The purposes, motivations, intentions, and inspirations behind the art are endless.

We’ve put together a list of 25 functions of art based on the viewpoints from renowned artists
and philosophers for you to study upon.

1. Art as an Expression

Art is a human activity, consisting in this, that one person consciously, by certain external signs,
conveys to others feelings he has experienced, and other people are affected by these feelings
and live them over in themselves.”

2. Art empowers our faith in the nobility of man (Humanism)

“Art is a lie that makes us realize truth, at least the truth that is given us to understand”

One of the most powerful shifts resulted from the Renaissance period is that the Church was
never a responsible source for their behavior and beliefs towards God and fellow men and that
they themselves are responsible for the actions. One of the key aspects of what makes us human
is revolving around our faith in religion, art, and culture

3. The creation of beauty is art

“Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art” – Ralph Waldo

Beauty is what you make of it, what your preference is, what calls to your heart, soul, and
mind. What is beauty in art? – Beauty is what we see as characteristic and harmonious. Every
piece of art, whether a painting, a vase or a statue, will have different colors, lines, and textures
that will appeal to your soul and heart.

4. Know Thyself

Art is a form of expressing oneself. During this process, artists are exploring their subject,
medium, and material, rebalancing the spiritual value of those elements, thereby experiencing the
subtle preciousness of their awareness.

5. Art is freedom in every sense

The value of freedom in our creative expression which cannot be overstated.

Different expressive media have a tendency to attract different personalities. Thus, in revolving
around the many GE 7 subjects, one could choose any subject that have the power to instill
immediate shock and presents them in a bold way that ensures they do. The true meaning of art
can be multifarious, but the purpose of art is met when such artists uses art in innovative and
unconventional ways.
6. Art sends strong messages from the sidewalk to the world at large

Street art has proven itself to be a truly expressive art form. Street art thinks, feels, and evokes
thoughts and emotions in the people that view it with an open mind.

7. Art is the most intense mode of individualism

A variety of art, style, and legacy reflected strongly in many artworks and often dismantled the
traditional perspectives of art.

8. Art shifts realism into reality

The power of pop art has been emerging since then and continuously breaking all conformist
perspectives and definitions of art.

9. Great art tells meaningful stories

Art does not reproduce what is visible; it makes things visible.

10. Art validates our sorrows

Art grows from joy and sorrow, but mostly from sorrow. It grows from human lives. Art helps us
see that sorrow can be beautiful and noble and still be one aspect of a good life. Art also helps us
to suffer alone without the input of society so that we can show a dignified face to the world in
our public sorrow.

11. Art is a personal act of courage

Courage is more important than creativity. Great art comes from the heart, doesn’t come from
doing what you’re told. The mesmerizing charm of a great work of art shows us that true art can
be created only through courage, the strength of character, and determination. The meaning of art
implies a personal and open proliferation of your thoughts.

12. Art is the signature of civilizations

Art is the Queen of all sciences communicating knowledge to all the generations of the
world. Humanity advances on the great foundations built by ancestors. We transform the
heritage of the past, learn the social aspects, identify new opportunities and invent new ways of
life.

13. Art embodies power and of color

Colors are powerful. Visual art always played an important role for artists to convey the life,
lustre, and power of life through colors. To a sensitive soul, the impact of a perfect color
combination is deeper and intensely moving.
14. Art is Attitude

Art, freedom and creativity will change society faster than politics. Art has taken a different
dimension to think, feel and evoke thoughts in the people that view it with an open mind. Art
represents the attitude either of an artist or of a belief system. Street art is often considered as
vandalism, but it is executed with purpose, design, technique and intention. Street art heightens
our experience of the visual landscape outside museum walls.

15. Art is the highest form of hope

Art can move us to tears. Beautiful art can bring tears of joy when we see a painting, sculpture or
photograph of people or creatures experiencing things we want to experience. Experiencing such
heart-warming feelings about it encourages us to hope for the same thing for ourselves.

16. Art is about two things – Life and Death

Many artists have used death as a theme for art. By giving death as a central theme, artists force
us to confront the reality of birth and death within the same frame. Birth and death exist side-by-
side, suspended in equilibrium, collaborators in the appetite of living.

17. Art rebalances our life

We gain balance through art by taking a moment to observe, judge, and appreciate things we
don’t normally see and our responses to them.

18. Art can be surreal

Surrealism reveals human emotions and desires in an irrational, powerful, poetic and
revolutionary way. The concept has a greater relevance considering it brought out the repressed
inner worlds of sexuality, violence, dream, and desire

19. Art is You

Art helps us to complete our own unformed thoughts and ideas. We have an ‘aha’ moment when
we see a piece of art that perfectly captures a feeling or thought we have had that we couldn’t
express. When this happens, we have gained a piece of new knowledge through the art that we
can now communicate to ourselves and to others.

20. Art is discovery and exploration

Art is a discovery and development of elementary principles of nature into beautiful forms
suitable for human use.

21. Art empowers the heart of people

Art is not what you see, but what you make others see. When activists are showing images of
children suffering from poverty or oppression in their campaigns, this is the art pulling the
heartstrings of societies elite and powerful to make changes. Such moments – using art to raise
awareness – truly validate the existence and definition of art. When the artist creates great music
and movies, it entertains people around the world. This is art, making a difference in society.

22. Culture is a great friend of art

Art speaks the soul of its culture. Art is also a remarkable mode of depicting culture from all
over the world, art and culture complement each other very well. Thus, all culture is the
collective term for human behaviors

23. Art is activism

Art has been used many times to represent the isolation, claustrophobia, and anxiety of our
society due to the tough political times that we’re living at present.

24. Art is harmony

The power of art lies neither in the image nor the emotions it arouses in the viewer, rather its
greatness is derived from understanding the creative forces which inspired the masterpiece.

25. Art as Therapy

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. Art helps us grow and
evolve in our understanding of ourselves, each other, and the world we live in. Taking your time
to mindfully observe artwork can be of true value to your emotional well-being.