Module 3 - Purpose of Art

Activity 1 : : Activity 2 : : Activity 3 : : Activity 4 : : Activity 5 : : Activity 6 : : Activity 7

Activity 4: Content and Meaning in Art

• Subject Matter – What is it about? Is this discernible? (Sometimes the subject matter can be formal elements meant to stimulate the senses. For example a painting can be about color, shapes, or lines.)
• Communication – What is the artist trying to say with their work of art and is this communicated to the viewer clearly? 
• Personal Experience – Some artists consider works of art collaborations; what the viewer brings to a work of art (based on their own experiences with similar subject matter, colors, cultural identity, political viewpoint, etc.) can be as of much value as the intention of the artist. When viewing a work of art, listening to music, watching a play, or viewing a dance, inevitably the question you can ask yourself is: “what does this remind me of from my own experiences?”
• Context – knowing something about the artist, the time period they lived and worked, or what other artists of a similar style were doing at the same time can sometimes add a different meaning to a work of art (this is called Contextual Criticism.)
• Artisanship (also known as Craftsmanship) – Is the work of art well made? If so this usually leads the viewer to understand that the intention of the artist is serious and will hold the attention of the viewer for a longer time.
• Medium and Techniques -An understanding of the Mediums of Art (MODULE 6 - Activity 1) can sometimes help the viewer understand what a work of art is about.