The Value of Art
Art can be misunderstood, misinterpreted, and misplaced in modern society. This is especially true in the life of Christians. Many Christians completely disregard art because they think it is a form of self-worship, a waste of time, or simply have no idea how to approach art. Some Christians will even avoid art museums, performances, and discussions because they do not want anything to do with art. Is something wrong with this negative approach to art? Should Christians participate in or avoid art in its various forms? Can Christians assess and appreciate art in a godly manner? Can studying art actually be beneficial to Christians? These are all questions that have been asked by many believers. Attempting to answer these questions takes the believer along a journey of understanding their own beliefs of art, increasing their knowledge about the bible, and learning what God's desire for the role of art is in their life.
The first thing Christians should do as they begin their journey of understand the role art has in their life is to read the bible to determine if they should even learn about art. Each Christian needs to grapple with the idea of whether art is even allowable in a Christian's life. As soon as the Christian starts reading the bible, he might note that God refers to man as His creation by describing mankind as his work of art. In Isaiah 64:8 it says, "We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." The reference of God creating man as a work of art is significant. Art cannot be inherently wrong if God created mankind in his image, and used art to explain his work in creation. As Christians continue to read through the Bible, they will find that it is full of art. Specifically...
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The Holy Bible, New International Version: Containing the Old Testament and the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Bible, 1985. Print.
Uidhir, Mag Christy. "Why Pornography Can't Be Art." Philosophy and Literature 33.1 (2009): 193-203.Project MUSE. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. .
“Art is the organized visual expression of ideas or feelings.” Pensacola Christian College has a great definition for fine art. Starting with the first major point what type of art is this definition referring to; this is the traditional mediums used, such as painting, sculpture, architecture, and drawings. I am thankful we use traditional mediums at this establishment; after doing some research and finding artists like Millie Brown that have used bodily fluids and I am completely disgusted at the pieces that were created. Art needs to be an “organized visual expression of ideas or feelings” showing a clear understanding of design principles and using them to communicate a message. By following this principle I have been able to make some fantastic pieces that can go into a portfolio. Even God has said in Corinthians 14:33 says “for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints”. The background of this passage is all about communicating to the church, but as a Christian artist we can apply this to our work so we can edify others around us rather...
New International Version Study Bible. Barker, K. gen. ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1985. Print.
The attempt to base a standard for assessing the value of works of art upon sentiment (the feeling of pleasure or displeasure) was famously made by David Hume in his essay "Of the Standard of Taste." Hume's attempt is generally regarded as fundamentally important in the project of explaining the nature of value judgements in the arts by means of an empirical, rather than a priori, relation. Recently, Hume's argument has been strongly criticized by Malcolm Budd in his book Values of Art. Budd contends that Hume utterly fails to show how any given value judgement in the arts can be more warranted or appropriate than any other if aesthetic judgements are determined by sentiment. This is a remarkable charge, since Hume explicitly sets out to introduce an aesthetic standard for "confirming one sentiment and condemning another." I examine Budd's arguments and conclude that Hume's position-and the empiricist tradition that it inaugurated-can withstand them.
The Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments. King James. Barbour Books. Uhrichsville: Ohio, 2002.
Art, by definition, is “something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings”. Throughout history, one way that art has been used is to reflect a multitude of ideas and beliefs. Christian beliefs and ideas have been portrayed in artwork since the beginning of Christianity, although, it was not always acceptable to do so. The idea of the final judgement is a Christian idea that has been displayed in art repeatedly in a variety of ways. Michelangelo’s fresco the Last Judgment (1536-1541) is a piece that visualizes this idea. Since the time it was finished, this significant piece found in the Sistine Chapel has been continuously critiqued and analyzed. Many Christians struggle to interpret the event of a final judgment after reading it through Scripture. In analyzing Michelangelo’s piece, it is similar difficult to determine what he exactly meant to portray and what the various part of his masterpiece represent exactly. Many have examined this piece and made different regarding what exactly the various figures and objects are supposed to represent. The diverse interpretations of this work further shows the idea that when Christian ideas are reflected through artwork, it is hard to ascertain exactly what an artist intended to demonstrate. In addition, the controversies surrounding this piece represent the idea that when Christian ideas are revealed through art, there is potential for disagreement regarding what should and should not be included in Christian art. Michelangelo’s Last Judgment is just an example of what results when Christianity is brought into art.
The premodern philosophy in relation to art can then be divided into two separate and distinct areas, namely the Hellenistic and the Medieval. The latter saw art as a mimetic actively or a second-hand reflection of the original source of meaning; that which is above man. In the biblical sense, this would refer to Yahweh or God (Kearney, 1994:115). This was followed by the belief that the imagination (and therefore that which came from the imagination) was a mere counterfeit of the original being (Kearney, 1994:117). As art could never be perfect and was always an interpretation of the imagination, the iconography (representational paintings) of Christ and the Saints had to therefore follow strict rules in order to show no emotion. This was no ensure that the icon which was being represented was being worshiped and never the painting itself.
Art educates. This education can be both positive and negative but art can function as an educational tool that has lasting effects. A 2009 article in the New York Times titled: “Schools Adopt Art as Building Block of Education” indicates the growing acceptance of art functioning in education. In this article, the unique architecture of the building was used practically by students “measuring whimsical figures of hot-air balloons, paper airplanes and pinwheels built right into the walls of their school” (par. 1). The architecture also functioned as inspiration for further learning. In addition, the article documented the perspective of a four-year old child who proclaimed that “When you look at it, it helps you learn.” (par. 20) When Jeremiah looked at the image of heaven and hell he learned significant life lessons. This picture that was presented in residential school ...
The Holy Bible. New International Version. [Colorado Springs]: Biblica, 2016. BibleGateway.com. Web. 3 Jan. 2016.
People can have many different opinions depending on a topic, but what is truly difficult is getting a complete level of understanding from every opinion, or understanding the point of view of each opinion. Even accepting the points of view can be difficult for some people, who believe that their opinions are right. Luckily, people can learn about the other person’s frame of reference, and at the very least understand the topic or the person a little better. This particular topic is art, which is known for its multiple possible perceptions or its many different messages that it can send a person or group of people. In this way, people can learn more about the thought processes and feelings of others. Unfortunately, with differing opinions,
A lot of people might be doubtful that art has much power to make the world a better place. If you asked they would probably summarize art as scribbles or
The most influential theme in art for centuries was that of religion. There have been many things that have influenced art over the generations. Nothing has had the impact on the art world that religions has. Many of the ancient art works were dedicated to the gods or other religious figures. The statues of the Ancient Egyptians were not just for beauty. Instead, they were representations of the gods and were meant to have significant meaning to the people who saw them. The people of the time knew the meaning of every reed, flower, bird, or animal that was depicted in the art. The same is true of the Greeks and Romans. Most of the art was inspired by the gods and the mythology of the region. Art as a way of imparting a message dominates the art world. For most of history, art had a meaning that was often connected to the religion of the region. This is fitting since art has a sense of permanence that most other mediums do not possess.
Throughout the history of , which is arguably the length of time held within the universe, not much has been distorted. Art, along with is an incredibly difficult subject to comprehend, due to the varying nature of themes, opinions, and judgments. Not to cite all the societies, time periods, ethnicities, age and gender biased opinions. It is neither a science, nor a philosophy. It is both. within itself is a beauty, which will forever perplex the minds of the world. Art, placed in the neighborhood of philosophy and science reveals its innate inclination, (although undefined) to forever intrigue and perplex both the scientific and philosophical minds.
Religious art helps people that are looking for security and hope. Today society is looking for peace and an anchor to hold onto. This religious art lifts the spirit and brings peace within through a beautiful way. It helps reassure people that there is a life after this one. One needs not fear the power of God but to understand his actions and the way one should live his or her life.
Art is one of the most intriguing and exiting forms of human expression. A picture can tell a thousand words and often stir up feelings inside the viewer. Art is all around us.buildings,electronic equipment like a computer, and even automobiles are all a form of art.
Throughout the ages art has played a crucial role in life. Art is universal and because art is everywhere, we experience it on a daily basis. From the houses we live in (architecture) to the movies we see (theatre) to the books that we read (literature). Even in ancient culture art has played a crucial role. In prehistoric times cave dwellers drew on the wall of caves to record history. In biblical times paintings recorded the life and death of Christ. Throughout time art has recorded history. Most art is created for a specific reason or purpose, it has a way of expressing ideas and beliefs, and it can record the experiences of all people.