medieval cathedral during his field trip, and a market vendor
cheering for bet in a dance competition on a noontime TV program all manifest
concern for values that are undeniably, despite tangentially, autistics.
Let’s Get Started
LESSON
1
This lesson is about this yearning for the beautiful, the appreciation of the
all-consuming beauty around us, and some preliminary clarifications on
assumptions that people normally hold about art.
Medieval Cathedral
Week 1-2

2. 2
Let’s Get Started
Activity 1
In the first column of the table below, list down your most striking encounters
with arts. On the second column, explain why you think each encounter is an
experience with art.
My Encounters with Arts Why?

3. 3
The word “art” comes from the ancient Latin, ars which means “craft or
specialized form of skill.” Collingwood, 1938
Ars in Medieval Latin meant “any special form of book learning, such as grammar or
logic, magic or astrology.
Assumptions of arts
1. Art is universal
 Timeless, spanning generations and continents through and through.
 Misconception: Artistic made long time ago. Age is not a factor in
determining art.
 “Art is not good because it is old, but old because it is beautiful.” (Dudley,
et al. 1960)
 Works of Rizal and Francisco Balagtas
 Not read because they are old but they are beautifully written.
 Arts regardless of origin, time, and place are liked and enjoyed by people
continuously.
2. Art is not nature
 Man’s expression of his reception of nature
 Man’s way of interpreting nature.
 Art is made by man, whereas nature is a given around us.
 Art, not directed by representation of reality, is a perception of reality.
 Five blind men touching an elephant
 Art has its reason why the artist made it. What is it that he wants to
show?
3. Art involves experience
 It does not full detail but just an experience. “Actual doing of
something.”
 Radio DJ, Choreographer, Painter, Sculptor
 “All art depends on experience, and if one is to know art, he must know
it not as fact or information but as experience.”

4. 4
Let’s Make it Happen
Activity 2
Choose one artwork under each given category that you are familiar with. This
can be the last artwork that you have come across with or the one that made the most
impact to you. Criticize each using the guide questions provided.
Categories:
1. Movie
2. Novel
3. Poem
4. Music
5. An architectural structure
6. A piece of clothing
Category: ____________________________
Artwork: _____________________________
1. What is it about? What is it for?
2. What is it made of?

5. 5
3. What is its style?
4. How good is it?

6. 6
Rubric for Art Criticism
Description Analysis Interpretation Evaluation
(4)
Advanced
Exceeds
Standards
Demonstrates
exemplary
observation and
thorough
understanding of
technical
application of
media and/or the
representation of
visual elements
Demonstrates
exemplary
performance
in promoting
a logical
inference of
an artist intent
or meaning
Demonstrates
exemplary performance
in establishing a
personal understanding
and thoughtful reaction
to a work of art
Demonstrates exemplary
performance in assessing
the
qualities, communication,
and aesthetics of a work of
art
(3)
Proficient
Meets
Standards
Demonstrates
competent
observation and
understanding of
technical
application of
media and/or the
representation of
visual elements
Demonstrates
competent
performance
in inferring an
artist intent or
meaning
Demonstrates
competent performance
in establishing a
personal understanding
and thoughtful reaction
to a work of art
Demonstrates competent
performance in assessing
the
qualities, communication,
and aesthetics of a work of
art
(2)
Partially
Proficient
In Progress,
Emerging
Makes errors;
shows incomplete
understanding or
observation of
media, and
inaccurate
representation of
visual elements
Makes errors;
provides
incomplete
inference of
an artist
intent or
meaning
Makes errors; shows
incomplete
understanding and
personal reaction to a
work of art
Makes errors; shows
incomplete understanding
of the qualities,
communication, and
aesthetics of a work of art
(1)
Novice
Unsatisfactory
Demonstrates
serious errors;
shows major
misunderstanding
Demonstrates
serious errors
in inference
of
an artist intent
or meaning
Demonstrates serious
errors in
understanding and an
undeveloped personal
reaction to a work of
art
Demonstrates serious
errors in understanding the
qualities, communication,
and aesthetics of a work of
art
(0) Work is missing
or no attempt
was made
Work is
missing or no
attempt was
made
Work is missing or no
attempt was made
Work is missing or no
attempt was made
Self –
Evaluation

7. 7
Let’s Work on This
Assessment
Answer the following questions as precisely yet as thoroughly as possible.
1. If you were an artist, what kind of artist would you be?
2. Why is art not nature?
3. Why is art ageless and timeless?
4. Why does art involve experience?