Aesthetic Art And Social Art example essay topic

What is art? Art is defined in the Oxford dictionary as "the product of something beautiful" (Oxford dictionary). There are two styles of art, art based purely on aesthetic reasons and art created for personal or social reasons, but can both these type's still be defined, as art? To understand and appreciate the artwork it is crucial that we understand the differences between the two reasons for creating aesthetic art and social art. "Art that makes a social comment has existed from the earliest times right through to the present. It is used to reflect personal and social views on important issues.

It is important to appreciate and understand the differences between art created to explore social issues and art created for purely aesthetic reasons". Aesthetic art is defined in the dictionary as " the philosophy or theory of taste, or of the perception of the beautiful in the nature of art". It was first applied to the liberal arts or 'the science of perceptible beauty' by the German philosopher Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten in the 18th century. Aestheticism was a term that was applied to various forms of art that were deemed to be self sufficient and did not need to serve any ulterior purpose, whether moral, political or religious. The French philosopher Victor Cousin (late 18th early 19th century) came up with the phrase "art for arts sake" which later became the catch phrase for aesthetic art. Aesthetic art became accepted as the form of art that was 'art for arts sake with no ulterior motive, religious, political, social or moral'.

Michelangelo Buonarroti was one of the greatest artists of his time. He like many of the other artist's around his time was an artist who created art for aesthetic reasons. Michelangelo was born on March 6, 1475, at Cap rese, to Ludovico di Leonardo di Buonarotto Simon i and Francesca Neri. Michelangelo has created many masterpieces and has amazed people with his aesthetic artwork through out time. One of Michelangelo's greatest masterpieces would be his sculpture of David, which he produced between 1501 and 1504 (see appendix 1). he aimed to use David as a symbol of heroic courage for the town in which this master piece was built. One of Michelangelo's most amazing artworks would be the Sistine Chapel, which he started working on in 1508.

Michelangelo had to spend approximately 1 year on his back suspended by ropes in the air painting the roof of the Sistine Chapel. Probably one of the greatest art works Michelangelo created would be "the creation of man" (also known as "the creation of Adam") (see appendix 2) which was painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo created this piece simply for the aesthetic reason which was for people to look at and appreciate for its beauty. "The creation of man" on the Sistine Chapel's ceiling is surrounded by many other masterpieces.

"The creation of man" has no foreground, middle ground or background. In the bottom left hand corner of the artwork, there is a man relaxing. He is naked with one leg bent, knee in the air, the other leg is stretched out. He is supporting himself in a semi sitting postion by leaning on one arm, which is bent at the elbow.

His other arm is reaching out in a lazy fashion. His hand on this arm is relaxed and his index figure is pointing (reaching out) to the index finger of the figure from the right of the painting. The right side of the artwork is taken up with the figure of a second man who is also lying in a relaxed position in the air. He is being supported by twelve male and female angelic type of people, with red capes. This man is a lot older looking and has a night shirt covering his body. He has a white curly beard and white hair.

This second man is also reaching his arm out but not in a lazy manner. He is pointing with his index finger towards the first man. The first man and the second mans finger tips are partially touching each others. The entire piece has aged cracks through it and has a basic white and grey background.

Elements of desire used in this artwork are, shape, tone and colour. Shape has been used in this artwork from the distinctive shoulder muscles shown in both males. Shape has also been used with the smooth rocky background behind the first male on the left-hand side. Tone is also used this artwork through the shades of colour to give a definition to the muscles of the males as well as all the angels who are carrying the second man. This artwork has no bright colours. All of its colours are dark and realistic reds, which have been used a lot in this artwork.

Red has been used in the capes and there is red in the background. White has also been used in the background as well as the pale colour of the skins of both males and the white cloth that the second male is wearing. Michelangelo has used balance in this artwork. He has something on both the left and right sides and he has created an overall equal effect, where everything is perfectly balanced. Michelangelo has reconstructed the vision of "the creation of man" very well. His work is very detailed and looks very realistic.

The artwork shows Adam the first man, reaching out and trying to touch God, the second man, who has just finished creating him. Michelangelo also shows the Garden of Eden, which is the green background behind Adam. Personally I feel that Michelangelo has created an excellent piece of artwork. It took him years to paint the entire Chapel but it was well worth it.

His "creation of man" was very realistic and like the rest of his paintings amazed everyone who laid eyes upon it. I would call this piece probably, my most favourite of all the artists that were around at that time. If I were to rate this artwork, I would give it 9.5 mainly because of it's aesthetic reasons. Art created to make a personal or social comment is just as important as art created for aesthetic reasons. Society shapes most modern art, artist's speck about what they feel on issues through there art work. It is a way of communicating a certain point to the viewer.

Social art can also look beautiful and realistic but still tell and show an artist's or societies Point of view. Alan Belcher is one of the many artists that communicate through their work. He is a contemporary artist from South Carolina and bases most of his work on Christianity and compares the different reactions in society now and all the way back to the society which existed 2000 years ago (BC). Alan started Christian art in 1986.

Most of Alan's art works are based on statements from different chapters of the bible and he says that in all his artworks he portrays a religious message fore his viewers. "Life through Death" (see appendix 3) an artwork created by Alan is based on a statement from the bible. "For god so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3: 16). Alan's work is about how Jesus was not strong enough to be kept in his grave and that is why the resurrection took place. "Life through Death" is an artwork based in a desert rocky type landscape.

In the foreground in the bottom right hand corner is the top of a tall skinny rock. Further back is a mound of dirt with a small rock on the left hand side and a bigger one on the right hand side. The two rocks are two crosses. One is further back then the other. The closest one is to the left of the artwork, and the furthest one is just left of the centre. In the background there is a greeny mist with clouds as the sky.

In the middle of the artwork towards the top is a golden cross floating in the air with a blue windy mist blowing around it in a ball like shape. Shape, texture, colour and tone have been some of the key elements used in this artwork. Shape has been used through the rocky shapes of the desert as well as the clear smooth crosses, which are all identical in shape. Texture has also been used in the rock formations, which show all the different ditches and mounds as well as sharp and smooth objects.

It is so well done that you feel you can reach out and feel the texture. Tone has been used in the artwork through the shades of gold on the crosses, as well as the different shades in the sky of green, blue and white. There is a great use of different contrasting colours in this artwork. There are the warm colours on the bottom, red and orange and the cool colour towards the top, blue and green. Alan is portraying that without Jesus's death, religion might be different. Without the death on the cross there would be no resurrection which was proof of gods existence.

Without the resurrection Christianity could have be over because the belief in him would have been in vain. Alan's artwork connects him as he is Christian and he wonders what if Jesus did not come back would this mean there was no god or Jesus was lying. Alan simplifies in his work that Jesus came back through the floating cross in the sky. He says "that death was not strong enough to keep Jesus in the grave" that is why the cross is in the air. As we now know Michelangelo created the painting "creation of man" to look amazing on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. "The creation of man" like the rest of the paintings in the Chapel was created for the people to look at and admire for its absolute and stunning beauty.

"Life through Death" the artwork by Alan Belcher was created because of the idea of what would happen if Christianity ceased to exist because of Jesus not returning. Although media can have a big effect on art, this time the artwork was not effected as one artwork was done for aesthetic reasons and the other was done because of what the artist felt. Although the aesthetic artwork "creation of man" is wonderfully pleasing to the eye, there are also other aesthetic art that also is created to reflect a social comment or issue. Aesthetic art also depends on who looks at it, the artwork maybe pleasing to one person, yet disgusting and stupid to another. So weather is a masterpiece or a piece-of-trash it is always important to remember that " Art that makes a social comment has existed from the earliest times right through to the present. It used to reflect personal and social views on important issues.

It is important to appreciate and understand the difference between art crated to explore social issues and art created for purely athletic reasons.".