Objectives:

• Consider the origins of art
• Explore a brief history of Western Art
• Examine multiple perspectives for evaluating art

Original Post:

The term called ”paleoanthropsychobiological” was coined by Ellen Dissanayake. She tried to present her own view of art for life’s sake. This view is very different and from special perspective. She tried to put several things together to be this term. These things are important to this term. So let me introduce some of them. First, One of these things is the idea of the whole art human history. Second, human societies from different times are necessary for this term. Third, art is a emotional need and have emotional effects on people no matter when it occurs.

Dissanayake used the phrase “making special” for view about art. Most people have common ideas about art that include three things mentioned before. She wanted to make it different. With her experience in the West, Dissanayake got a lot of new ideas. Making special is that art must be viewed human’s original peculiarity and also contain with human history, human culture and psychology. Everything has its special place, as well as normal things and common things. Just like different people has its own ideas about the value of art. Some people do not care about it and some people do the opposite thing. Dissanayake wanted to make special for her view about art.

First theory is common point in different times. “In medieval times, the arts in the service of religion, as they have always been, but were not regarded “aesthetically”.”(16) Dissanayake said that even though artists work for god and their religion, they still represent and use standards of beauty, harmony and excellence. Art has common point in different times.

Second theory is  public is more and more important for art. “To artists, as to everyone, the new order…As in 19th century advanced…” (17) People want to learn and find art in everywhere. They became hungry and thirsty for art.

Third theory is great changes weaken people’s attitude and views about art. “What we now call “the Romantic Rebellion” was…” (17) More and more people get changed because of five changes mentioned in  Dissanayake’s essay. New ideas and thoughts towards art and life let people stay away from original life and art.

Reflection:

Ellen Dissanayake’s article is really convincing. She tried to interpret the history of Western art and  told us the view’s change of people in different time. The most important thing why she written this book is that she wanted to show her own view and experience about art for life’s sake. I deeply agree with her ideas and smart explanation in many parts. however, I still have some question about her article and views about art. However, the world is not as beautiful as what Ellen said. Sometimes, people could not find his own value though arts. When some one do criminal or immoral things, it will be never found its value and art. If people who died because of his crime about killing others, his death will just be the death. We definitely cannot figure out its value It is easy to break what her ideas before like death.

So why it helped me? Different people have different values. I just want to show my idea.  Ellen Dissanayake’s idea is good and it also affected me with my opinion. It helped me how to show personal ideas toward art. Now I have my ideas about art and want to show it to others. Just like Michael Sullivan’s YOUTUBE said that what art is. People’s opinions are also important to art in the world. Even though personal idea is small, more and more personal idea can be large.

Future:

Everything has its value. In the future, I will not just observe things from its surface to judge it. I need to do some research from different kinds of parts of it. Reflection is good to help me better understand arts.

Bibliography:

Dissanayake, E. (1991). What is art for? In K. C. Caroll (Ed.). Keynote adresses 1991 (NAEA Convention), (pp.15-26). Reston, VA: National Art Education Association.

Michael Sullivan (Dec 21, 2006). What is Art?. Retrieved Dec 21, 2006, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZXOL-HUfWM