The Purpose and Functions of Art

Art as a form of communication and expression has developed over the course of human
history. Cave paintings from the Stone Age showed us the ingenuity of early cultures. They
depicted what they experienced in their daily life on the walls of their caves. As civilization
evolved, the artistic depictions of the surroundings became more profound. Artists began using
naturally occurring elements, such as stone and mud, to sketch, etch, carve, sculpt, or mold
their work.

The needs and requirements of art grew over the centuries. Art began to be associated with
culture and society. The basic audience for art grew, with people coming to view art as a window
to their surroundings. Art held the unique ability to capture the surroundings and the prevalent
thought at the time of creation. Even in modern times, art lovers reminisce over simpler times
through various artworks.

Communication
You can consider art as a manifestation of communication in its primal form. Communication is
usually associated with language, but art has the ability to go one step beyond. Art creates a
direct connection with the viewer and delivers a unique message to each viewer. As with
language, the viewer should have or develop the ability to interpret the message conveyed by
art. Communication is the basic purpose and function of art.

Communication has a message, a sender, a receiver, and a medium. We can relate these roles
to art as well, where the sender is the artist, the receiver is the viewer, and the medium is the art
form. The message forms the core of the artwork. In some art forms, such as advertisements, it
is important to have a clear message. An artist, however, can choose to clearly depict a
message through a piece of art or to obscure that message. The latter might be done to draw
the viewer into a deeper understanding of the message. Sometimes, artists even concealed
messages within their work to avoid persecution. This concealment was done with the help of
symbols and illustrations.

Depiction of Spirituality or Rituals

The message originating from the artist might come from a deep spiritual center. The artist might
emote divine scenarios in the work. They may include symbolism or direct depiction of religious
scriptures. Spirituality, like art, can have different interpretations. Some may view spirituality as
purity and devotion to a higher power; others might view it as an assertion of their religious
beliefs. Many artists serve both mindsets and create the required work.

Spirituality often gives rise to customs and rituals. So art may even depict different rituals
associated with spirituality. Such artwork gives us a glimpse into the beliefs and practices of the
era in which it was created. For example, the votive figurines found in the ziggurat temples of
Mesopotamia dating back to 2700-200 BCE show “mortals” with folded hands and dramatically
large eyes. The posture of the figurines suggests devotion for the deities. The large eyes
symbolize unyielding dedication to this devotion.
Commemoration

Art has been used to depict, record, and commemorate events and individuals of historical
significance. As such artwork essentially depicted a time period, they sometimes had political
and cultural inclinations. These depictions could take the form of symbols or could be a more
direct representation.

These artworks were treated as an epic statement or homage to an event or an individual. They
had to match the grandiose elements of the subject. The Ara Pacis or the Altar of Augustan
Peace in Rome is an example of commemorative artwork. This work was commissioned
(between 13 and 9 BCE) for commemorating the Roman Emperor Augustus. The ceremonial
altar depicts the accomplishments of the emperor. Some of the imagery on the carved marble
perimeter shows the emperor as a compassionate ruler. It shows the emperor’s affinity for and
dedication to peace and prosperity in Rome.

Preservation

Art has a tendency to preserve the emotive nature of an event. It helps in chronicling events of
historical significance. Preservational art goes beyond commemoration of events. It allows the
viewer to connect directly with the subject as if he or she is actually experiencing it. It also
preserves the artist’s perspective of the event.

The famous oil on canvas composition Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix is an
example of preservational art. The artist created a representation of the July Revolution of 1830
in France, which led to the overthrow of the French King Charles X. The artist captured the
exuberance associated with the victory in the fight for liberty.

Personal Expression

Up until the mid-1800s, patrons commissioned most of the art. Artists faced staunch criticism for
any self-expression diverting from the assigned intent of the work. Gradually, though, many
artists forayed into personal expression in their work. They began experimenting with new
modes of expression.

James Abbott McNeill Whistler presented the Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket in
1875. This painting depicted a fleeting moment of sparks falling after a burst of a firecracker
against the London night skyline. Whistler's expressionism was severely criticized by renowned
art critic John Ruskin. Whistler stood by his work and sued Ruskin for defamation. Whistler
eventually won the trial. This period led to a transformation in the aesthetics of art. Théophile
Gautier's slogan “Art for Art’s Sake” resonated most in this era. This led to the ushering of the
modern age in art form. Many art enthusiasts believe that the modern concept of art holds the
freest form of expressiveness.

Aesthetic essentially means appreciation of beauty. Beauty can be in the form of nature, people,
or artifacts around us. The famous proverb, “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder,” fits the
definition of aesthetics. Artists view the world in their own unique ways. They interpret beauty
around them and transfer that vision into their work. Art then captures the artist’s expression of
the beauty and the emotion.

Emotional connection is the unstated expectation of any aesthetic artwork. Any form of beauty
creates an emotion in the viewer. This emotion might be wonder, appreciation, or happiness.
This emotion can be anything that the art manages to conjure up in the viewer’s mind. An
aesthetic artwork is a beautiful and emotive art form as seen by the viewer.

In the initial phase of the “aesthetic experience,” the viewer analyzes these formal elements of
the artwork:

Narrative: The narrative is the most striking depiction of the obvious message of the artwork. It
is basically what the viewer absorbs first on viewing the work.

Rendering: Rendering includes the mode of representation of the narrative. The artist may use a
skewed or an abstract form of expression. The artist may even choose to be direct in the
portrayal of the message.

Expression: It is the initial effect that the work has on the viewer’s mind. Expression is often
intended by the artist. The work might suggest a thought-provoking setup or a more subtle,
emotive encounter. Expression, as any other element in art, is always open to experimentation.
The analysis of artwork is always relative to the viewer. However, the formal elements of
aesthetics can be read in the intended expression of the artist. These elements can be
somewhat generalized over a number of viewers.

Until now we have seen the experiential interaction between the viewer and the artwork. Now
we move to a deeper level where we analyze artwork with a more worldly perspective. We begin
to analyze the cultural context of the artwork.

Generally, artwork is inspired or influenced by the culture around it. Many ancient Roman
artifacts bear the symbolism prevalent in that era. Similarly, “impressionistic” art defined an
entire generation of artists and their time. It is always beneficial to understand the cultural
influences and the context of the artwork. This understanding helps in the overall assessment of
the artwork.

The cultural context may even add significance to the artwork. For example, the statutes of
Buddha found in Gandhara bear influences of Greco-Roman and Indian traditions. The coming
together of these cultural art forms enhances the significance of the statues.

Sometimes, a viewer’s interpretation of a particular culture might affect the viewer's overall
aesthetic experience. For example, a viewer bearing a negative bias toward a particular subject
matter might perceive related work by any artist in a negative light.

he final part of aesthetics involves the viewer's individual personality traits and presumptions.
The viewer harbors a unique interpretation of the surrounding world. The viewer has to infer the
artist’s vision through the lens of his or her own biases. This might skew or misrepresent the
artist’s original intent behind the work. It might also end up enhancing and opening up new
meanings of the artwork. The viewer’s cultural and aesthetic senses play an important part in
deciphering the work.

For example, a viewer from the streets of London may relate a lot to the street art of Banksy and
therefore appreciate it. The same viewer might not relate to the cave paintings at Lascaux.

The viewer analyzes art in the context of the above elements. When all these elements function
in unison, the artwork is deemed successful.

Art as Means of Self-Expression

Self-Expression is essential for any artist. Artists observe and interpret the cultural and societal
idiosyncrasies around them. They reflect their vision in their work to leave an eternal mark on
the fabric of history. You can trace the development of thought across the ages through art. You
can interpret the artist’s views on finer sociological aspects such as religion and politics. When
analyzing such work, you can read into the historical significance of that time period. You can
also understand the prevalent emotions of that time.

Mid 19th century—The Advent of Art as Self-Expression

The mid 19th century saw the upheaval of the traditional form of art. Thus began a revolution
that led to the development of expressionistic works. As we have seen, James Abbott McNeill
Whistler was a key figure during this transition. Creativity broke the shackles of structure and
predesigned features in art. Free expression took wing and pushed the boundaries of the
abstract. This transformation kept building on itself throughout the 20th century.

Early 20th Century—Abstraction

Wassily Kandinsky is credited with leading the next phase of transformation in art. His works
incorporated simple color washes with intermediate lines used to form patterns. This phase of
art, in the early 20th century, moved towards abstract expression. Abstract expression is a
deeper level of self-expression. The narrative, structure, and cultural context all tend to merge
into singular significance. Kandinsky is believed to have created the first truly abstract work of
art.

The early 20th century saw artists move from figures to color and form. Abstract art gave a new
dimension to the philosophy and vision of self-expression. Through the development of art,
artists believed that their creativity could define and dominate their work.

Many artists contributed to this transition. Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko built on this
movement by developing Abstract Expressionism and Color Field Painting.

The Second Half of the 20th Century—A Saturation of Self-Expression

The latter half of the 20th century saw self-expression merge with cultural commentary. Art grew
beyond aesthetics to become a mode of reaching out to a multitude of people with any relevant
message. The forms of art became more experimental and unique. Here are some famous
artists from this era and their areas of interest and expertise.
1960s–70s
Andy Warhol: He incorporated popular culture icons in his work. His work underlined the power
of popular culture as an art form.

Barbara Kruger, Cindy Sherman: They brought feminism into focus with their work. The depicted
the male gaze through their work. They also displayed a contemporary culture and
inclusiveness for women.

1980s
Faith Ringgold, Lorna Simpson: They incorporated issues faced by African Americans in their
work. They showcased racial and gender stereotypes through their work.

Yasumasa Morimura: He incorporated his observations and experience as a Japanese man in

his work.

Creativity and the Creative Process

Creativity, in its primal from, is a means to create something by utilizing your intelligence and
talent. Creativity has always striven to transcend the barriers of the mundane and the mediocre.
The human mind falls into a pattern of repetitiveness over a period of time. The mind aligns
itself to viewing the world as it is shown and little else. It takes bouts of creativity to reinstate
wonder and inspiration into the human psyche. Artists have always relied on their creativity to
influence and inspire the minds of their enthusiasts. Creativity has always been the catalyst that
boosts culture into its next developmental phase.

Creativity has the tendency to build on itself. Once you set the creative ball rolling in your mind,
ideas tend to flow. It is difficult to direct creativity through a set pattern. It is more of a process,
which begins with ideas and builds on them with more ideas. Once you begin thinking and
imagining, you will be able to express your creativity in better ways.

Preparation
The preparation stage requires you to set your mind to think, observe, and express ideas. You
should list all ideas that come to your mind. Some of them may seem absurd or far-fetched. You
should list them nevertheless. The depiction and expression of the ideas will happen at a later
stage. Sometimes, absurd ideas happen to be the most innovative.

You might have to ask yourself questions that trigger ideas in your mind. The trick when asking
these questions is that you must make them as relevant as possible. Simply asking, “What
should my next painting be?” would generate too many ideas. Rather, asking, “How do I
reinvent the image of the coffee mug?” may give rise to more relevant ideas.

Distillation
The distillation stage requires you to shuffle through all your ideas and list them in the order of
their relevance. You should understand your strengths and thought process to align the ideas
with your mentality. You can pick out ideas that you relate to more and can express better.
Regardless of which logical process you utilize, basically, in this stage, you should filter your list
to make it shorter and more relevant.

Perspiration
The perspiration stage requires a thorough review of the list that you finalized in the distillation
stage. You should streamline the list further in order to wade through it. Once you have
analyzed the merit of each idea, you should begin preliminary work on them. You will eventually
cut down the list further and end up with a few good ideas. You might even end up with the one
great idea that you desire. Throughout this process, you have to make sure that you are
open-minded.

You have gone through the different stages of the creative process. However, the process is
seldom so precise in real life. You may need to alter the process according to your creative
needs. External factors might also affect your process.

Caravaggio, the famous Baroque painter, repainted Saint Matthew and the Angel (1602)
because his patrons did not like the original painting. Pablo Picasso redid the Old Guitarist
(1903-1904) as the death of a close friend pushed him into sadness. You can still see the
original painting under the surface.