26

ESTAW VIII

ianie 1.

; :we pytania i odpowiedzi do materiału stymulującego) ill you tell us what the photographs show, please?

The four pictures present different works of art:

•    a famous statuę of a mermaid;

•    an Indian decorative painting representing people riding an elephant;

•    a brick wali covered with multicoloured painting which is also called a graffiti;

•    a decorative, modem drinking glass.

What similarities and differences can you see between the objects depicted in the photos?

5::nllarities:

•    they are all works of art, although graffiti is considered controversial in this respect;

•    the statuę and the painting were created in the past and are examples of traditional art;

•    the sculpture and the drinking glass are three-dimensional;

•    the three kinds of art, apart from graffiti, are respected and appreciated.

Differences:

•    the graffiti and the glass are examples of modern art;

•    the painting and the graffiti have two dimensions only;

•    graffiti is often regarded not as art, but as a form of vandalism, because graffitists often spray walls of buildings, trains, etc.

Do you think that a good work of art has to be beautiful?

-    I think that the answer is 'yes' if an object is created for the purpose of decorating, e.g. a piece of jewelleiy, a portrait, a landscape, etc. It is only natural that looking at works of art should bring enjoyment.

-    On the other hand, a work of art does not necessarily need to be either beautiful or realistic. Its function can be to make you think or provoke your emotional reaction, or suggest something to you.

Do you think that public money should be spent on running art galleries and museums? Why?

W

•    works of art are part of the cultural heritage of nations as well as of mankind and they must be preserved for this and next generations to enjoy;

•    genuine works of art are so expensive that only a few private collectors can afford to buy some of them for their collections;

•    morę people can see objects of art in public art galleries and museums;

•    but for public money, some exhibitions would never open;

•    if the government did not subsidise cultural institutions, they would not be able to function at all, because the money from admission fees would not be enough;

•    without public money, many valuable works of art which have been bought for Polish public collections would have been taken abroad and lost for the nation;