Firstly, in order to decipher the distinctive function that art performs in society. We must first decide what truly a work of art is. In my opinion, a work of art should be an artifact and the purpose of it should be to communicate and express thoughts and emotions. The history of art is vast as the earliest cave writings go back to approximately thirty thousand years. In class, we have discussed various functionalist theories of art and the question arose whether or not there is a distinctive function that art performs in society. In my opinion, I do believe that there is a particular and special function that art has in human society. Basically, it serves as a personal function for the artist and the viewer as well. For the artist, creating a work of art is a means of self-expression. Most definitely, artists use art to convey a particular feeling to the receiver; maybe even to create an aesthetic experience for both the artist and viewer. For example, an artist will paint a portrait based on their tainted view of the world. An artist may choose to ignore the birds chirping, the flowers in full bloom and the berries on the bush in order to focus and paint a grim picture based on the single rain cloud in the sky. On a similar note, art gives the artist the means to express their unconscious thoughts. In an address by His Holiness Pope Pius XII to a group of Italian artists on April 8th, 1952, the Pope said “The function of all art lies in fact in breaking through the narrow and tortuous enclosure of the finite, in which man is emerged while living here below, and in providing a window to the infinite for his hungry soul.” Sometimes we feel bombarded with the daily struggles of life. Our problems seem unending. Solutions feel limited. We feel powerless and constricted. Art provides a platform where the artist can put aside worldly materials and thoughts and escape to our unconscious which is a direct pathway to our soul.