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Function in the Arts

The document discusses the various functions of art, categorizing them into personal, social, and physical functions. It explains how different forms of art serve practical purposes, convey social messages, and fulfill personal needs for expression or aesthetic experience. The text emphasizes that the quality of the artwork is more important than its function in assessing its value.

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Glenn Pamplona
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8 views1 page

Function in the Arts

The document discusses the various functions of art, categorizing them into personal, social, and physical functions. It explains how different forms of art serve practical purposes, convey social messages, and fulfill personal needs for expression or aesthetic experience. The text emphasizes that the quality of the artwork is more important than its function in assessing its value.

Uploaded by

Glenn Pamplona
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Function in the Arts

Lesson Objectives
 Identify and classify artworks based on their functions
 Explain how different forms of art serve various functions in society and individual life.
 Express the different functions of arts through creative works

Function

Function refers to the direct and practical usefulness of the arts. Architecture is directly and
almost entirely functional because buildings and other structures are always built for some
special purpose. Painting and sculpture may be used to narrate events, to portray people or
events, to instruct, to commemorate individuals or historical events. Crafts such as metal works,
furniture, ceramics, glassware, etc. are referred to as utilitarian arts since they are intended for
practical use or utility.

The functions of art normally fall into three categories. These are personal, social, or physical
functions. These categories can and often overlap in any given piece of art.

The physical functions of art are most easily dealt with. Works of art that are created to perform
some service have physical functions. Architecture, any of the craftworks and industrial design
are all types of art that have physical functions.

Art also has social functions when it addresses aspects of collective life, as opposed to one
person's point of view or experience. For example, political art (skewed to whatever message)
always carries a social function. The fur-covered Dada teacup, useless for holding tea, carried a
social function in that it protested World War I (and nearly everything else inlife). Art that depicts
social conditions performs social functions. Francisco de Goya went this route, with varying
degrees of success at enacting social change. Additionally, satire performs social functions.
Sometimes having specific pieces of art in a community can perform the social function of
elevating that community's status. A Botong Francisco mural, for example, can be a community
treasure and source of pride.

The personal functions of art are the most difficult to explain in any great detail. There are
many of them, and they vary from person to person. An artist may create out of a need for self-
expression, or gratification. She or he might have wanted to communicate a thought or point to
the viewer. Perhaps the artist was trying to provide an aesthetic experience, both for self and
viewers. A piece might have been meant to "merely" entertain others. Sometimes a piece isn't
meant to have any meaning at all.

Art may serve the personal functions of control. Moreover, art has been used to attempt to exert
magical control over time, or the seasons or even the acquisition of food. Likewise, art is used to
bring order to a messy and disorderly world. Conversely, art can be used to create chaos when
an artist feels life is too staid and ordinary. Art can also be therapeutic-for both the artist and the
viewer. Yet another personal function of art is that of religious service. Finally, sometimes art is
used to assist us in maintaining ourselves as a species. Biological functions would obviously
include fertility symbols (in any culture), and sometimes we adorn ourselves in order to be
attractive enough to, well, mate.

The function of art must not be considered in judging works of art. Some arts have a function,
others do not. Functional arts are not necessarily superior to non-functional arts. What is
important in the arts is not the function of the artwork but how well that artwork is made.

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