Chapter 25 The Arts

Chapter Preview What Is Art? Why Do Anthropologists Study Art? What Are the Functions of the Arts?

Art Most all societies throughout the ages have used the expression of art- the creative use of the human imagination to interpret, express, and enjoy life. Western cultures typically feel that art is purely for aesthetic purposes and serve no other function. Do you think this is true?

Anthropological Study of Art Anthropologists are certainly concerned with the study of art as a reflection of a culture. To better understand the art a particular culture or genre might produce they examine the aesthetic, narrative, and interpretive aspects of the work. Usually art can be broken down into several categories: Visual, Verbal, and Musical.

Visual Art Visual art may be representational (imitating closely the forms of nature) or abstract (drawing from natural forms but representing only their basic patterns or arrangements). In some of the Indian art of North America’s northwest coast, animal figures may be so highly exaggerated it is difficult for an outsider to identify. Believed to generally be symbolic in nature and not purely decorative.

Rock Art Paintings, engravings, and carvings on the walls of caves and rocky shelters or outcrops is a hallmark of early modern human populations. This art is generally representative of animals of the time and hunts of those things. A variety of color methods were used. The first true expression of artistic behavior in the human species. Thought to be made while in trance.

Iconic Images These images depicted in rock art are thought the be culturally specific people, animals, and monsters that might be seen in the deepest stages of trance. Also known as iconic images. Trances might have been drug induced.

Verbal Arts Verbal arts include narrative, drama, poetry, incantations, proverbs, riddles, and word games. Oral traditions denote a culture’s unwritten stories, beliefs, and customs. Folklore is a term coined by 19th-century scholars studying the unwritten stories and other artistic traditions of rural peoples to distinguish between “folk art” and the “fine art” of the literate elite.

Categories of Narratives Myths Sacred narratives that explains the fundamentals of human existence-where we and everything in our world came from, why we are here, and where we are going. Legends A story told about a memorable event or figure handed down by tradition and told as true but without historical evidence.

Categories of Narratives Epic Long dramatic oral narrative recounting the celebrated deeds of a historic or legendary hero, often sung in poetry. Tales A creative narrative that is recognized as fiction for entertainment but may also draw a moral (motif) or teach a practical lesson. Motif A story situation in a tale

Musical Art Beginning in the 19 th century with the collection of folksongs is the study of ethnomusicology or the study of a society’s music in terms of its cultural setting. Ethnomusicologists like to differentiate between music and musical. To be musical there must be a repetition of sounds most often one thinks of European music.

Musical Art Tonality refers to scale systems and their modifications. Although these vary cross culturally as so one group may find a sound musical and the other annoying. There may be some natural influence in the scale development of certain geographical regions. Some birds pitch their songs to the same scale as Western music.

Functions of Art The function of art can be observed in several ways. First it can serve as a mechanism for one to display their social status, spiritual identity, and political power. It can also be used to transmit cultural and ancestral ties through verbal art.

Functions of Music The function of music is also one of self expression, it can be used to pass time- purely entertainment purposes. May also be used as an identifier- a more natural role for music similar to the animal kingdom. The most obvious being the social function of song which contains verbal text and can transmit messages.

Function of Music One of the most recent and powerful ways in which music can be utilized by particular minority or ethnic groups who might have previously been under heard. They can use song/music to express their plight to those in the larger majority. Allowing them to give a message and receive attention they might otherwise have not had.

Suggested Activity-Verbal Art Have students gather into groups and think of any myths, legends, epics, or tales that are central to their culture. Discuss what the functions are of these stories, why are they continually passed down, do they know the origin of the story, and do they believe them as true?