Abstract
This paper, which is a personal essay, defines art as a reflection of life conveying experiences in many forms. The author believes that the artist and the audience are essential partners in art because, while it provides the artist a means of expression, it also allows an audience a chance to escape. The paper relates that the artistry of poetry can be seen in what it says and with its form; for example, John Keats wrote lovely poetry that not only said something but also followed a structure, which makes it even more beautiful.

From the Paper
"Some of the representations of art can be seen in literature. For example, no one can mention art, literature, and life without mentioning Shakespeare. Shakespeare's art reflects life in the realistic characters he created. For example, in the character of Hamlet, we see almost every man. Hamlet is a complicated creature who suffers from many struggles. However, the one that truly gets the best of him in the struggle that he experiences internally. Hamlet struggles with himself in a way that almost every human does and many critics consider Hamlet brilliant because he does not resolve any of his problems by the end of the play. This is life. We encounter struggles and problems and many times we do not live to discover a resolution and sometimes we destroy ourselves while seeking a resolution. Hamlet is a work of art because he is so human."

Tags:reflection, experiences, hamlet, michelangelo, heritage

Abstract
This paper uses examples from James Joyce's "The Boarding House" and "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" to argue that the poet rejected the idea of meaning produced by structures and instead pointed the way towards an infinite number of interpretations rooted in subjectivity. The writer explains the focus on meaning through empiricism that was prevalent in Joyce's time, and how Joyce, on the other hand, through his writing establishes that while the self indeed only marks the intersection of various social tensions, it exists as the ultimate and mutable source of meaning. The paper concludes that if Joyce is correct and there is no truth but the subjective, then the self is the ultimate guarantor of meaning and art the tool by which it is uncovered.

From the Paper
"Meaning and a sense of self are central to the human existence in order to place the self in context with the environment. According to Ferdinand de Saussure, we are trapped through language as integral parts of our environment or social system, within which we contextualize our selves. It follows that the structure of language produces reality, and timeless cultural structures create the individual, illusory sense of self; a self that remains stagnant because it cannot escape its place within its environment. Both the self and the possibility of change are therefore illusions, because meaning only stems from structures. This is the very idea at the heart of structuralism and similarly modernism which dominated Western thought during Joyce's time."

Tags:aporia, freeplay, signification, metaphor, transcendental, consciousness, nontruth, metaphysical, deconstruction, intertextuality

Abstract
This paper examines the Taoist principles of abiding by the yin or abiding by the soft. Specifically, in Taoism, this means that one should favor approaches that are flexible and adaptive rather than rigid and forceful. The essay uses the martial arts as examples of this principle at work in human endeavors, specifically drawing on examples from kung fu and aikido.

From the Paper
"Abiding by the Soft in the Martial Arts On the surface, one of the hardest principles to understand in Taoism is the idea that individuals should favor the yin principle in their lives, or, rather, that they should abide by the soft. Conceptually it is rather counter-intuitive, especially in Western culture, which often favors strength and brashness over subtlety and finesse. But that is the basis for the point that Lao Tzu was making when he advised fellow Taoists to abide by the soft. It is the idea that all actions will eventually be dominated by the yin principle. Taoism is built on this assumption. While this can seem complicated to understand, it is nevertheless apparent in many human endeavors. Specifically, I will draw on examples from the martial arts to illustrate just how abiding by the soft can be especially useful in mastering those skills."

Tags:taoism, martial, arts

Abstract
This paper provides a brief bio of Salvador Dali, his life, and works. It looks at the important contribution he made to the surrealism era of art. It looks at the significance of his work and painting and the depth of study needed to understand the true meaning of his work.

From the Paper
"The artists of the Surrealist movement researched and studied the works of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, determined to explore ways in which to express their art through the world of dreams and the unconscious. Some expressed their art in the abstract tradition, others, in the symbolic tradition. Although, surrealism and certain forms of abstract art share similar origins, they diverge on interpretation of what those origins mean to the aesthetic of art (History pg). The accumulation of knowledge is the root, the basis, to push beyond the frontiers into the unknown. Dali was one artist whose approach to art during the Twentieth Century used that accumulated knowledge, built upon it and mastered it (History pg)."

Tags:art, painting, knowledge, freud, jung, subjectivity, symbolism, canvas

Abstract
In this article, the writer studies the poem "Musee des Beaux Arts" by W.H.Auden and searches for the true meaning behind the allusions. The writer notes that seemingly Auden's poem reveals that people don't care about the suffering of others and this paper breaks that theme down. Its historical and artistic allusions are researched by the author of the paper (such as "Musee des Beaux Arts", "The Old Masters", and "Icarus"). The writer's close examination of the references and allusions reveal that humans do in fact care about each others suffering.

From the Paper
"This is the name of a fine arts museum in Brussels, Belgium. Auden chose this title for his poem because he visited this museum, viewed Peter Breughel's painting "Fall of Icarus" and based his poem on it. Already is the poem biased because the theme is based on only one painting at one museum out of all of the museums in the world. There are many other museums from which he could have observed other paintings by other artists, who have a different take on the human position of suffering. Because the title is supposed to represent the entire poem, one museum means that there are other museums, which means that there are other artists with other paintings, with other opinions. Therefore, this title tells us that the poem is about the many opinions of other painters."

Tags:Old, Masters, Icarus, human, suffering, miraculous, birth

Abstract
This paper looks into the parallels between actor training in the Peking and Beijing Opera and the training for Chinese martial arts. The paper consults historical and present day material in an attempt to make meaning of the training requirements for these two different, yet very closely related, artistic expressions of form, method, technique, and performance. The paper discovers that much more is involved than simply repetitious physical training and indeed that without the alignment of mind and body, the performer simply will not and cannot realize true mastery or excellence of performance.

Outline:
Abstract
Objective
Introduction
Elements of the Beijing Opera
The Importance of Symbolism in the Beijing Opera
The Music of the Beijing Opera
Spoken Dialogue of the Beijing Opera
Use of Color in the Beijing Opera is Symbolic
I. The Beijing/Peking Opera and Training Requirements and Regimen Examined
II. David Wright - Experiential View of Training Requirements for Beijing Opera
III. Chinese Martial Arts Training Examined
Different Classification of Wushu
Ten Fundamental Skills in Chinese Martial Arts
Mental Skills Practice
IV. Examination of Similarities in Martial Arts and Beijing Opera Training
Characteristics of the Beijing Opera - Excess, More is More
V. Findings of this Study of the Similarities Shared by Chinese Martial Arts and Opera Training and Performing Skills
Summary and Conclusion

From the Paper
"Physical training for these performers is "structured around repetition" (Wright, 2000) and "over the course of the workshop a range of key movement patterns were developed and refined in this way." According to Wright: "The movements would be demonstrated, the actors would copy movements and then repeat them..." over and over, and then over again. Wright relates that "Further movements and combinations of movements and developments upon movements would then be introduced. Repetition was used, not simply to get the movement right, the repetition of physical action is regarded in the Peking/Beijing Opera, according to Sussman, as a way of absorbing information. She states that there is a deliberate attempt, in this training, not to engage the actor in thought. The actor needs only to 'learn' the action in order to repeat it. Hence, the principal form of learning is the learning of the body. The body learns, then contains the information that comprises the style and the role and therefore the performance. It is the body that enters most fully into the research. And as the body learns, the body changes as a result of that learning. " (Wright 2000)"

Tags:repetitious, practice, sound, expression, rhythm, gesture, movement, body

Abstract
This paper discusses the nature, use, and meaning of the male body within the context of martial arts film, specifically the traditional Hong Kong-style Kung Fu movie. The paper explains that the martial arts hero is a man of average height whose exceptionally fit body is proof of his skill and dedication, and his demeanor, his coiled muscularity (ready to strike, but calmly composed) is his personal testament to the superiority of his training. The paper clarifies that the heroes' fitness is differentiated from that of their opponents because the heroes "earn" their bodies; the physical manifestation of the martial arts hero is centered on the idea that they are apart from their enemies: they are in better shape, they are more attractive, they are of a greater moral strength, they are, in short, representations of physical perfection gained through honest labor. The paper adds that Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Jet Li represent the core of the martial arts heroic catalog. The paper concludes that the body on display in the Hong Kong Kung Fu martial arts film is at once an example of exceptional fitness and highly complicated movement.

From the Paper
"The male body is represented, within the context of the Kung Fu film, in three different ways: as male strength, as a testament to personal dedication, and as the bared identity of the character. In this, we have the body, mind, and soul. There is great purpose in using actors who are exceptionally fit, allowing them to perform feats of superhuman strength, agility, and speed, and in giving them accomplish absolutely impossible tasks, because this is their heroic journey. In virtually every martial arts film, and particularly those of Lee, Chan, Hung and Li, the star is the lone center. He is the Ronin, the last Samurai, the rebellious Monk - he is the outsider within the boundaries of his community. As such, it is his responsibility to defend and avenge his home, family, community, and people. Thus, when we see the male body we are seeing the entire summary both physical and metaphysical of the man himself - and, by extension, ourselves."

Tags:kung fu kinesthesia, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Sammo Hung

Abstract
This paper argues that art must be viewed as a fundamental means of sustaining existence and identity. It shows how society can and should support art through tax deductions, non-profit educational institutions and other forms of government subsidies.

From the Paper
"Today, the relatively new field of art therapy is one of the few acknowledgments that art is not merely decoration for the rich or the academic elite or the preserve of the obsessively talented (Sweet pp). The production of art should be viewed as a necessity for everyone, the rich or poor, smart or dumb, disturbed or not (Sweet pp). The contemporary tendency to diminish the importance of what used to be referred to as a "liberal arts education," and the downsizing of art and music classes in our grade schools, certainly underscores society's miscomprehension of the "basic need to know ourselves and the best means to exercise that knowledge" (Sweet pp)."

Tags:metaphor, image, ISPAB, copyright

Abstract
Children are natural artists, often using arts as a means to express themselves through color, form, sound and movement. Arts based learning is a vehicle in which students can learn subjects such as language, history and mathematics through poetry and song, narratives and drawings, dance and drama. The paper shows that arts-based learning supports a stronger model for engaging individual learning styles and preferences and tapping into children's "multiple intelligences." Arts based learning also has the ability to increase student self-esteem by encouraging many different forms of self-expression of knowledge. The paper reviews literature on the subject.

From the Paper
"Elliot Eisner supports the concept of arts based learning and suggests that by teaching reading and writing through the use of alternative mediums in the arts, such as stories, paintings and song, learners become more actively engaged from an experiential standpoint (Eisner, 1994). "To neglect the contribution of the arts in education, either through inadequate time, resources, or poorly trained teachers is to deny children access to one of the most stunning aspects of their culture and one of the most potent means for developing their minds" (Eisner, 1987, Music Educators Journal). Eisner believes that arts based education provides an outlet for students to express their knowledge and creativity by engaging all of the senses, thus allowing student's to tap into their intrinsic learning styles."

Tags:kinesthetic, creativity, imagination

Abstract
Examines aesthetic value and artistic meanings, both designative and embodied. Discusses views of two art critics, including Danto's emphasis on artistic intention as the primary agency of meaning and Hickey's emphasis on the experience of the completed art.

From the Paper
"When Danto considers the dominant aesthetic measure of art to be the artist's intention or thought and Hickey considers it as the complement of value judgments that the viewer of art brings to the enterprise of response to the work, one effect of their ..."