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Slide 2 Slide 3 Girl Before a Mirror, Picasso Slide 4 Referentialism Art has value because it refers to a specific non-artistic idea Art reveals the emotions of the artist Art tells a specific story Artwork has meaning because of what it represents Slide 5 Referentialism Referentialists imagine a story unfolding as they observe a piece of artwork or listen to a musical composition They believe that art should be about something Slide 6 Formalism Art does not represent anything outside itself Art is best appreciated for its formal qualities such as color and line, or melody and harmony Slide 7 Formalism The formalist appreciates art for its beauty, originality or impact on the senses Video: What Is FormalismWhat Is Formalism Slide 8 Absolute Expressionism Art does not represent anything outside of itself Art naturally resembles human emotions and elements of nature, thus we relate to art emotionally Slide 9 Absolute Expressionism The absolute expressionist wants to engage emotionally through the arts natural resemblance to a universally human experience Slide 10 Which way is best? There is no best or worst mode of perception Some people prefer one particular mode of perception Some artwork lends itself more to one specific mode of perception Slide 11 Homage to the Square, Albers Slide 12 Starry Night, Van Gogh Slide 13 Prelude in e minor, Chopin Slide 14 What do you think? Write a brief essay explaining your preferred way of perceiving art. Provide examples of musical works that help to clarify your explanation. Slide 15