CHAPTER 14 The Arts

What is Art? Arts include the visual, written word, oral word, music and performance Art - forms of creative expression guided by aesthetic principles and involving imagination, skill, and style Through art people interpret the world with images and symbols that express their themes, values and perceptions of reality Aesthetics – the appreciation of the perceived qualities of art Art is not always viewed as special and/or separate Not all cultures demonstrate “art lovers” or “patrons of the arts” Western society tends to separate the artistic, even if it comes from other cultures that do not Folk Art – Art, music, and lore “of the people” Contrasted by “high” or “classical” art

The Functions of Art It is a vehicle for cultural themes It validates social hierarchies It is used to express personal, social, and individual identities It can be central to ritual It can express the divine source of a ruler’s power It can be used to express ethnic and social divisions It can also be used to express disunity and conflict or repressed aspects of culture As society changes, so does art In many societies, originality is not prized in its art forms

Art and Religion Art tends to evoke a feeling Combined with the sacred to create a shared religious feeling “Greatest” periods of Western art and music often have religious affiliations Inspiration, or in service to Ritual Paleolithic cave art involve various themes associated with ritual: Sexual behavior of animals Seasonal characteristics of animals Hunting techniques Handprints Abstract signs These images were possibly made for curing ceremonies or rites of passage

Ethnomusicology Comparative study of music as an aspect of culture and society Unites music and anthropology Music - study and analysis of music and instruments Anthropology – music to explore culture and to determine the role of music in society Generally studies non-Western music Music is a cultural universal Musical ability tends to run in families, suggesting genetic predisposition All cultures have lullabies Parents tend to sing in the same manner to children Increases survivability Music is a special noise in that it always involves a human Birds may “sing” but they don’t produce music Cared bone flute in Slovenia First instrument 43,000 years old

Music World Music Incorporates different musical styles throughout the world Is based on local musical traditions, produced for local occasions, and in local languages One of the fastest-growing global phenomena today Bhagra A musical form originating in the folk music of Punjabi in northern India and eastern Pakistan that is mixing with British pop music and reggae to become a popular form of world music

Japan Anime Developed in post-WWII Japan Is associated with animation and usually refers to the animation of manga, or comic book graphic art Manga A form of Japanese popular culture Japanese comic book art Often combined with another popular culture theme: kawait (“cuteness”)

Orientalism Scholarship and art generated by Europeans, representing their views of the Middle East Orientalist art depicted European fantasies about the Middle East: Veils Harems Slave markets

Art and Politics One important function of creative expression is to legitimate social hierarchy and power The arts help stabilize society by validating common cultural themes Art can also be used as a form of resistance, especially through oral tradition and folktales

Museums and Anthropology Gradually museums have begun incorporating an ethnographic perspective in many of their indigenous art exhibits The anthropological perspective in museums helps us better understand cultural and functionalist perspectives of indigenous art Native American cultural revitalization and remembrance are now central parts of museum exhibits

Cultural Identity Countries and cultures are often known for “their” art Navajo sand paintings French cuisine Greek theater Italian fashion Body Modification and Identity Tattooing Circumcision Scarification Henna markings Piercings Body art displays both individual and group cultural identities

World Art and Tourism Contemporary visual arts and cultural performances of non-Western peoples Artists such as Maria Martinez of San Ildefonso, New Mexico, have become known personally for their art There is an increasing commoditization of indigenous cultures through their artistic representations: This has become a significant source of income for many groups This is also a shifting core (globalization) by which they construct cultural identities