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ART AND
CULTURE
VCE Art: Unit 2
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WHY DO WE MAKE ART?
Art fulfills many roles in the twenty-first century, sometimes so
quietly that we are unaware of the part it plays and the
influence
it has on our lives and our thinking.
Art takes many forms:
Traditional and static forms, such as painting and sculpture, which
can be seen in galleries and public spaces, art is now often time
based. It can take the form of performance, installation or video, or it
can be an integral part of festivals and public celebrations to
commemorate specific events.


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WHY DO WE MAKE ART?
Art can also challenge. It can confront societys values and
assumptions and defy its rules, often by assuming less
traditional forms, such as street art.
The roles that art fulfills change over time. They are influenced
by social and political events and subsequent shared values, or
they result from strong viewpoints held by artists who wish to
provoke changes in philosophy or action.
The viewer also plays a vital role in the way that art is
perceived. The knowledge, background and experiences that
you, the viewer, bring to an artwork greatly influences your
understanding and appreciation of its meaning.

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PERSONAL ROLE OF ART
As we saw in Unit 1, art can fulfill a very personal role in the
life of an artist. It can express personal thoughts, feelings,
concerns and interests. It can also convey imagination and
fantasy by expressing the inner life of the artist through their
dreams and nightmares.
Art can also reflect the creative impulse, a desire to create
beauty for the sake of beauty.


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A REFLECTION OF
CONTEMPORARY LIFE
Art can be seen as social or cultural functions. Art can reflect
and record contemporary life, its daily activities, its social
conditions, its traditions and attitudes. In this way, the artist may
reinforce cultural values and help to create cultural or national
identity.
Much art commemorates historical events and the identity of
significant people and institutions.
An important role that art plays in contemporary life is that of
challenging issues and values:
Today, artists are often social critics, commenting on values they
see as dubious and actively promoting change. Art can affect social
and political change by focusing the public on contentious issues
and provoking controversy.


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EXPRESSION OF POLITICAL
THOUGHT
Art can be an expression of political thought. It may support
the powerful either the government or the wealthy and
confirm their status and prestige and, in this way, reinforce
political power.
In the past, artists often produced artworks that reflected the
values of their patrons, the wealthy and powerful who
commissioned the work.
Governments and rulers sometimes use art to present
propaganda to support their political purposes, by influencing
opinion and behaviour to achieve a political agenda.

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RELIGIOUS OR SPIRITUAL ART
Art can communicate religious and spiritual values. It can
inform people of accepted ideals and morals. In many cultures,
art presents and supports religious beliefs and values. It
embodies, in visible form, ideas that are spiritual. It may
represent religious figures, events and concepts and is often
used as an aid for prayer. In this way, artworks make these
concepts and beliefs more concrete for the members of their
society.
Since ancient times, architects and artists have designed and
constructed churches and temples where people gather to
worship

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ANNOTATED VIDEO
http://www.learner.org/courses/globalart/theme/1/index.html
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TASK
Click on Compare on the top left corner of the video page


These questions should come up. Select a question page to
answer:
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TASK
Under each question a page will show: Read the text under the
green heading on the left side and answer questions under the
orange title on the right side, Questions to Consider: