The Aspect of Asian Art and Architecture - Term Paper Example

Introduction The role of art in the society has not been evaluated or understood especially when the arts in question are ancient and considered backdated. Ancient art has never been my focus because of their nature, but the situation has changed significantly over the course of study. Art can only be appreciated relatively on individual perspective. The influence and importance of art can be seen by their presentation of the society. The ancient art can be appreciated when interest and urge to understand the past and their role in the society are evaluated. Islamic Art The artistic impression employed in space utilization on the design and carvings done on the mosque of Mecca which is an attraction site is amazing. The role of art in the society has not been evaluated or understood especially when the arts in question are ancient and considered backdated. Ancient art has never been my focus because of their nature, but the situation has changed significantly over the course of study. Art can only be appreciated relatively on individual perspective (Hatt and Klonk 28). The influence and importance of art can be seen by their presentation of the society. The ancient art can be appreciated when interest and urge to understand the past and their role in the society are evaluated. Several writings in Arabic language have been employed in the development of the artistic impressions that creates a powerful artistic appearance (Kleiner, 2012). With the increasing space utilization, and the need for information transfer, the work of art displayed in Mecca is a combination of both art and information transfer. The top part of the mosque contains the known shapes associated with the Islamic religion. The creation of peaks at the various edges of the mosque presents the level of artwork associated with the Arabic culture (Mubarakpuri & Mubārakfūrī, 2002). The Mosque combines culture and worship in a spectacular way without the creating confusion. The success of the combination and blending of culture and art is vital in creation of a powerful work of art. The space utilization of the mosque and the artwork employed merge well especially due to the significance of the mosque. Additionally, the mosque attracts a lot of tourist and religious members creating a need for space but also creates a serious challenge for the creation of art. The art work employed in the mosque involves utilization of the walls and floors for the artwork (Eaves, 1992). The inclusion of the Kaaba in the open space between the enclosed areas allows for the increased area of art exhibition. The success of the approach has yielded a greater art area. The work of art in the mosque and the surrounding area blend well to create a truly amazing tourist site. The carvings done on the lower end of the Kaaba depicts the level of artistic creativity employed in the designing process (Frey, 2003). The inclusion of the writings of the Quran in the process allows for sharing of religious information shared in the work of art. When art merges information sharing and artistic presentation, the final result is the creation of a marvelous work of art. The designing of the mosque factored in the necessary art works for the whole process. The use of ceramics and stones in the designing allowed the various works of art to be added in the final product (Mubarakpuri and Mubārakfūrī 105). The work of art and the combination of the various space demands facilitate the creation of the scenic view of the mosque. The abstract art created by the stoning action of the pilgrims increases the work of art depicted in the mosque. The stoned pillars are vital in the religion but the actions against the pillars create abstract carvings due to the wearing out of the cement. The arc shape of the construction is in sync with the peaks created by the pillars making the whole mosque beautiful. The arc shaped is borrowed from the Arabic construction culture, as such, many homes possess the arc shaped windows and thus making the mosque part of the landscape art. The design of the walls and floors bear artwork borrowed from the culture and religion thus having a feel of two different spheres thus making a complete work of art (Mubarakpuri and Mubārakfūrī 109). The use of sculpturing and carvings is effectively employed in the Mosque at Mecca, such usage of wall carving depicting religious beliefs and customs was common in both African and Arab tradition with the main focus of the whole process being on the ability to address religious issues. However, the success of the whole process depends on the ability to address several issues in the development of art. The use of space and the description of artworks play a significant role in the illustration and the development of social ideas about a place or an area. The religion and personal ideas are represented in the art by the paintings and carving depicted in the book. The success of the art in the Mosque is a product of combination of paintings and carvings couple with abstract design resulting from the action of the stones on the pillars (Barnet 123). Buddhist Art and architecture Buddhist art originates from India ad it focuses on the various issues in the religion. It follows the life of Gautama in the 6th to 5th BC and suffered evolution when spreading across cultures. Art in Buddha temple can be represented by evaluating the most significant element in Buddhist history which is the temple. The main temple for artistic evaluation is the Borobudur temple which is a complex and greatest monument in the world. Its age is not known but believed that it was built at the end of the seventh or the beginning of the eighth century. It is the spiritual center, but will be evaluated based on the artistic complex. It is made of 55,000 square meters of lava-rock erected on a hill. It is from developed is a stepped-pyramid of six rectangular storeys. Its form borrows from the sacred flower of Buddha. There are ninety two statues and 1,460 relief scenes. The arrangement on the site presents the various issues of liberation and stories of Buddha life. The rocks are arranged in a mix and match style both horizontally and vertically. The arrangement gives the scene a diverse arrangement depicting harmony. Art in the temple and the area is depicted by use of sculpture which is a representation of the god in the religion. The Buddha images are important because they depict the various issues of art. The Buddhist art is made of the following artistic concepts. Harmony is the main focus of the art with special elements being on the parts of the sculpture and not the color of the sculpture. The important elements in the art are the exaggerated earlobes, eight-spoke wheels and the enlightenment elevation. The enlightenment elevation in the art emerges from the top of the head which is a symbol of creative power enlightenment. The other symbol used by the religion that is vital is the Hand Madras which is symbolic hand gestures. These symbols are found on sculptures erected on different Buddhist sites. Mandalas are sacred paintings created in Tibet and other Asian countries and are symbolic depiction of Buddha and other sacred incarnation of Buddha. The mandala’s figure or symbols enclosed within a circle which if enclosed in the square. The paintings are made from colored sand. The use of color sands is borrowed from part of the initiation roles done by the monks (Kleiner 23). The stupas is a monument that houses the relics of Buddha. The Buddhist art is based on the religion and does not employ the use diverse art media, but engages in the use of sculpture as the main form of art. The sculptures are placed in different areas with the focus being about religion. Comparison of Islamic Art and Buddhist art Islamic art uses walls as the main element or window of idea creation which include use of writing in the process leading to the development of a diverse approach. For Buddhist art, the success is based on sculpture and not paintings. However, the Buddhist art does not use writings on the wall. It uses the power of landscaping and the use of architectural designs methods to ensure that block used in the building with the main of creating a relaxed environment (Eaves 89). The artwork in the Buddhist art presented in the temple. The sculptures developed are vital because they cover the issues of religion only with the gods being used as a symbol for the growth. The success of the art is based on its simplicity while the Islamic art has a diverse concept which covers the wall paints other abstract artwork resulting from the work of human interventions such as the impact of stone throwing on the walls. The artistic impression on the wall is different from the presentations done on in the Buddha temple which is mainly sculptures of Buddha. The success of art in both societies is dependent on the perception presented by religion. Buddha religion encourages tranquility in the society as evidenced by the arrangement of the sculptures on the landscape and in the temple. The Islamic art works with the writing and wall paintings which is their main medium of presentation. However, there are several issues that Islamic art address. The impact of the art is special with the religion because of the information associated with the paintings. The impact of religion on the choice of art is evident in the choices made by the artists in terms of materials used and the level of compliance associated with religion. Buddhism uses sculpture and stone in the development of artwork. Islamic art involves the use of painting and wall writings which are meant to convey information and develop the religion. The success of art in both contexts is based on the belief of the impact of religion on lifestyle (Barnet 80). The impact of religion moves beyond the known areas of worship. The impact of Islamic art is evident in the homes and areas of stay meeting. The art appears in all areas in many Islamic countries regardless of the continent of location indicating the power of art and religion. In conclusion, the mosque at Mecca is a massive product of artwork with the ability to combine the different needs of the society and the desire for beauty thus creating a massive work of art with the ability to satisfy both functional and decorative functions. The Buddhist art is different from Islamic art because of medium of operation and its object of focus which is sculpture. Works Cited Barnet, Slyvan. A short Guide to writing about Art. Michigan: Pearson, 2008. Eaves, Morris. The Counter-Arts Conspiracy: Art and Industry in the Age of Blake. Michigan: Cornell University Press, 1992. Frey, Bruno S. Arts & Economics: Analysis & Cultural Policy. Berlin: Springer, 2003. Kleiner, Fred S. Gardners Art Through the Ages: Backpack Edition, Book E (with Arts Coursemate with EBook Printed Access Card). London: Cengage Learning, 2012. Mubarakpuri, Safiur Rahman and Ṣafī al-Raḥmān Mubārakfūrī. History of Makkah. Riyadh: Darussalam, 2002. Read More