Artworks of different genres have been delighting people from all ages and all places. We enjoy their beauty and their articulation, but we know nothing or very little about their creation process. The practice of aesthetic appreciation of art enables us not only to enjoy art through deeper understanding of the works, but also to recognize and realize our creative potential and capability, as well as to cultivate and broaden our vision of artistic culture. The course will be taught in two parts: Firstly, Introduction to visual and performing arts, which includes common lectures on What is Art? Art and Culture, Understanding Art Genres, Approaches to Art Appreciation. Secondly, Introduction to Visual Arts - Form, Style & Culture, which includes lectures designed to equip the students with basic knowledge of the different visual art forms and teach them how to appreciate and interpret such artworks by illustrating the relationship between form/style and theme/culture. Masterpieces from different regions/places reveal not merely local colors, but also rich cultural contents, echoing profound problems of life for seeing and understanding the world.

CILO-1: Describe and explain how human experience is imaginatively perceived, explored and aesthetically represented in visual art forms. CILO-2: Describe visual artworks with aesthetic sensitivity and cultural perceptivity. CILO-3: Read or interpret visual artworks in their cultural and social contexts from different perspectives. CILO-4: Make connections with the major themes, concepts and ideas prevalent in visual art practices.