Branches of Art: Definition and Examples

Branches of Art – The existence of art is always closely related to everyday human life. Art has developed over a long period of time. This is because humans can be both subjects and objects in art.

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Just like other disciplines that have their own branches, art also has that kind of thing. Presentation patterns in the branches of art are often encountered by Sinaumed’s or even applied in everyday life.

Then, what are the branches of art? Does each of its branches have a function for human survival? And what are examples of these branches of art in real terms?

So that Sinaumed’s understands it better, let’s take a look at the following review about what are the branches of art!

Definition of Art

According to KBBI, art means ‘works created with extraordinary skill, such as dance, painting, and carving.’

In fact, the definition of art is universal and becomes an ongoing polemic.

According to Selo Sumardjan, art is the ability of a person or group of people to create impulses through one of the five senses or maybe also through a combination of various senses, touching the subtle feelings of humans and the surrounding environment, thus giving birth to the values of beauty in these impulses.

Meanwhile, according to Parker, art is an expression, an expression, a purpose, and a feeling that is not solely done for practical purposes but also for aesthetic purposes.

Then, according to Sapirin, art includes all things that can cause vibrations of a sense of beauty in humans.

Apart from prioritizing beauty, art can also influence the learning and development of an individual’s character, you know…

Arts Branches

Art has its own branches, namely fine arts, music, dance, drama, and cultural arts.

In order to understand it better, let’s discuss each branch of this fine art!

1. Fine Arts (Visual Art)

Fine art or visual art is a branch of art that relies on the eye as a tool to observe it.

Why is the sense of sight the eye the main tool for observing art? The answer is as stated by Sahman:

“The equivalent of the word art in English is Visual Art. In visual art, the role of the eye is very decisive whether in the process of creating from observation to visualization of ideas, or in the process of appreciating the visualization product. People who are color blind, even though at first glance they look fine, will not be able to become a competent artist or appreciator of works of art.”

This opinion is indeed considered discriminatory, because in fact, individuals who have color blindness can even produce a work of art, although it requires a separate approach in the effort to appreciate their works.

According to Oswald Kulpe in “Outline of Aesthetics”, art is divided into three forms, viz

Two-dimensional, which has the elements of line, light, color, shape and motion. For example painting and drawing.
Three dimensions, which have elements like two dimensions but there are additional elements that are more prominent, namely volume. For example sculpture and carving.
The combination of surface elements and forms, for example, architectural art and landscaping.

Based on its function, fine art is divided into fine art which prioritizes “beauty” rather than its use; and applied art ( applied art ) created for the practical purposes of human life.

Examples of Fine Arts

Painting and drawing are included in fine art or pure art which is more concerned with the value of beauty.

Applied art or applied art usually prioritizes the purpose of human use in everyday life. For example cabinets, chairs, tables, and others.

2. Art of Music

Music is one of the most popular means of entertainment among people today. Music is a sound that people perceive differently based on history, place, culture and individual tastes.

The art of music is a work of human art as an expression of the contents of the heart and ideas which are embodied in the form of sounds or voices that are regular, have rhythm and melody, and harmonization that can arouse the feelings of the listener.

Not all types of sounds or voices can be called musical arts because they are only considered “art” if they have a beautiful, melodious and harmonious voice so that they can be well received by the ears of the listeners.

The art of music has three types in its application, namely traditional music, modern music and contemporary music.

Traditional music is a type of music that is born and develops due to the influence of culture, customs, beliefs and religion from certain areas and is passed down from generation to generation by ancestors.

Then, modern music is a type of music that arises because of a new culture and usually uses more sophisticated tools for the process of making instrumentals.

Meanwhile, music is divided based on the genre of music, namely classical, jazz, R&B, rap, reggae, and others.

The art of music has several functions including: (1) religious function, (2) communication function, (3) recreational function, (4) communication function, (5) use function, and (6) therapeutic function.

In fact, the art of music also plays an important role in the learning process, namely helping the growth and development of students, as well as fostering the aesthetic development of students in their efforts to create art.

3. Dance Arts

According to Zahrain, dance is a type of movement besides gymnastics, martial arts, acrobatics or pantomime. So that it can be said that the art of dance is a movement performed by humans that is unique and beautiful.

The elements in the art of dance in general are motion, rhythm, beauty and expression. In each of these elements there is a uniqueness that represents the taste, aesthetics, and spirit of the dancers.

In addition, dance also has elements of accompaniment in the form of tone, rhythm, rhythm, and the number of musical instruments used in the process of accompanying the dance.

Meanwhile, the special elements of dance include elements of space, energy, and time. This space is related to position, level, and time. Position for example facing forward, turning, and others.

as a means of ceremony
as a means of entertainment
as social media
as therapy
as education
as a performing art
as the development of individual talents and interests

In Indonesia, the art of dance has developed from generation to generation to become a traditional dance and is owned by each region. Different regions have different movements and musical accompaniment. For example, in traditional dances in Java and Yogyakarta, there are special hand movements such as ngithing , mopping and grunting .

There are even several types of traditional dances that demonstrate the act of being possessed by spirits as an important part of the dance.

Examples of Dance in Indonesia

4. Dramatic Arts

Drama has broad and narrow meanings. Broadly speaking, drama is meaningful as a form of spectacle that has a story and is shown to the general public. While narrowly, drama is meaningful as the story of human life in social life which is projected onto the stage.

In drama arts, there is dialogue and movement based on the script supported by stage setting, lighting, music, make-up, and fashion.

Drama is a branch of art that contains a combination of a number of other arts, namely:

literary arts (in the form of story scripts)
painting (make-up and stage design)
the art of music (in the accompanying music)
the art of dance (in the movements of the players)
acting (playing the characters)

Dramatic art has also been developed from generation to generation by our ancestors which is known as traditional drama. In traditional drama arts, scripts are usually not used, so the characters’ characters, dialogues, and movements depend on the players.

Examples are ketoprak from Central Java, Ludruk from East Java, Lenong from Betawi, and others.

Examples of Dramatic Arts in Indonesia

5. Cultural Arts

The words art and culture are two related and inseparable words. This is because an art is created from the existence of culture in an area.

Cultural art is everything that has been created by humans or a group of people regarding how to live together in an area that has aesthetic elements that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Cultural arts have actually been developed from generation to generation by our ancestors in this archipelago. The art form emerged and developed in every region of Indonesia, from Sabang to Merauke.

Types of archipelago cultural arts such as traditional music, traditional dances, traditional languages, traditional traditional houses, and others.

The existence of this archipelago’s cultural arts clearly has a real function for human life, namely a practical function and an aesthetic function.

In a practical function, works in art and culture serve as functional fulfillment of human needs. For example chairs, tables, traditional houses, and others.

While in terms of aesthetic functions, works in cultural arts are used to fulfill human needs in terms of decoration. For example, the existence of a temple or temple is used as a ritual need for the community.