Understanding art: What makes an artwork ‘good’
The issue of what makes an artwork good has probably been debated since the first splotch of pigment touched a cave wall. It is nearly impossible to define what true art is. Despite this, many theories have emerged to encompass ideas and opinions about what art is and should be.
Imitationalism/mimetic
The imitationalism or mimetic theory claims that artwork is best when it imitates life. The more realistic it is, the more valuable a piece of work is.
Looking at Teofilo Y. Mendoza’s charcoal drawing entitled “Lola”, we could see how it captures the unique features of the model as well as her emotions. Each pencil stroke and each wrinkle reveal her wisdom and experience. Her gaze captivates us to the point where we could almost understand her melancholy and loneliness. She feels real and tangible.
Based on the premise that this piece imitates life, we could say that it is indeed beautiful.
Formalism
Formalism, meanwhile, dictates that artwork is good when it effectively uses the elements of art and principles of design.
A formalist will concentrate solely on the color, line, shape, and texture. The story being told and any historical or social context behind it has no bearing on whether it is considered successful. The composition is all that matters.
“Experimental Lines” by TYM is an abstract piece. Because abstraction leans away from realism, we cannot judge it through the lens of imitationalism.
Through formalism, we may be able to appreciate its beauty. We can observe the lines and colors that come together to form an interesting image. The lines are random yet organized and the colors add a certain flavor to the piece.
Instrumentalism
An instrumentalist is concerned with context. Through the lens of instrumentalism, the best artworks are those that convey a message or shape how we see the world. It says that art is good when it functions as a tool to influence or change society.
“Life and Peace” is one example. It features what seemed to be masked figures—perhaps doctors and medical staff. With gentle hands, a nurse cares for her patient, perhaps an infant. We could interpret the painting as showing the importance of medicine and how it can change people’s lives. That’s what makes it beautiful.
Emotionalism
Emotionalism places emphasis on the expressive qualities of an artwork. If the art is able to elicit a feeling (may it be positive or negative) from the audience, then the artist has created an excellent piece.
We could also use emotionalism to view the piece “Lola” because of how well it captures the human emotion.
We could likewise look at abstract art through emotionalism. For example, we could judge it by its colors and lines, which in turn often have an emotional association. Warm colors like red often express feelings of strength, passion, and love. Cool colors, such as blue, exude a sense of wisdom, peace, or even melancholy.
The piece “Presence of Love” meanwhile is chaotic yet structured. There are short and long lines that are both jagged and flowy. It explodes with color, yet the shades of pastel give it a sense of softness. Just like love, it is chaotic, yet it makes sense. It is overwhelming yet warm and comforting at the same time.
Art is subjective
There are various ways to look at art. Art, after all, is subjective. It is up to you to decide what makes art valuable for you. You may use ideas from imitationalism, formalism, instrumentalism, or emotionalism as a reference next time you go to admire art at your local museum or art gallery.
