Art is poly-functional. Researchers define a different number of functions, but, regardless of the number, all these functions are interconnected, because works of art exist as a holistic phenomenon that involves a holistic perception.
Socially transformative and compensatory function (art as activity and “pleasure”) has its manifestation as ideological and aesthetic influence on people. Thanks to this ability, art involves people in purposeful activities that transform society.
Artistic creativity is a process of transformation (in representation) of the facts of reality, material and man himself. The ideals of a harmonious person awaken the activity of everyone to create themselves in this direction, that is, they affirm in reality what is desirable, real, actually compensating for what is insufficient for a full human life.
Cognitive and heuristic function (art as knowledge and enlightenment) was recognized in the history of aesthetics not by all thinkers. Many of them doubted the cognitive capabilities of art. Thus, Plato saw in it the shadow of shadows, and Hegel – the lowest form of cognition of truth. Undoubtedly, the cognitive ability of art is incomparable with the capabilities of science to establish and clarify the objective properties of reality. But art cognizes reality in relation to a person, in all the richness of forms perceived by human sensuality. This enables art to discover new things in the known or new processes in what is already recognized.
Art is a means of education, transfer of experience, facts of life, as well as a means of learning, transfer of thinking skills, generalization of the system of views. Therefore, it is rightly called a “textbook of life”.
The artistic and conceptual function (art as an analysis of the state of the world) allows us to see in the work of art the artist’s idea of the world as a whole. The holistic concept is presented in forms that are sensually perceived, they emotionally embody ideas about the world, man and man’s place in the world.
The function of prediction (“Cassandra’s beginning”, or art as augury) is manifested in the fact that, like ancient Cassandra, who predicted the death of Troy in its heyday, art is able to predict the future. In this, art correlates with human intuition, which makes a leap across the gaps of information. Therefore, science fiction literature often predicts the emergence of certain technical achievements. However, much more important are social predictions, forecasts about the future of man and society. A separate genre is dedicated to this – utopias and anti-utopias, but art in general has a predictive potential.
Informative and communicative function (art as a message and communication) is that a work of art is a certain sign system. Like any sign system, art has its own code, the “key” to which is embodied in the peculiarities of a given culture, its content.
Artistic communication is an exchange of cultural meanings, which leads to involvement in a particular culture, therefore – not only knowledge of one’s own culture, but also acquaintance with the culture of other peoples, other eras. Art unites people. For example, the only factor that united the disparate Neapolitans, Romans, Lombards was the art of Italy of the XVIII-XIX centuries. The educational function (art as a catharsis of the formation of an integral personality) allows the artwork to influence the mindset and feelings of a person as a whole. Even the Pythagoreans noticed that art purifies the personality, and Aristotle introduced the concept of “catharsis”, which means the process of purification through the emergence of similar feelings.
Art allows us to experience many human destinies, thereby expanding the historically limited experience of life of the individual, allows him to feel the diversity of human experience.
The suggestive function (influence on the unconscious) is that art is able to inspire a certain set of thoughts and feelings. The emotional impact of art is characterized by the fact that it acts directly, directly on the feelings of the perceiver, bypassing rational prohibitions at this level. This quality has the greatest power that can influence the personality, improving or destroying it.
Aesthetic function (art as the formation of creative spirit and values) contributes to the formation of aesthetic taste, abilities and needs of a person. The art of value orientates a person in the world, develops his creative spirit. A. Einstein’s statement: “I personally feel the highest happiness from works of art…
The hedonistic function (art as pleasure) is manifested in the fact that art is the sphere of freedom and skill that bring pleasure. All phenomena of art are correlated with aesthetic values. The source of aesthetic pleasure is the art form, which is in harmonious unity with the content. Joy carries both involvement in creativity and the playful aspect present in the perception of a work of art.