In many cultures, artworks have a ritualistic or symbolic function. They may serve to bind an entire culture together or they may be used as an expression of one particular aspect of that culture. The term ‘artwork’ is also commonly used to refer to any object or collection of objects that have been conceived and created by an artist for the purpose of conveying a particular artistic or aesthetic idea or value. Artwork can be created in any medium or form, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, films and even music. The term is also widely applied to any object that is deemed by some to have been created or designed to be aesthetically pleasing, whether or not it is considered a true artwork in the traditional sense of the word.
The question of what constitutes an artwork is a complex and controversial one. While some argue that an artwork must possess certain qualities to be regarded as such, others argue that the only thing that matters is that it satisfy some kind of esthetic requirement. The most common definitions of an artwork include a representational, expressive and formal property. Other definitions take into account a particular cultural context or a particular historical tradition. A number of art movements such as the readymades and conceptual art have dispelled the traditional belief that an artwork must be a work of craftsmanship or an object with a permanent physical presence.
A few philosophers have argued that the standard definitions of art are not only inadequate but even absurd. For example, a cluster theorist suggests that an artwork has to be a combination of the seven properties that make it distinctively art, but these are hardly necessary or sufficient, given how different artforms can be.
Other philosophers have defended the standard definitions of art. In particular, they point out that an object is considered an artwork if it has been conceived and created by an artist and is considered to be a valuable artistic expression by some artworld community. This theory, known as historical narrativism, has the advantage of being straightforward and easy to apply to real-life situations. However, it is a weak argument since it does not provide an account of why a particular object or concept might be considered to be an artwork.
In the philosophical writings of Hegel, the concept of an artwork is closely linked to his view of beauty. Hegel believes that the best artworks express, through sensory/perceptual means, the deepest metaphysical truth. In other words, he believed that the beauty of an artwork reveals to consciousness the highest interests of human civilization in a way that religion and philosophy can not (Hegel, Lectures on the History of Philosophy pg. 88).
Studies have shown that creating visual art, like painting or drawing, can help improve mental and emotional health by decreasing stress, anxiety, depression, agitation, and increasing self-esteem. The act of creating art also promotes the use of all parts of the brain and is a great outlet for creativity. In fact, just 45 minutes of painting can reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, in 75% of participants.