Chapter 47

Since we may never be able to decide what art is, this chapter focuses on what art's function are and what they have been over the years. The chapter discusses four main functions of art that have been around for many years, including substitute imagery (photos, imagery, and other things that capture reality), illustration (works that tell stories or help to tell stories), conviction and persuasion (works that show beliefs, sell products), and beautification (works that please the mind and gratify the mind). According to Gowan, these functions help us to better understand art and are the only important functions in art. He believes that the styles of art may change over time, but the functions of art will always remain the same. In the chapter, Berger also compares the four functions of art with the four theories of art. He believes that substitute imagery is similar to the mimetic theory of art, illustration is similar to the objective theory of art, persuasion is similar to the pragmatic theory of art, and that beautification is similar to the emotive theory of art. People have spent thousands of years speculating on what art is, but in this chapter Gowan helps by discussing the functions of art and what art does.