Humanities Unit 1

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HOW TO EVALUATE THE ARTS IN THE HUMANITIES 6

Evaluating the arts within the humanities can be challenging. It takes time and effort. Criticizing art requires time to analyze when someone wants to respond with an educated viewpoint. To be able to critique a work with an educated response is more challenging than just deciding whether someone thinks it is art or not. A fi rst response to an evaluation of an artwork may be whether someone likes or dislikes the work of art. There is nothing wrong about feeling that way. But if that is all that is accomplished by an experience, it is only a superfi cial involvement.

If it is a performance piece, this would also pertain to the situation, and it would depend upon whether the viewer was entertained by the performance. To say “I like it” or “I do not like it” is a response, but it does not really answer the question whether it is actually art. It does not answer the question, “Why is it art?” or “Why is it not art?” To answer the question about whether the work or performance is art takes more than a superfi cial, spur of the moment, or reactive comment to make a meaningful evaluation. A little in-depth study and research may include some back- ground information about when the work was written, created, or fi rst performed. Other valuable information that may be interesting and helpful would be knowing who created it. There may be other information pertinent to that particular disci- pline within the humanities, depending upon whether it is a painting, sculpture, print, photograph, play, musical performance, dance performance, or fi lm. Delving into a work’s historical context, the background of the artist, and the particulars of the discipline provides a comprehensive view into the work.

An interdisciplinary humanities textbook titled The Introduction to the Humani- ties, by Doris Van de Bogart, offers a basic and fundamental approach to the pro- cess of evaluating the arts in the humanities. Her categories of evaluation have been found to be useful to students and have worked in most situations and disci- plines within the humanities over the years. These categories are

• Sincerity • Craftsmanship • Magnitude • Universality

Van De Bogart considered these four components to be valuable tools in evaluating the performing, visual, and musical arts. They work surprisingly well for many types of events and can be a barometer for measuring the quality of a performance or activity.

20 What Are the Humanities?

HOW TO EVALUATE THE ARTS IN THE HUMANITIES

Sincerity The artist is genuine and honest in his approach, ideas and en- deavor and does his work with care. He is not just trying to make money quickly. He is patient. He does not copy work of others or from other time pe- riods other than when he first starts studying and he learns all the techniques first. He has great technical ability and understand art historical periods. He reflects his own time.

Craftsmanship The artist understands the necessary technique and has all the perfection and skill to be able to create the work to its utmost capacity in sound or in the visual appearance in the end result.

Magnitude The artist is able to leave behind some expressive responses for others. These responses leave an impact on the individual.

Universality The artist is able to express feelings to others that are universal feelings which mean that they are feelings which go beyond just one group of people or just on type of people or just on type of place.

Interdisciplinary More than one discipline or subject together: for example, a film has graphic design, music, acting, editing, sound, and lighting. All of these elements must work well together for the film to work well.

An artist needs to be in touch with herself and her world to be able to create an expression of what she feels about the world in which she lives. If she copies or does work that is overexaggerated just to draw attention, she may be insincere in her endeavor. A viewer should ask himself the question, “Is the artist sincere?” He may think it is not possible to judge sincerity unless he is able to meet the performers or the artist. Because this is not always possible, he needs to look for the qualities of sincerity that are found in the final product. Is the work overdone or melodramatic? He will know that a fad is short lived; therefore, he knows that for an object to be art it must outlive a fad. Is there an element of trickery? A work of art must be genuine and must have been done by an artist to fulfill her own reasons. Is she portraying something that is just a fad or does it look too commercial? Is it a product that will sell? Is that its only purpose? Or is it art?

The second component is the craftsmanship of the work. This is also called tech- nique. Evaluate whether the artist knew how to work in her media and whether she worked well with the process and the methods in reaching her goal. Did the musician understand her instrument and have the proper skills to develop the type of sound that she wanted to produce? In other words, did the musician understand how to play the instrument well? Did the artist go beyond technique? Music is not created just by play- ing notes. How did the composer or performer express herself ? Was the performer just presenting the work because she was obligated to, or could the audience tell whether the performer was really sincere in her feelings about the work?

The third component is the magnitude or the level at which something is created. Is it for the moment? Does it represent a trite theme that is not timeless? In other words, will it be short lived? What level of meaning does it represent? Is it something the audience will want to see or listen to again? Did it leave them with a sense of awe? What impact did it have on them? Is it something that they will remember for a long time, or will they forget about the experience soon after they saw or heard it?

How to Evaluate the Arts in the Humanities 21

The fourth component is universality. Does it possess the type of ideas that all people in all times and from all places have in common? Life and death, search for meaning in life, and the emotions that all people experience from all parts of the world are what make something universal. Those are the universal feelings that artists write and paint about. They express the unchanging fundamental human conditions of all people. How people deal with emotions changes, but emotions are part of what makes people human.

Of course, the test of time is the best way to judge master works. But when some- one looks at contemporary works, he can use these four components to evaluate them because it is not possible to project the art’s acceptance in the future. Understanding the arts is a lifelong learning experience that gives a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. A meaningful education is one way to enhance daily life. A humanities course should be one that offers interesting experiences that can be remembered and valued in years to come.