Girl Before a Mirror, Picasso

Referentialism  Art has value because it refers to a specific non-artistic idea  Art reveals the emotions of the artist  Art tells a specific story  Artwork has meaning because of what it represents

Referentialism  Referentialists imagine a story unfolding as they observe a piece of artwork or listen to a musical composition  They believe that art should be about something

Formalism  Art does not represent anything outside itself  Art is best appreciated for its formal qualities such as color and line, or melody and harmony

Formalism  The formalist appreciates art for its beauty, originality or impact on the senses  Video: What Is FormalismWhat Is Formalism

Absolute Expressionism  Art does not represent anything outside of itself  Art naturally resembles human emotions and elements of nature, thus we relate to art emotionally

Absolute Expressionism  The absolute expressionist wants to engage emotionally through the art’s natural resemblance to a universally human experience

Which way is best?  There is no best or worst mode of perception  Some people prefer one particular mode of perception  Some artwork lends itself more to one specific mode of perception

Homage to the Square, Albers

Starry Night, Van Gogh

Prelude in e minor, Chopin

What do you think?  Write a brief essay explaining your preferred way of perceiving art. Provide examples of musical works that help to clarify your explanation.