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Introduction
to Cultural Anthropology
SOC401
VU
Lesson
42
CULTURAL
ANTHROPOLOGY AND ART
What
is Art?
Art
can be defined as the process
and products of applying certain skills
to any activity that
transforms
matter,
sound, or motion into a form
that is deemed aesthetically meaningful
to people in a society. Yet
there
is no universal definition of
art.
Art
reflects the human urge to
express oneself and to take
pleasure from aesthetics.
The creative process
of
art
is enjoyable, produces an emotional
response and conveys a
message.
Verbal
art includes myths and folktales.
Myths tend to involve
supernatural beings whereas folktales
are
more
secular in nature. Like
other art forms, verbal arts are
connected to other aspects of a
culture.
Art
and Anthropology
Art
plays a useful social
function and is prominent in
ceremonies and customs of
most cultures. The
forms
of
artistic expression of relevance to
cultural anthropologists include graphic and
plastic arts (such as
painting,
carving, and weaving),
music, dance, and verbal art
(such as myth and
folklore).
Examples
of Art
Painting,
sculpture and ceramics are
common forms of western art. Religiously inspired art forms
are also
impressive
(including architecture).
Smaller
societies also have distinct art forms;
the Nubian body decorations, Eskimo
body tattooing and
Navajo
sand paintings are examples of
art.
Relevance
of Art
Art
contributes to the well-being of individuals and
society. For individuals, art provides
emotional
gratification
to the artist and the beholder.
From
the social perspective, art strengthens
and reinforces social bonds
and cultural themes, acts as
a
mechanism
of social control, and is a
symbol of high status particularly in
complex societies.
Differences
in Art Forms
Major
differences in art forms are found
between different cultures of the
world. In small-scale societies
of
foragers,
pastoralists or shifting cultivators,
with nomadic or semi-nomadic
residence patterns, the art in
these
societies either involves performing
arts (song, dance or story
telling) or is highly portable
(jewelry,
tattooing).
Judging
the Quality of
Art
In
modern societies, what constitutes good
art is largely determined by the professional art
establishment
(experts,
critics, academics).
In
societies lacking professional art
establishments, artistic standards are
less elaborate and more
diffuse and
democratic,
relying on public reaction.
Complex
societies, with specialization
and sophisticated institutions invest in
elaborate buildings, larger
than
life
canvases kept in
museums.
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Introduction
to Cultural Anthropology
SOC401
VU
Art
and Politics
It
is possible to see symbols of
political power expressed via art. In
Polynesia, leadership based
on
centralized
chiefdoms results in chiefs
using permanent tattoos to reflect their
hereditary high status. In
Melanesia,
on the other hand, power is more
fluid and the `big men'
indicate their authority using
temporary
body
paints.
Useful
Terms
Tattoo
form of body art which
illustrates onto the skin using
permanent ink
Canvas
the
cloth on which paintings are
done
Diffuse
spread out
Art
establishment art
experts, critics and
academics. Museums and other
art institutions are also
part of
this
establishment
Suggested
Readings
Students
are advised to read the
following chapters to develop a better understanding
of the various
principals
highlighted in this hand-out:
Chapter
15 in `Cultural
Anthropology: An Applied Perspective' by
Ferrarro and Chapter 26 in
`Anthropology' by Ember
Internet
Resources
In
addition to reading from the
textbook, please visit the
following web-site for this
lecture, which
provide
useful
and interesting information:
Art
and Anthropology:
www.anthroarcheart.org
or
www.artandanthropology.com
or
www.augie.edu/dept/art
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