Art: Expression and Appreciation

From realism, to abstraction and from sculptures to literature, it is all art. Some say that we have our various forms of art because our brains are large and need stimulation. Our curiosity and our constant communication need a release, and in many cases this release takes its form through the different mediums of art. Art allows us to demonstrate whatever it is we please, and to express what our heart desires. Unfortunately, we don’t have every artist’s interpretation of their work, our job is to look for what message the creator and patron of the work was sending and why. Art could also be used in several different ways. It could be method of self-expression, like James Hampton’s “Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations”, where he created his thrones, and altars due to his personal visions. There is also social expression, where artists express the times that they are in. Politics comes in to play here, where works could be used as propaganda. Art could also be through the form of social criticism, where the artist depicts their opinion of society, and different events. An example is Honore Daumier’s lithograph “Rue Transonain, le 15 Avril 1834” where he is criticizing the actions of the French National Guard. However, not everyone could be an artist, so those who can’t, patron the arts. They commission for different works to be created, or simply buy artworks for their collections. An example is Queen Isabeau of France who hired artists to paint, draw, decorate, etc. Curators and individual collectors also sponsor the arts buy purchasing different pieces for their collections or exhibits. Though a relatively new topic, art history combines the study of art pieces themselves, as well as the history behind each of those artworks, which I believe to be equally or more important. Knowing the reasons and the stories behind creations of human hands and minds allows us to fully appreciate the artist, his patron, and of course his