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| A classification of the arts. The figure shows the four major branches of the arts as making up a tetrad. Within that are opposing triangles. The top triangle is made up of the performing arts. These arts are phrase-based, as comprised of verbal utterances (or sentences in written forms), melodies, or dance sequences. The bottom triangle is made up of the representational arts, which comprise a "narrative triad" of spoken language, gesture, and graphic images. Theater/film and dance sit in both categories.
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The nineteenth century notion of a Gesamtkunstwerk or “total work of art” referred to a performance spectacle that synthesized multiple forms of the arts into a unified work, often times taking place in a grand setting that befit the spectacle. Such a performance would be a quasi-religious ceremony occurring in a location akin to a temple. We argue...
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Context 1
... indicated inside the top triangle in Figure 1, the three performing arts are all based on the domain-specific generation of phrases. These phrases include verbal utterances for theater/film (and sentences in written literature), melodies for music, and dance sequences for dance. In all cases, phrase formation is guided by what theorists in each domain refer to as a grammar or syntax. The notion of musical syntax is quite prominent in the field of music psychology (Patel, 2008), while that of dance syntax is present, though less prominent, in the analysis of dance ( Kimmel and Preuschl, 2016). Next, it is noted inside the bottom triangle that the three representational artforms embody, respectively, the three principal modalities of representation in human cognition, namely spoken language, gesture, and image making. In other words, each of the representational arts is specifically dedicated to conveying narrative via one of the three modalities of narrative representation in human cognition, highlighting the strong linkage between the arts and cognition. This creates three parallel channels for the conveyance of narrative ideas via spoken language, gesture, and graphic images, respectively, something we can think of as a "narrative triad" (Yuan et al., in press). In addition, language itself can be conveyed multimodally through speech (theater and storytelling), writing (literature), and gesture (sign language, pantomime, emblematic gestures). As we describe below in the section "Ceremonial Rituals as Total Works of Art, " the experience of these artforms, both individually and through their combinations, engenders strong emotional effects on producers and perceivers, resulting in a process of group emotional expression during both religious and secular contexts (von Scheve and Salmella, ...
Context 2
... do the arts combine to create syntheses? Figure 2 starts with the same double-triangle representation as Figure 1, but now includes additional information related to how the arts are able to combine to create synthetic forms. The four branches of the arts have the potential for six binary interactions, each of which we now ...
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... order to think about how to create a synthesis of the arts, we need to consider what the arts are and how they can be synthesized. For the purposes of this article, we conceive of the arts in terms of the standard conception of "branches" found in the humanities, with the four major branches being music, dance, theater 1 (and film, but also including oral forms of storytelling and poetry), and the visual arts, as shown by the tetrad in Figure 1. (We ignore arts related to the chemical senses, The top triangle is made up of the performing arts. These arts are phrase-based, as comprised of verbal utterances (or sentences in written forms), melodies, or dance sequences. The bottom triangle is made up of the representational arts, which comprise a "narrative triad" of spoken language, gesture, and graphic images. Theater/film and dance sit in both ...
Citations
... Over centuries, sculptural techniques have evolved significantlyfrom rudimentary carvings in stone and wood to intricate bronze castings and dynamic mixed-media installations, expanding the possibilities for artistic exploration [6]. While early sculptors relied on basic tools, modern practitioners leveraged advanced technologies such as 3D printing and digital modelling, pushing the boundaries of form, texture, and scale [17,18]. ...
This research explores the knotty relationship between sculpture creations and crime, focusing on the perceptions of Ghanaian sculpture users through the lens of the labelling theory. The labelling theory, a sociological perspective, posits that individuals become deviant when labelled as such by society, influencing their self-identity and behaviour. In the context of Ghana, where sculpture is a significant cultural and artistic expression, this study investigates how sculptures are perceived about criminal activities and societal norms. The research employs a qualitative approach, combining interpretivist's phenomenological research philosophy and descriptive research design with face-to-face interviews with sculpture users, artists, and community members, alongside direct observation to gather comprehensive data. The findings reveal that sculptures, often seen as cultural artifacts, can be misinterpreted or labelled as symbols of deviance due to societal prejudices and misconceptions. This mislabelling led to the stigmatization of both the art form and its creators, impacting their social standing and economic opportunities. In conclusion, the study calls for policy interventions and community engagement to promote a more inclusive and informed appreciation of sculpture as a vital component of Ghanaian heritage and identity.
... Yet another model posits the opposite: rather than distinct underlying sensory modalities initially giving rise to different domains of aesthetic activity -like visual art or music or storytelling or dance -Brown (2022) has suggested that the arts had a multi-modal and multi-media origin, integrated and embodied and performative, with the emergence of other domain-specific forms of art being later developments. (Thus, the rejoining of these strands -in contemporary multimedia installations, film, or other 'total works of art' (Brown & Dissanayake, 2018) -marks a return to a human default aesthetic.) Brown further argued that artistic expression in domains like theater or opera or dance frequently operates in a cross-modal fashion, noting commonalities between audition and vision in parameters like tempo, articulation, amplitude (loudness or brightness), and movement shape (in melodies or physical movement) -just the kinds of abstracted, modality-general labels like 'balance' or 'symmetry' considered by Clemente et al. (2021) and Friedman et al. (2024). ...
This commentary situates Friedman et al. (2024) – and by extension, Clemente et al. (2021) – within a broader research context. Both papers raise important issues, but neither study’s result can be considered definitive. The operationalization and assessment of aesthetic constructs across many investigations should reflect the inherent diversity of human artmaking, yielding a structured sense of the conditions under which modality-specific versus modality-general representations predominate in aesthetic or evaluative cognition. Additionally, I note that this research enterprise touches on two sets of issues, which are simultaneously central to an understanding of the nature of human artistry, yet which remain under-represented in contemporary research. One concerns the murky evolutionary origin of our human artistic capacity, including the role of cross-modal processing and its role in aesthetic cognition. The second involves the first-person deployment of this capacity in creative problem solving, rather than in a merely receptive mode. Both speak to the importance of understanding inherent structure and constraints on human aesthetics and creativity.
... This has been coupled with emerging interest in more profound states (Csikszentmihalyi & Robinson, 1990;Fingerhut & Prinz, 2018;Schlotz et al., 2021;Silvia & Nusbaum, 2011;Vessel et al., 2012;Wanzer et al., 2020), insight and self-reflection (Pelowski, 2015;Vessel et al., 2013), and even exploration of some compelling blends in responses, such as appreciation of confusion (Muth & Carbon, 2013) or visual pleasure from negative art (Cupchik & Wroblewski-Raya, 1998;Ishizu & Zeki, 2017). These topics expand beyond the lab and gallery, offering connections from fundamental questions regarding perception or affect, to other domains such as religion and sports (Brown & Dissanayake, 2018;Funch, 1997), and raise compelling questions regarding the unique impact of art experience in addressing societal challenges or wellbeing and health (Cuypers et al., 2012;Fancourt & Finn, 2019;Trupp et al., 2022Trupp et al., , 2023. ...
Art-viewing is a defining component of society and culture, in part because the experience involves a wide-range and nuanced configuration of emotional and cognitive responses. Precisely because of this complexity, however, questions of the actual nature, scope, and variety of art experience remain largely unanswered: what kinds of patterns do we exhibit, how do various components go together, and can these be distilled into shared experiential outcomes? We introduce an exploratory study based on 345 individuals’ unique experiences with one of three sets of artworks. Experiences were assessed via 46 affective and cognitive items based on a recent model, with individuals reporting to what degree they felt each during their encounter. Network and latent profile analyses revealed five patterns, aligning to a Harmonious, Facile, Transformative, and two Negative outcomes. These largely supported model hypotheses, connected to specific appraisals, and could be found, although with varying probability, across individual viewers and artworks.
... This has been coupled with emerging interest in more profound states (Csikszentmihalyi & Robinson, 1990;Fingerhut & Prinz, 2018;Schlotz et al., 2021;Silvia & Nusbaum, 2011;Vessel et al., 2012;Wanzer et al., 2020), insight and selfreflection (Pelowski, 2015;Vessel et al., 2013), and even exploration of some compelling blends in responses, such as appreciation of confusion (Muth & Carbon, 2013) or visual pleasure from negative art (Cupchik & Wroblewski-Raya, 1998;Ishizu & Zeki, 2017). These topics expand beyond the lab and gallery, offering connections from fundamental questions regarding perception, affect, to other domains such as religion and sports (Brown & Dissanayake, 2018;Funch, 1997), and raising compelling questions regarding the role of the arts, and the unique impact of art experience, in addressing societal challenges or in impacting wellbeing and health (Cuypers et al., 2012;Fancourt & Finn, 2019;Trupp et al., 2022Trupp et al., , 2023. ...
Find the published manuscript here -->
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385852222_What_Can_Happen_When_We_Look_at_Art_An_Exploratory_Network_Model_and_Latent_Profile_Analysis_of_Affective_Cognitive_Aspects_Underlying_Shared_Supraordinate_Responses_to_Museum_Visual_Art
... Badewo Kayangan, as entertainment or performance, follows the principles mentioned by Soedarsono in his work. According to (Brown & Dissanayake, 2018), performing arts which initially had a religious function and then were transformed into entertainment have the characteristics of; being an imitation of the original form; being packaged in a short or condensed version; losing their sacred, magical, and symbolic values; and displaying variations. Diverse; presented interestingly. ...
This research aims to explain the form and function of Badewo Kayangan as a healing ritual in the past and present for the people of Tebing Tinggi Okura. This research is qualitative research with a descriptive approach that understands the phenomenon of the research subject. The data in this research is information obtained through various sources, both sources obtained directly through interviews with sources who know about the Badewo Khayangan dance, video recordings, photographs, and data in the form of documentation. Apart from this data, it is also supported by data in the form of notes obtained during observations. The research findings are that Badewo Kayangan was originally a healing ritual used to cure various diseases, including those caused by supernatural forces in the Okura High Cliff area. As time went by, people began to ask Wak Damai to change Badewo Kayangan into the Badewo Kayangan dance. The movements contained in Badewo Kayangan are combined with new elements and realized in the form of a dance performance known as the Badewo Kayangan dance. Badewo Kayangan has two main roles, namely as a traditional healing ritual and as a means of performing arts or entertainment. By considering the potential of the Badewo Kayangan Tebing Tinggi Okura dance as a local cultural asset, this dance has the potential to become part of the tourism industry based on culture.
... The idea to bring about change by making people participate in a script of movements is traditionally practiced in rituals. The kinship between arts and rituals has been highlighted (Brown and Dissanayake, 2018). As the authors point out, the ritual has many art ingredients: masks, body decorations and insignia. ...
This article is an answer to a report called “What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being?” The authors conclude that the arts have an impact on mental and physical health. Yet, the question of the role of the arts remains unanswered. What is and what is not an art effect? Recently, embodied theory has inspired articles on the perception of art. These articles have not yet received attention in the field of Arts and Health. Scholars in psychosomatic medicine have argued for an approach based on recent work in enactive embodied theory to investigate the connection between the body and the mind. The present article examines how key concepts in this theory relate to art. This leads to a discussion of art in terms of empathy—the relation between the internal state of the artist and the internal state of the beholder. I exemplify with a conceptual framework of musical empathy. Implications for health are addressed.
... It is not a minor issue, given how tightly bounded human communication and art are. Even in indigenous cultures [4], art is used to hand information about the feelings, ideas and perception of the artist to an audience, arousing emotions along the process [34,19]. People often describe artworks in terms associated with emotional states [7], and as some theorists of art have noted, the exact content of a visual artwork is neither arbitrary nor unimportant, but perfectly aligned with the abstract theme the artist seeks to communicate [2]. ...
The impressive capacity shown by recent text-to-image diffusion models to generate high-quality pictures from textual input prompts has leveraged the debate about the very definition of art. Nonetheless, these models have been trained using text data collected from content-based labelling protocols that focus on describing the items and actions in an image but neglect any subjective appraisal. Consequently, these automatic systems need rigorous descriptions of the elements and the pictorial style of the image to be generated, otherwise failing to deliver. As potential indicators of the actual artistic capabilities of current generative models, we characterise the sentimentality, objectiveness and degree of abstraction of publicly available text data used to train current text-to-image diffusion models. Considering the sharp difference observed between their language style and that typically employed in artistic contexts, we suggest generative models should incorporate additional sources of subjective information in their training in order to overcome (or at least to alleviate) some of their current limitations, thus effectively unleashing a truly artistic and creative generation.
... These early forms of branding were closely tied to the cultural and religious significance of the performances (Winkler & Zeitlin, 2020). Theatrical troupes and playwrights, such as Sophocles and Euripides, became known for their distinctive styles and thematic focus, effectively branding themselves through their artistic contributions (Brown & Dissanayake, 2018). ...
This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of branding in the performing arts, tracing its historical roots and examining contemporary strategies influenced by digital media and technology. The study explores the application of branding theories, such as Aaker’s Brand Equity Model and Keller’s Customer-Based Brand Equity model, to understand how performing arts organizations create and sustain strong brands. Through case studies of successful branding campaigns like the Royal Opera House and "Hamilton," the paper highlights innovative practices and challenges modern branding faces, such as content oversaturation and maintaining artistic integrity. Additionally, a conceptual framework is developed to analyze the impact of cultural, technological, and economic factors on branding evolution. Comparative insights from other industries, including entertainment, fashion, and technology, provide a broader context for understanding branding strategies. The paper concludes with practical recommendations for effective branding in the performing arts, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, digital engagement, and adaptability to technological advancements.
... Mehr et al. define music primarily as auditory communication, thus excluding cross-modal aspects of music perception involving vision and proprioception (Phillips-Silver & Trainor, 2005;Vuoskoski, Thompson, Clarke, & Spence, 2014. This focus weakens their account of group coalition signaling, because the closest modern equivalent ceremonial cultural performancefully integrates auditory aspects (music, speech, and sound) with gesture (procession, dance, and theater), and material culture (ornamentation and objects) into a unified mode of display (Brown & Dissanayake, 2018;Schechner, 2013). At a basic level, rhythmic entrainment as an indicator of coalition quality already goes beyond auditory communication as it involves multimodally complex sensorimotor-synchronization (Phillips-Silver & Keller, 2012), the intra-group effects of which are as prominent as its signaling function. ...
We compare and contrast the 60 commentaries by 109 authors on the pair of target articles by Mehr et al. and ourselves. The commentators largely reject Mehr et al.'s fundamental definition of music and their attempts to refute (1) our social bonding hypothesis, (2) byproduct hypotheses, and (3) sexual selection hypotheses for the evolution of musicality. Instead, the commentators generally support our more inclusive proposal that social bonding and credible signaling mechanisms complement one another in explaining cooperation within and competition between groups in a coevolutionary framework (albeit with some confusion regarding terminologies such as “byproduct” and “exaptation”). We discuss the proposed criticisms and extensions, with a focus on moving beyond adaptation/byproduct dichotomies and toward testing of cross-species, cross-cultural, and other empirical predictions.
... Mehr et al. define music primarily as auditory communication, thus excluding cross-modal aspects of music perception involving vision and proprioception (Phillips-Silver & Trainor, 2005;Vuoskoski, Thompson, Clarke, & Spence, 2014. This focus weakens their account of group coalition signaling, because the closest modern equivalent ceremonial cultural performancefully integrates auditory aspects (music, speech, and sound) with gesture (procession, dance, and theater), and material culture (ornamentation and objects) into a unified mode of display (Brown & Dissanayake, 2018;Schechner, 2013). At a basic level, rhythmic entrainment as an indicator of coalition quality already goes beyond auditory communication as it involves multimodally complex sensorimotor-synchronization (Phillips-Silver & Keller, 2012), the intra-group effects of which are as prominent as its signaling function. ...
We propose that not social bonding, but rather a different mechanism underlies the development of musicality: being unable to survive alone. The evolutionary constraint of being dependent on other humans for survival provides the ultimate driving force for acquiring human faculties such as sociality and musicality, through mechanisms of learning and neural plasticity. This evolutionary mechanism maximizes adaptation to a dynamic environment.
