Chapter 1

• The Nature of Art and Creativity

What Is Art?

• Work of art-visual expression of an idea or experience formed with skill through use of a medium

• Media/medium-type of tools used to create the artwork– clay, fiber, stone, wood, paint, video,

photography, • Some communication can only be

expressed through visual form or music...

Purposes and Functions of Art

• Art can:– tell us things– elevate our spirits– show beauty– show injustice

Art for Communicating Information

• Through the ages, art has been used to impart information

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Lauren Greenfield. The View North, toward Burj Dubai. 2009.

Dorothea Lange

Robert Frank

James Nachtwey

Art for Day to Day Living

• Objects made to delight the eye as well as serve useful functions

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Yves Behar. Mission One. 2009.

Eames

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Dish. East Iran. 10th Century.Diameter 8-1/4".

Art for Worship and Ritual

• Through the ages people have used art to use for prayer, worship, magic, and ceremony

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Dance Wand in Honor of Eshu. Elegba Cult. Yoruba, Nigeria.Height 19-3/4".

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Beatrice Wood (1893–1998). Chalice. 1986.7-5/8" × 7/8".

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Stephen Cox. St. Anselm's Altar. 2006.Height 35".

Art for Personal Expression

• The artist uses their medium to express their personality and/or feelings to the viewer

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Rembrandt van Rijn. Self-Portrait. 1658.52-5/8" × 40-7/8".

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Yong Soon Min. Dwelling. 1994.72" × 42" × 28".

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Romare Bearden. Rocket to the Moon. 1971.13" × 9-1/4".

Romare Bearden

• “ The biggest thing I learned was reaching into your consciousness of black experience and relating it to the universal.”

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Romare Bearden.

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Romare Bearden. Prevalence of Ritual: Tidings. 1967.

Art For Social Causes

• Humans are influenced by what they see• Artists can use their art to influence the

public

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Francisco Goya. The Disasters of War, No. 18: Bury Them and Say Nothing. 1818.5-7/8" × 8-3/8".

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Félix González-Torres. Untitled (Death by Gun). Installation view. 1990.44-1/2" × 32-1/2".

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Félix González-Torres. Untitled (Death by Gun). Single sheet. 1990.44-1/2" × 32-1/2".

Christian Boltanski

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Chaz Maviyane-Davies. Global Warning. 1997.

Art for Visual Pleasure

• Art is often identified solely by this definition

• Art made to be visually attractive and well crafted

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Decorative Panel from the Alhambra. Granada, Spain. Nasrid Period, 14th Century.

60" × 50-5/8".

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Miriam Schapiro. Heartland. 1985.85" × 94".

What is Creativity?

• The ability to bring forth something new that has value

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Robin Rhode. He Got Game. 2000.

Untrained Artists

• Outsider artists or folk artists- people with no formal art education– folk artists work within a tradition– outsider artists rarely know about the

trends and history of art• they work outside of traditional art

guidelines

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Anna Zemankova. Untitled (M). c. 1970s.24-1/4" × 17-3/4" (61.6 × 45.1 cm).

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Sabatino "Simon" Rodia. Nuestro Pueblo. Watts, Calif. Distant view.1921–1954. Height 100'.

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Sabatino "Simon" Rodia. Nuestro Pueblo. Watts, Calif.Detail of enclosing wall with construction tool impressions. 1921–1954.

Height 100'.

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James Hampton. Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations' Millennium General Assembly. c. 1950–1964.

10'6" × 27' × 14'6".

Mola Embroidery