Arts 1 Study Guide 1

University of the Philippines Visayas-Tacloban College
Arts 1 Critical Perspectives in the Arts
STUDY GUIDE
WEEK 1 Defining Art
If you were asked to point out three of the most difficult English words you’ve encountered, “art” would probably not
pop into your mind, would it? How could a three-letter monosyllabic word you’ve learned as soon as when you were
in grade school be difficult, right? What is art then? (Take a minute now to write down your definition.) Although we
may come up with definitions that are close to the word’s denotation as stated in a dictionary or ones which are more
poetic and personal, there’s a whole world of discourses of which such definitions may just form part. In this session,
we deal with the concept of art under Unit 1: The Art Experience. We will be exploring definitions of art, teasing out
problems in understanding the concept, and identifying some key characteristics of objects and phenomena which
often come to be regarded as art.
At the end of this session, you should be able to:

• Understand art as a construct and discourse;
• Explain the various qualities or conditions associated with art; and
• Analyze how these qualities and conditions figure in one or more of three interrelated aspects: (1) the act of creation,
(2) the work of art, and (3) the experience of art.
Watch this 13-minute video entitled “The Definition of Art” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2VpNx5ZxSA)

where curator Sarah Urist Green constellates quotes about art from various artists and writers. As she fleshes out
each quote, figure out which one—if any—echoes your definition. Think about how and why you have put together
that very definition. Does it cover the range of artistic objects and phenomena there are or is it narrowed down by
the types of art you are most drawn to?
• What is Urist Green’s argument or main idea in the whole video?

• Do you agree that art is a “nebulous,” “flexible,” and “ephemeral” concept? Why or why not?
• If any, which definition discussed in the video do you like more than your own? Why?
• Which of the quotes presented in the video is most explicitly about any of the following aspects: the creation of
art, the work of art, and the experience of art?
Read the essay/book chapter “What is Art?” by philosophy professor Denis Dutton (a copy is included in the course
pack). Reading comprehension is key to appreciating and even questioning the ideas in this essay—or in any reading
material. Make sure to check the dictionary or the Internet for unfamiliar words and concepts. Dutton’s essay, in
particular, cites names of artists and writers, titles of art pieces, and technical terms which may be unfamiliar to you.
Thus, looking them up would surely take you further in the reading experience. Another surefire way to understand
the essay is to picture the hierarchy of ideas. Which are the main ideas? Which are the supporting details? How do
the paragraphs transition from one to the other? This is especially crucial here because Dutton is not simply
articulating his own ideas but presenting those of other writers and critiquing them. My one last advice is for you to
annotate the essay. Jot down notes on the copy of the essay itself, highlighting or marking certain parts; if you can’t,
then you may record your notes on a notebook. Annotating is helpful because it keeps you active and engaged with
what you’re reading. Writing down your thoughts about the text also helps you keep track of your reading
experience, which may change when you read the text another time. You’ll be surprised by how much more you will
have learned by the time you revisit the text and your notes. A paraphrase, elaboration, counter-argument, anecdote,
or question—feel free to pencil it.
UNIT 1 The Art Experience: Creativity and the Human Condition Page 1 of 2
University of the Philippines Visayas-Tacloban College
Arts 1 Critical Perspectives in the Arts
• As Dutton points out, “[s]ometimes when we talk about art we focus on acts of creation, sometimes on the
objects created; other times we refer more to the experience of these objects.” These three aspects, however, are
interconnected, albeit a certain aspect may predominate in a given instance. For example, the core item “direct
pleasure” is most immediately related to “the experience of art.” But in discussing it, Dutton also touches on the
act of creation—e.g., “technique of a landscape painting”—and the object created—e.g., “the structural form, colors,
and subject matter of a painting.” Another way through which the study of art may be analyzed is by looking at
aspects like the artist, the artwork, and the perceiver (viewer/audience).
• Referring to the work or object created, the author describes “art” or “arts” as belonging to two broad categories:
“artifacts” and “performances.” What are examples for each category?
• Dutton enumerates and elaborates on four major problems or limitations in how philosophers talk about art which,
for him, get in the way of arriving at a cross-cultural understanding of it. What are these?
• What are the 12 core items which, for Dutton, characterize or attend most objects and phenomena regarded as
art? How are they distinct from each other? How are some of these core items related?
• What are the ways these conditions the author is identifying as problems may be particularly helpful—i.e., for
purposes that are not concerned with understanding art cross-culturally?
• Recall the quotes in Urist Green’s video. If you were to match the quotes with the core items Dutton discusses,
which ones are related to “direct pleasure,” “skill and virtuosity,” “style,” “representation,” “art tradition and
institutions,” and so on?
As you have learned, the concept of art is complex and contentious. The video and the essay have demonstrated this
by foregrounding disparate or conflicting definitions of the word, the varying scopes of these definitions, the
philosophical debates on the concept, perspectives and predilections that are conditioned and circumscribed by
their respective milieux, and the confusions in analyzing the qualities and aspects that define or constitute works of
art. To understand art as a construct is to grasp that “artness”—so to speak—rests not so much on the object or
phenomenon itself, but more on the ways we value or consider it as art. This further highlights the discursive nature
of art as a concept—how cultural beliefs and attitudes may come to legitimize certain things as art and invent the
vocabulary through which we apprehend and articulate them.
To be sure, certain aspects of the creation and experience of art may be natural and physiological—which is one key
idea Dutton propounds in laying out a cross-cultural conception of art. However, we are yet to examine the extents to
which such aspects cut across cultural differences—and, indeed, other categories of identity such as class and
gender. In this case, dichotomies like “art versus craft” or “high art versus low art” may be interrogated. These are
issues which we will continue to explore in Arts 1 as they recur in the course.
Works Cited:
Prepared by
Mars Edwenson Briones The Art Assignment. “The Definition of Art.” Youtube,
Instructor presentation by Sarah Urist Green, 24 Jul. 2020,
Division of Humanities https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2VpNx5ZxSA.
UP Visayas Tacloban College Dutton, Denis. “What is Art?” The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure,
and Human Evolution. Bloomsbury Press, 2009.
UNIT 1 The Art Experience: Creativity and the Human Condition Page 2 of 2

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University of the Philippines Visayas-Tacloban College

Arts 1 Critical Perspectives in the Arts

WEEK 1 Defining Art

At the end of this session, you should be able to:

Watch this 13-minute video entitled “The Definition of Art” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2VpNx5ZxSA)

• What is Urist Green’s argument or main idea in the whole video?

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