AESTHETICS Discuss these questions to clarify your ideas about some basic issues in the arts, then write a report summarising your thoughts.

1. How would you define and distinguish between these terms?

art the arts a work of art artistic beautiful beauty

2. A tree growing naturally in a forest, or a rock face eroded by the weather, would not normally be considered to be “art”,

would it? Why not?

3. There are many cases of paintings which, having been believed for many years to be the work of famous artists, are

shown to be forgeries. When this happens they are removed from the galleries and people lose interest in them: they

cease to be “art”. But in many cases only experts can tell that they are not genuine, and up to that moment people

enjoyed looking at them. Why do they suddenly lose their appeal?

4. A painting by Picasso, consisting of just a few red and green blobs, is worth several million dollars and is greatly

admired. A similar painting painted by me is worth nothing. Why?

5. Sami says “Rap music is really cool!”. Tomi says “It sucks big time!” Are they really disagreeing? Or is the situation the

same as when Tiina says “I adore white chocolate!” and Tuija says “I detest white chocolate!”? In the latter case it’s hard

to see where any real disagreement exists, and further discussion seems pointless – Tiina is hardly going to persuade

Tuija that white chocolate is delicious just through argument! Is the situation the same in discussions about the arts,

then?

AESTHETICS

Discuss these questions to clarify your ideas about some basic issues in the arts, then write a report summarising your thoughts.

1. How would you define and distinguish between these terms?

art the arts a work of art artistic beautiful beauty

2. A tree growing naturally in a forest, or a rock face eroded by the weather, would not normally be considered to be “art”,

would it? Why not?

3. There are many cases of paintings which, having been believed for many years to be the work of famous artists, are

shown to be forgeries. When this happens they are removed from the galleries and people lose interest in them: they

cease to be “art”. But in many cases only experts can tell that they are not genuine, and up to that moment people

enjoyed looking at them. Why do they suddenly lose their appeal?

4. A painting by Picasso, consisting of just a few red and green blobs, is worth several million dollars and is greatly

admired. A similar painting painted by me is worth nothing. Why?

5. Sami says “Rap music is really cool!”. Tomi says “It sucks big time!” Are they really disagreeing? Or is the situation the

same as when Tiina says “I adore white chocolate!” and Tuija says “I detest white chocolate!”? In the latter case it’s hard

to see where any real disagreement exists, and further discussion seems pointless – Tiina is hardly going to persuade

Tuija that white chocolate is delicious just through argument! Is the situation the same in discussions about the arts,

then?