Lecture 3

The Concepts of Art

Konsep Seni
 Aesthetics
a word derived from the Greek word
aesthesis which means sense
perception and sensory
cognition. This term was adapted to
the study of art in the 18th century
by Alexander Baumgarten.
Satu perkataan yg berasal drp pktn
Yunanai aesthesis dan Pgnlan
Sensori. Pktn diaplikasikan kpd
pegajian seni pd abad ke-18 oleh
Alexander Baumgarten
 (Continue)
Aesthetics is a reference to the philosophy
of art that is held by a person or persons.
It generally refers to the preferences
and the principles of an individual
regarding art.
Estetik merujuk kpd falsafah seni
seseorg. Mrupakan rujukan kpd
kesukaan dan prinsip seni seseorang
Aesthetics differ one from another
and especially from the artist/creator
to the audience/public viewing
his/her work of art.
Estetik berbeza mgikut pereka sstu
karya dan audiens yg menikmati
hasil ciptaannya.
Its focus is more on the reception
of the art rather than the creation.
Ia lebih berfokus pada resepsi
terhadap seni drp proses ciptaannya
 Cont.
Emphasis is on the experience of
the object rather than the object
itself.
Ia lebih menekan pengalaman
menikmati hasil ciptaan drp objek yg
dicipta itu.
Common terms used are aesthetic
perceptions, aesthetic
attitudes and aesthetic
response
Bbrapa pktaan biasa yg digunakan
adalah persepsi estetik, sikap
estetik dan respon estetik
 Aesthetic properties refer to
expressive properties
Eg. monumental, dynamic, unbalance,
brittle, elegant etc. They are
respondent-dependent properties.
Elemen estetik mrujuk kpd elemen
ekspresif dlm sstu karya
Cth. Tersergam, dinamik, tidak
seimbang, rapuh, anggun dll.
Semua ini bergtg pada responden
kpd seni
 continue
Aesthetics are closely linked with art
but they inhabit different domains.
Art can be created without audience
but not aesthetics.
Art is object centered while aesthetics
is receptive centered.
Estetik berkaitan rapat dgn seni ttp ia
berada dlm domain berlainan.
Semua seni boleh dicipta tanpa
audiens tapi tidak boleh dicipta tanpa
estetik.
Seni berpusat pada sstu objek ttp
estetik pula bpusat pada resepsi.
 continue
While art is the theoretical domain of
objects, aesthetics is the domain
of experience.
Seni berada dlm domain teori objek,
estetik berada dlm domain
pglmn.
The link between art and aesthetics come
from the fact that all art works aim to
elevate the audience to experience
aesthetics and all audience expect to
be entertained aesthetically by the
work of arts.
Kaitan di ant seni dan estetik:
Semua seni ingin mybbkan
audiens mgalami pglmn estetik
dan semua audiens ingin dihiburi
oleh estetiks sbuah karya seni.
 continue
Aesthetic definition of art lies in its
functionality.
Definisi estetik seni berada pada
fungsionalitinya.
 Cont.
The artists intention is sometimes
eg. political or religious intentions
are the measures of aesthetics but
the intentions must be deliberate and
not accidental.
Seorg pereka kgd-2 bertujuan
myampaikan sstu yg mpunyai
objektif politikal, berunsur agama.
Dari aspek inilah estetik sstu karya
dinilai tetapi tujuannya mesti sstu yg
memang ditujui dan bukan yg terjadi
tanpa niat pereka.
Example:Political Message
Example: Social Message
Example: Psychological Message
Example: religious message
 Aesthetic Theories
Aesthetic theories are the most vital
and fundamental to the value of art
work, there are a number of perspectives
of either experiencing aesthetics or
validating aesthetics that have been
argued and has become art theories.
Teori estetik adlh yg paling asas dan
penting dlm penilaian seni. Tdpt bbrp
perspektif mgalami atau mgesahkan
estetik yg tlh dibincangkan dan menjadi
teori seni.
Among the more general and
commonly debated theories of
aesthetics are the theories of
Representation and Expression.
Both these theories spring from the
perspective of art as a vessel of
sensorial experience.
Di antnya ialah Teori Representasi
dan Ekspresi. K2 buah teori ini
berasal drp perspektif seni sbg
kenderaan pglman sensorial.
 Artistic Immitation Theory
Introduction
The Rise of Art as Immitation
-Finds its roots in Grecian philosophy of
Plato-Aristotle who felt that the nature of
art was imitation. Plato sees paintings
as mirrors of things.
Permulaan Teori Seni Sbg Imitasi
- berakarumbi dlm falsafah Yunani
Plato-Aristotle yg berasa sifat
semulajadi seni adlah imitasi. Plato
melihat lukisan sbg sebuah cermin
 Cont.
Both did not see singing and dancing as a
superior art form as they were often
accompaniments to theatre or plays. This
movement claimed that all art is imitative
Plato dan Aristotle tidak manggap tarian
dan nyanyian sbg satu seni yg superior
krn pd masas itu k2 buah seni ini terhad
pada persembahan teater dan drama. Mrk
mghidup pgrakan seni sbg imitasi di
antara para seniman
 continue
The definition of art included skills
in war which to Plato-Aristotle
involved imitation. This explains
Grecian art(Greco-roman) and its
fascination with the actual human
form.
Definisi seni mereka termasuk cara
berperang yg mlibtakan imitasi. Ini
mjelaskan jenis seni Yunani (Greco-
Roman) dan fokusnya pada bentuk
badan manusia.
Example: Laocoon & His Sons (in Roman
marble by Hagesandros)
 continue
This definition of art remained until
19th century although it was too
exclusive. Visual arts came in the
late 19th century which departed
from the need to copy from nature.
Eg. Cubists and minimalists
Definisi seni ini brlanjutan shingga
abad ke-19. Seni Visual hanya
muncul pd abad ke-19 di mana
pereka seni mula berasa mrk tidak
perlu meniru drp alam smlajadi. Cth.
Cubist dan minimalis.
Example: Cubists
 Representation Theory
has long been part of Western ideas of
art. This philosophy has played a major
role in shaping our modern philosophies of
art today. It was declared obsolete when
the 19th and 20th century art rendered it
as such.
Sudah lama berada dlm ide seni Barat.
Falsafah yg terikat dgn teori ini telah byk
myumbang kpd pembentukan seni
falsafah moden hari ini. Ttp ia diaggp
tidak penting menjelang abad ke-19 & 20
dgn kelahiran era seni baru.
 Cont.
However it is very applicable to visual
arts which are pictorial in nature. It is
broader than the theory of imitation in
that it considers art anything that is
created as a representation of
another and acknowledged as such by its
audience.
Teori ini sgt brguna kpd seni visual yg
berlandaskan gambar. Skopnya lebih
besar drp teori imitasi krn ia mganggap
semua yg dihasilkan itu seni jika ia dicipta
sbg representasi sstu dan diiktirafkan sbg
seni oleh audiensnya.
 There are 4 types of Representation
Terdapat 4 jenis Teori Representasi
1) Unconditional representation
appeals to the base instincts of
recognition of audience eg. Mona Lisa is a
woman (inanate recognitional capacities)
normally used by films, drama,
paintings and sculpture.
1. Representasi tanpa syarat
merayu pada naluri pglnan asas audiens
cth. Mona Lisa adalah sorg perempuan
(keupayaan pgnln asas) biasa
digunakan dlm filem, drama, lukisan dan
arca.
 Continue
2) Lexical representation appeals
through the established codes either
semiotic or lexicographic. i.e. Romantic
Ballet when a dancer draws a circle
around her head it means she is pretty.
2. Representasi lesikal merayu mlalui
kod yg diasaskan samada dlm semiotik
atau lexikografik. Cth. Tarian ballet
romantik bila sorg penari melukis
bulatan dgn jari di atas kepalanya maka
dia ingin myampaikan mesej bhw dia
cantik
 Continue
3) Conditional representation
appeal to those in the field or in the
know of certain conditions governing
the creation of the work of art.
3. Representasi bersyarat
Merayu kpd semua org terlibat dlm
sstu bidang secara eksklusif .
Merujuk kpd kriteria yg ditetapkan
oleh suatu badan yg mgawal
peghasilan karya seni.
 Continue
4) Conditional generic representation also
appeals to the natural recognitional capacities in
us but does not know what it is or means.
All four points can be melded together in a
creation and sometimes overlap each other.
4. Representasi generik yg bersyarat
- Merayu pada naluri asas manusia ttp tidak tau
apa yg ingin disampaikan atau maksudnya.
- K4-2 jenis teori representasi kdg-2 disatukan dlm
satu rekaan atau bertindih dlm satu karya.
 Neo-representational
Pasca representasi
However this theory excludes too many
disciplines of art such as architecture and
also not all creation appears to be a
representation of another or is
acknowledged as such. Because of this
obvious flaw another more improved
theory calling itself the Neo-
representational theory was created.
Teori Representasi tidak mgambikira
bidang seni bina dan byk bidang seni sbg
seni. Ini krn sstu yg tidak mrupakan
representasi sstu maka ia bukan seni. Sbb
pgecualian byk bidang maka timbullah
teori Pasca representasi.
 Cont.
It is broader than its predecessor in that it
admits as art so long as the creation is
about something. But there are some art
which are created for nothing and is about
nothing.
Skopnya lebih besar dan mgaku segalanya
sbg seni jika ia mengenai sstu. Akn ttp ada
juga seni yg direka tanpa tujuan dan tidak
mengenai apa-2.
 III. Artistic Expression Theory
Introduction
The Rise of Expressionism
Began in 19th century artists became
more introvert looking. Seeking to
know more about their subjective
experiences, the artists focus was no
longer in the physical manifestation
of the world but the spiritual
rendering of the world according to
their inner worlds.
Pengenalan
Permulaan TeoriExpresionisme
Bermula pd abad ke-19. ramai peluki
melihat ke dalam diri sendiri utk
inspirasi. Mrk lebih berfokus pada
pglmn subjektif dan bukan pada
manifestasi fizikal dunia ini iaitu
aspek spiritul mgikut tafsiran dunia
mereka sendiri.
 Continue
This happened in tune with the
Romantic movement. eg. Lyrical
Ballads by Wordsworth (1793) and
sonnets by Shakespeare, music by
Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky.
Ini berlaku sms pergerakan
romantik. Cth Lyrical Ballads oleh
pemuisi Wordsworth (1793) dan
soneta oleh Shakespeare, muzik oleh
Beethoven, Brahms dan
Tchaikovsky.
The artist wants to explore his / her
own feelings. The value has shifted
from the surroundings to the
self and the individual
experiences.
Pereka seni ingin meninjau perasaan
mrk sendiri. Nilai berubah drp
sekeliling manusia kpd inidividu
dan pglmanya.
 Continue
Landscapes paintings became a reflection
of an inner landscape of the artist.
While the previous era stipulated rules,
this era had the artists deliberately thwart
these strictures in favour of abstraction
and distortion.
Lukisan landskap mjd cermin landaskap
pelukis. Sedangkan era sblm itu melihat
berbagai undg-2 yg mesti diikuti, era ini
sengaja menerbalikkan undg-2 tsbt dgn
pghasilan rekaan abstrak.
 Cont.
The importance of feelings and
emotional responses was raised and
celebrated in all areas of the arts from the
fine arts to the creative arts. A new theory
was born to replace the theory of
representation which is the theory of
Expression
Kepentingan perasaan dan emosi
ditimbulkan dan era ini merayakan
bidang seni halus dan juga seni
kreatif. Teori baru iaitu Teori Expresi
dilahirkan.
 What is Expression in Art?
The word Expression is the latin
word for pressing outward. It is
concerned with art evoking emotions
to the surface.
Perkataan Ekspresi membawa
maksud mengunjur ke depan dlm
bahasa Latin. Ia berkaitan dgn seni
yg mbangkitkan emosi.
 Cont.
Eg. a painting is melancholic, a song
is sweet, a building is haunting. All
art is expressive. But not necessarily
of emotion. This is especially true of
20th century art works.
Cth. Satu lukisan melankolik, suatu
lagu yg sedap didengar, suatu
bangunan yg berhantu. Semua ini
tidak semestinya melibatkan emosi.
Ini benar utk semua jenis seni yg
dihasilkan dlm abad ke-20an.
Example: Van Goghs Starry Night
 Continue
Expression is sometimes taken to mean
representation of something, place,
person or feelings, emotions. It is also
called communication because of the
evocation of feelings of a piece of art that
is communicated to us.
Ekspresi kdg-2 diangg sbg
representasi sstu tempat, ssorg,
perasaan dan emosi. Ia juga dikenali sbg
komunikasi krn emosi yg dibangkitkan
dlm sbuah karya yg dikomunikasikan kpd
audiens.
 Concept of Expression
In philosophy of art the concept of
expression refers to the emotive or
character manifestation in the
human response to art.
Dlm falsafah seni konsep ekspresi
merujuk kpd sikap emotif yg
dimanifestasikan dan yg bertangjwb
mbangkitkan respon drp manusia.
 Cont.
Expression is the manifestation,
exhibition, objectification, embodiment,
projection, or showing forth of human
qualities, or, as they are also called,
anthropomorphic properties (properties
that apply to human beings only). But not
all art works are expressive.
Ekspresi adl manifestasi, pameran,
objektifikasi, projeksi atau penunjuran
aspek manusia atau apa yg juga dikenali
sbag unsur anthropomorfik (unsur yg
kpunyan manusia saja). Ttp bukan semua
karya seni bersifat ekspresif.
 Continue
The artists in this era valued highly the
sincerity or individualism of the expressed
emotion. They view the artistic gesture as
a churning out of emotion that has been
thoroughly explored and articulated in a
controlled manner.
Pereka seni dlm era ini menilai keiklasan
atau emosi yg berdifat individul. Mrk
memandang perlakuan artistik sbg satu
pjanaan emosi yg telah ditinjau dn
diekspresi dlm satu bentuk terkawal.
Conditions of Expressiveness
The way the expression is transferred
from the art work to the respondent has
become a theory called the transmission
theory. There are certain conditions
which prevail upon art work from this
theoretical point of view.
Cara ekspresi disalurkan kpd responden
telh dijadikan satu teori yg dikenali sbg
Teori Pghantaran. Trdpt bbrap keadaan
yg mgawal teori pghantaran ini.
 Cont.
The work of art has to have the intention
to transmit to an audience the
emotion he/she as an artist has
experienced and clarified using a
medium of art such as paints, music,
language or actions.
Sebuah karya mesti bertujuan utk
mghantar / mbangkit satu emosi spt
mana yg pernah dialami oleh pelukis
sendiri dan dijelaskan mgikut palatan
tertentu spt pewarna, muzik, bahasa
atau perlakuan.
 Continue
Another theory that arose from this theory
is the solo expression theory which is
the same but omits the condition of the
audience. In solo exp theory, the artist
can create art for herself and not
necessarily for an audience. The main
objective is not to evoke emotions for its
audience.
Satu lg teori yg berasal drp Teori Ekspresi
ialah Teori Ekspresi Solo yg tidak mgaku
kptgan audiens. Sorg pereka boleh merka
sstu utk sendiri dan objetif pereka bukan
utk mbangkitkan apa-2 emosi audiens.
 Continue
Artists are gauged for the sincerity of
emotion, or character on their
depiction of what the audience view as a
rendering of a profound emotion that has
been experienced before.
Pereka seni dinilai mengikut keikhlasan
emosi atau sikap yg diunjurkan dan
dianggap adl sstu keluhan yg mendalam.
 Cont.
This is the sincerity condition that
hovers over the concept of expression in
art. But the presence of actors who are
able to reproduce and evoke equally deep
responses from the audience in movies
deny the claims for such a clause. The
sincerity condition is therefore false.
Ini adl kriteria keikhlasan yg terikat dgn
konsep ekspresi dlm seni. Akan ttp kriteria
ini ditolak oleh pelakon pentas yg berjaya
mbangkitkan emosi drp audiensnya kdg-2
dlm filem juga.
 Continue

The arousal condition is also not a

condition that renders a piece of art
expressive as the emotion ignited
may not be the response anticipated
by the artist.
Kriteria Kebangkitan ini
melibatkan jenis emosi terbangkit
iaitu samada emsoi yg dibangkitkan
itu adalah apa yg ditujui oleh pereka
seni itu.
 Cont.
Also the human factor which counts
reasons and experience as a cause
that determine arousal makes this
condition unreliable to claims of
expressiveness.
Termasuk faktor manusia yg
mgambilkira sbb dan pglmn sbg satu
sbb yg menentukan kbangkitan sstu.
Ini mybbkan kriteria ini kurang stabil
dlm teori ekspresi.
 Continue
Expression also includes
exemplification. An art work
displays a situation of joy in his
painting through exemplification.
Ekspresi jg termasuk
exemplifikasi. Satu karya
mgunjurkan situasi mesra atau
meriah sbg satu contoh kemeriahan.
 Cont.
The feelings of joy are expressed through
the examples or figures in the picture that
are either laughing or smiling. But the
painting itself is not joyful, it emanates joy
because of the metaphorical
exemplification.
Perasaan mesra atau meriah cthnya dlm
lukisan, diunjurkan dlm bentuk watak dlm
gambar yg ketawa atau senyum. Ttp
gambar itu sendiri tidak meriaj hanya apa
yg ingin disampaikan itu yg dikenali sbg
contoh metaforikal
Example:
 Continue
Human beings emotive force and
expressive properties are unveiled to us
through art. Walking through an art
gallery is an emotional experience
because it represents a tour of
emotions. We are able to empathize or
feel with the art or artists.
Kuasa emosi manusia terbongkar melalui
unsur ekspresif dlm karya seni. Jika kita
berjalan melawat satu galeri lukisan kita
seolah-olahnya terlibat dlm satu
perjalanan emosi.
 Reading List
Caroll, Noel 1999. Philosophy of Art.
Routledge: London.
Graham, Gordon. 2000. Philosophy of the
Arts: An Introduction to Aesthetics 2nd
Ed. Routledge: London
Hamidah AbdulHamid 1995. Pengantar
Estetik. Dewan Bahasa Pustaka:Kuala
Lumpur.
Hartoko, Dicky. 1995. Manusia dan Seni.
Penerbit Karnisius: Yogyakarta.
Sutrisno, Mudji & Christ Verhaak 1993.
Estetika. Pernerbit Karnisius: Yogyakarta
The End.
Thank you