Section outline

  • Unit 1: Defining Art

    How do we define art? For many people, art is a tangible thing: a painting, sculpture, photograph, dance, poem, or play. Art is uniquely human and tied directly to culture. As an expressive medium, art allows us to experience a wide range of emotions, such as joy or sorrow, confusion or clarity. Art gives voice to ideas and feelings, connects us to the past, reflects the present, and anticipates the future. Visual art is a rich and complex subject, and its definition is in flux as the culture around it changes. This unit examines how art is defined and the different ways it functions in societies and cultures.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 2 hours.

    • Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

      • distinguish between the form and content of an artwork;
      • explain aesthetics and the role it plays in different cultural conventions and perspectives;
      • explain the difference between subjective and objective responses to art;
      • define the categories of art, such as fine art, pop art, and decorative art;
      • recognize, describe, and evaluate artistic styles, such as naturalistic, abstract, and non-objective; and
      • discuss the capacity to reflect personally on art.