Body Art & Its Art - Assignment Example

Body Art, in its avatar of make up is a modern development. It is generally divided into two categories- permanent body alteration and non-permanent body alteration. The tradition of body painting has long been in practice among tribes and races all across the continent. The basic aim behind such body painting was decoration and beautification of a human body. It also served the role of identification of an ethnic group. People tattoo and body pierce their body for this purpose. Body art has myriad social and religious purposes in oriental countries.

In Asian countries the sages and devout people paint religious images and motifs. Even the art of putting henna (reddish or blackish paste made from leaves of henna plant) is a traditional Asian body art; this is also known as mehndi. Women paint their palm with mehndi; it is symbolic of marital status for married women. Even the simple process of application of kumkum (mercuric oxide powder which is red in color) on forehead can be seen as a body art to beautify and carry marital identity. All these have been a time-honored tradition practiced with zeal by Asian, specifically those of the Indian sub-continent.

Another instance of body paint art is reflected in the Kathakali dance of India. It is a dance of the state of Kerala; the Kathakali artists use a lot of makeup and body paints to color their faces. Extraordinary body paint makeup complements the gaudy and elaborate outfit worn by the dancers. So it is clear this body art is more an oriental concept; it gradually got incorporated into the texture of western society. In fact studies and survey states that globalization has led to the popularity of henna art throughout Europe and the United States.