strengths of idea that art is valuable because it expresses emotion

N – Art has strength in being valuable because it expresses the sublime through emotion
E – Art is valuable to us in making us feel and express emotion. It can be seen as an escapism, the sublime makes us feel terror but we are not close enough to the danger to feel unsecure. Burke explains this as our need to experience sublime terror but to not feel too threatened so we can feel delight from the source of danger.
I – this type of sublime is displayed in Turners ‘Eruption of Vesuvius’. Experiencing this painting makes us feel very helpless, especially in the mass of smoke and fire; in the very bottom is a tiny figure. To which we can relate to but we don’t feel too threatened because it is not us and we are just visualising someone else’s terror.
L – Art is important to make us feel emotion because it unlocks are desire of experiencing terror but not being in danger.

N – Emotion in art is also cathartic; this is valuable because it refreshes one’s self.
E – We use art to help us release pent up emotion that we didn’t necessarily know we have. Freud revisited this idea of Greek Tragedy which helped the Greeks release their emotion because they saw someone else go through bad things. Freud said that we have ‘a pent up mass of negative emotion that we somehow need to release through art.
I – For instance Munch – The Scream helps us release pent up emotion because we can see and sympathise the pain and emotion she feels.
L - Art is therefore valuable because it helps us release blocked up emotions that we don’t always know we have.