Student 11 Final Exam Fall 1999

What is art? Please discuss/explain the five major aesthetic theories that we have studied this semester, and give at least two examples of art, literature, or other art forms we have studied this semester in support of your explication of each theory. You must explain the aesthetic theory itself, and then explain the symbolism, construction, or other relevant facts of each work of art mentioned, and clearly explain how that piece of art reflects that particular theory. In addition, you must use different disciplinary resources in your responses; for example, use paintings, sculpture, architectural works, and literature.

*note: this exam was transcribed exactly as the student wrote it on the final; nothing has been altered. There are numerous errors in spelling, grammar, and usage. However, this student really has tried to analyze the question and realizes none of the aesthetic schools adequately on their own define art. This student has also integrated numerous classroom resources, as well as mentioned some that we did not cover in class (Hitler, for example). The student has used architecture, Chinese scrolls, sculpture, literature, and religion in his responses. Given that this student scored very low on the JPI on innovation, organization, analytical preference, willingness to accept risk, low on preference for complexity, this performance on the final exam strongly indicates that the course enabled this student to think in ways to which he was unaccustomed.

When this class was asked to write the definition of what art is at the beginning of the semester, I thought I knew the answer. As the semester went on and I learned more about the world and its people, I realized that art is far more than what my limited mind could conjure. At the time, I was familiar with the aspect of line, color, and shape categorizing types of art. This class has really opened my mind in seeing the different ways the world uses art and the significance it has on people. I saw examples of how color was so important to the Yuruba tribe using fun-fun., pupa, and dudu in expression and I saw examples of how thought was so important in Asian cultures as they displayed theorys on silk paitings and in thought provoking poems. Five major areas in this class defines art: houses of Prayer, Art in the State, Art as a Miror of reality, Art and the ordered cosmos, and Art as self-expression. As a whole, these areas define art and show us how humanity sees the importance of art.

Ancient civilizations and societies today have always understood the importance of prayer and reaching into the spiritual world. Great houses of prayer have been developed to accomodate the needs of different religions. In these great structures, we see art in the design. Pyramids and cathedrals set a precidence for beauty and strength. Decorating these houses of prayer we see the art of the different religion.

Paintings, tapestries, symbolic items, and statues adorn walls and halls of these marvelous creations. An example of structural beauty and function as well as religious art is the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. The third most holy sight in the Islam relgion, this structure covers the rock the muslims claim Muhamed ascended to heaven from. The dome shows the splendor of the Islamic religion shining bright with gold and the tile and writings of the Qur'an show the selflessness and deep regard for Allah.

Art in the state is a powerful tool of media and is expremely important in covering the thoughts of not only what the government portrays, but also how people see government. Propaganda from Germany during the reign of Hitler is a great example of what government wants to portray to people. Hitler used cerimonies , film, posters, and anything grand to show power and might of the people working together. A great example of personal views of politics is the interpretation the Death of Marat by Jacques Louis David during the French revolution. David saw the death of Marat, a revolutionary killed by a vengeful sister, as a tragedy. In the painting there is a dead man hanging limp out of a bathtub with white sheets covering some parts of the paiting. There is also a table that signifies a tombstone with Marat's name. David saw this murder as a a slaying of the "savior" of the day and expressed it in graphic detail to the people of the future. It seems that art in the state is timeless and is a great peice of history that captures emotion of the era.

Art as a mirror of reality was my favorite section covered this semester. Views of realism and idealism came into play with examples that abounded with beauty and passion. Artists like Michelangelo expressed their work not as personal talent, but insisted the work of art was already there and he simply chipped away at the stone until it come to fruition. The greeks, romans, and artists of the renaissance in Europe attempted to capture reality either ideally as they saw it or realistically, porportionate to the last measurement. An example of idealism is Micheangelo's Pieta a sculpture of the Virgin Mary holding her dead Son in her lap. We see this as ideal because of Mary's young appearance, showing her timeless beauty and the smalle size of the Christ so he would seem proportionate to his mother. This sculpture shows the reality of what happened to Christ and the ideal puicture of Mary.

Another aspect of art looked at was art and the ordered cosmos. Often we forget where we are in relation to the world around us. It seems everything is running on it on clock, marching to the beat of its own drum, but somehow it all runs together, effortlessly going through time. A depiction of this idea are the silk scrolls of North China created during the Sung Dynasty. They read from bottom to top much like a story filling the entire scroll. There is an introduction, main body, climax, and conclusion in this grand picture of the world around us. It shows is how insignificant we seem compare to nature all around us. In these paintings mountains portray the face of God and way down at the bottom you can see little tiny like huamans going on life's journey.

One can not define art without including self-expression. Verily, art doesn't have to be viewed as a painting or sculpture either. Music, dance, the written word, and how you live your life are all expressions of the self. Everyone in the world is searching for meaning and purpose in life. Artists in all walks of life and time periods have put a little of themselves into the works of art they completed, like the depiction of judgement in the Cistine chapel that has a self-portrait of Michelangelo or the writings of Rilke that express deep thought about what people express and who they really are. In Costume: A childhood game of impersonation Rilke shows the enjoyment opf putting on costumes or stepping into different lives. He also expresses the fear of public opinion and brutal truth. Self expression is necessary because of the freedom that is given when people see the true self. The goal of Hinduism is to find the soul, to grab a deeper understanding of who we are and the spirituality we can obtain.

One can not limit the definition of art to a word or sentece. It is too expansive to pinpoint and too elaborate to simplify. The ideas conveyed above give a better understanding to what art is and examples show specific points in each idea. This class has shown me a vast world that I crave to find and has revealed to me that art is so much more than line, color, and shape. I believe that this experience in defining art is the epitimy of interdisciplinary study.

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