ABSTRACT
Music, drama and dance are arts that express themselves from within the creative self and, as part of an integrated arts mode, conjoin with visual art which is an external representation since the art object is created in material form. Painting and sculpture are fine art forms which are symbolic representations of ideas whereas the functional forms of art are evident in architecture and the arts of design. Art is fashioned from world resources, and the natural environment has provided the stimulus for wide-ranging art activities both as the stimulus for design and in the way in which the properties of its materials has determined the form of the art object. Civilisations have each left their mark. The diverse range of architectural forms and artifacts provide clues to belief and value systems that transcend geographical and historical boundaries. World cultures – once unknown, exclusive or inaccessible – have revealed their secrets and provided rich sources of interest. Architecture, whether on a grand scale or domestic and vernacular, has provided the enclosure or hearth in which the day-to-day living activities have taken place. Body adornment, clothing, jewellery, furniture, cooking vessels and eating utensils have been crafted over generations, with new techniques and new materials superseding previous ones and past styles influencing the latest designs and creations.
