Functions of visual art as an element of culture and society in a psychological perspective

Abstract

Art has accompanied people since the dawn of time. From the cave paintings - through the ages - to contemporary works, it is an inseparable element of culture. The issue of art and its creation has already appeared in the texts of ancient philosophers. Significant changes can be observed in the trends of visual arts at different periods. Art is referred to as a mirror of social processes. At the same time, the authors emphasize that it could influence the occurrence of these processes and their course.The role of art in the development of culture is multifaceted. The literature on the subject shows attempts to understand this relationship. This article presents the importance of art from the context of cultural development from a psychological perspective.Based on the literature on the subject, it was proposed to categorize the function of art in relation to human mental and social functioning, its activities, referring to such aspects as communication between the creator and recipients, presentation of emotional states, the possibility of social and religious identification through art and application in therapeutic interactions. These aspects have been characterized in this article.Keywords: social changes, culture, society, psychology of art