Human Form versus Nature - Essay Example

?Reflection Assignment: Human Form Versus Nature Greek and Roman art have long used the human form as model. They epitomized the beauty of the figurein sculpture more than painting. People are seen as being the most important in society and life. They saw the human form as the ideal in nature. Greece had many thoughts about the noble ideas of human dignity and beauty and Western civilization is believed to have begun in Greece. The Romans were influenced by these thoughts and also sought to portray man as a superior being. Here the emphasis is on man’s power as opposed to the lesser importance of people as seen in Eastern art where nature has a much more dominant role. The sculptures of Michalangelo are famous for the way the human body is treated. With his excellent skill at carving the marble his work stands as some of the greatest ever created in this style. In China, the philosophical principles of Daoism and Confucianism play a big role in the way of life and the way of thinking is a guide to live by. One of the facets of Daoism is the relationship of nature in relation to its various elements and to man. Man is taught to follow the principles of nature. Nature in art is illustrated as the central element in a great many pieces. Nature as a dominant theme has lasted more than a thousand years. By the late Tang Dynasty, landscape painting had evolved to depict man as seeking an escape from everyday life to commune with nature in all its beauty. The influence of China spread to Japan, as did the philosophy of Buddhism. In Japanese art people are often portrayed as a small part of the vast landscape. They are only a part of the world and the powerful forces of nature are seen as great in comparison. Hokusai’s 36 Views of Mount Fuji beautifully illustrate this theme. “A hint to solving our current questions of what nature is, how it should be faced and how to coexist with it should be hidden within these art pieces that have viewed nature.” (Sakagami 1) References 1. Nature in Japanese Art after the Experience of the Earthquake, Keiko Sakagami, Web. 10 Nov. 2011. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/adv/wol/dy/reviews/110422.htm Writing Assignment: The Afterlife Across Cultures The afterlife has long been a theme in art. From Ancient Egypt, Greece, Africa and other Far Eastern cultures the attitudes and beliefs about a supernatural transformation that takes place after a person dies has inspired many objects to be placed with them at the time of their death. In Ancient Egypt people were buried with objects that they might have used in their life on earth. This practice stems from the belief that the person will be living in another realm after their death in a similar fashion. They therefore will need the things they had with them in their former life. Depending on the place in society and economic class the things they will need vary. A member of the royal family may have statues of soldiers and musical instruments buried with them while a farmer might have animals and tools and pottery with them. These things relate to their lifestyle as it was. The idea of immortality was also ceremonial zed in the elaborate coffins the dead were buried in. The Egyptians believed that these complex burial rituals help to ensure the person would arrive safely in the afterlife. The coffins themselves were decorated with symbolic images that were believed to guarantee this passage into the next life. Many of these artifacts have been uncovered in tombs of the dead and survive in museums today. In Ancient Greece they believed that the spirit of a person left the body at the time of death and went to a place known as Hades. In the Underworld all of the dead resided. In honor of the deceased elaborate preparations of the body were made and large stone structures marking the grave sites were built. Sculptures and other objects also decorated the graves. In addition to the actual site of burial, vases were decorated with scenes commemorating the person’s life in homage to them. The immortality of a person lay in their remembrance by their relatives and friends. Even after they had gone, the pieces adorning the grave marked these sites, as places were the dead lay. In medieval Europe they believed that a holy person or saint went to heaven at the time of their death. Their physical body parts were believed to be holy and possessing magical healing powers. They were housed in containers or reliquaries in churches. The reliquaries were often sculptural and elaborately decorated with scenes of angels, other saints and the persons good works while they were alive. In Tibet the Tibetan Book of the Dead describes the path after death immediately following the day of departure where the person goes on a path to attain enlightenment. During this period 100 symbolic deities and a series of illusions confront the person. Many works of art have been created depicting these things that a person may see when they ascend to this state. The idea of an afterlife carries across most cultures in the world. Although the soul is a recurring theme, their individual beliefs and customs vary. This moment of departure is often seen as a blessing when the transformation to a better afterlife occurs. It is therefore celebrated in art universally. Reflection Assignment: Mexican and Central American Art Mexico and Central America have a very old culture and many of the local traditions inspired me. What I also found interesting were the social, political and economic responses found in art. Mexican muralist Diego Rivera once said, “An artist is above all a human being, profoundly human to the core. If the artist can’t feel everything that humanity feels, if the artist isn’t capable of loving until he forgets himself and sacrifices himself if necessary, if he won’t put down his magic brush and head the fight against the oppressor, then he isn’t a great artist.” After Civil War and the peoples’ rebellion his Social Realist murals depicted scenes of Mexican history and the public looked to him for insight into progress the country was making. He and the other Mexican muralists sought to create art for everybody and rejected easel painting as being for galleries and the aristocratic. Their painting was funded by the government and in public spaces easily accessible. These practices were in keeping with the Socialist ideas the artists represented in their art. These ideas of independence and equality have also been present in Central America and artists of this time are exhibiting work reflecting those themes. Public installations of activism and responses to social issues like poverty, education and ensuring the cultural heritage endures prevail. The bright colors and primitive styles still depicted today are still reminiscent of their Indian ancestors. Particularly beautiful are the structures and sculptures of the Mayan people. The elaborate decoration is beautiful in its grace and fluidity while the pieces are powerful in their size and magnitude. The rough and often simple depictions characterize this work and geometric patterns are quite amazing. Often these pieces and temples were used for worshipping gods and goddesses. An intensely spiritual people who took great care to respect nature have survived through the centuries. Writing Assignment: Spiritual Role of Art The art of Native American Indians, although traversing many tribes all retain certain similarities. The spiritual in art is prevalent in many themes. Animism is one in which there is believed to be one source for all things. Abstract shapes and spiral and zigzag lines often represent these forces. Therianthropes, half animal half man creatures are also depicted symbolizing man’s interaction with animals. Shamanistic themes are also present and the main concept from which all Native American art springs. Vision quests on spiritual journeys at which time the soul may leave the body and travel participating in activities and seeing visions are often depicted on hide, in wood and stone. Much of the artwork was created to please gods and other deities. They sought to placate the supernatural forces surrounding them. Other objects were made solely for religious purposes. They were not always elaborately decorated although some of them were. The same objects were also used for everyday purposes and only some of the time for special rituals and ceremonies. They believed that the objects themselves could release supernatural power to assist the person with the task. Decoration was also seen as having a spiritual essence. Unable to depict a tree for example with the same beauty as a tree had, they sought to recreate the spirit or essence of the tree. The rituals they performed before creating these shamanistic pieces were just as important as their ceremonial function. The Native Americans believed that without these preliminary steps the objects and the designs could lose their power and even yield contradictory results. Although the lives of the different tribes vary from one to another these similar themes in art are common throughout. It is interesting to see how much they share. Linking Generations, Art of Africa The art of Africa from many different cultures has long had themes that tied past generations to present ones. Often art was created for ancestral worship to honor the deceased. Some traditions believe they can assist the living with their needs; others are made solely as a tribute to the departed. Others believe that the spirit of the deceased dwells within the sculpted figure. They talk to the statue as if talking to the spirit of their loved one. Often they discuss difficulties they are having and ask for help. They believe this help can come from the spirit contained in the statues. While the living honor the dead and hold them in remembrance, the sculptures and other art objects serve as a symbol and means of preserving their former lives in the present. The act of remembering and paying the ancestors homage is a way of linking the generations of the past to those still living. Figure 12-14, Chibinda Ilunga. From the Chokwe people of Angola. The figure of Chibinda Ilunga represents an historical figure revered by the Chokwe people of Angola. He was a hero to the people and represents an ancestor of the sacred royalty. The figure is very strong and austere, denoting his status as a hero. As is the case in this statue, the Chokwe people are well known for objects created to celebrate the lives of the members of the royal court. Most of the sculptures and portraits represent the royal line. In the Chokwe culture the chief is the caretaker of the land and responsible for the well being of his people. This heritage is passed on from one generation to the next and the leaders are honored for their courage and leadership. The Chibinda Ilunga figure represents all of the prowess and skill admired in a great leader illustrated by his noble posture and powerful stature. Figure 12.16, Reliquary Figure, From the Kota people of Gabon. The Kota people created a great deal of art honoring their ancestors. Well known for their guardian figures, these sculptures were made to guard the relics of the deceased. They are abstract in style with large oval faces and diamond shaped bodies. Figure 12.16 is one such figure. “The sculpture’s penetrating, steady gaze reflects its supernatural role in linking this world and the world of ancestors” (Art Online). Ancestor worship was a central part of the family’s religious and social life. After the death of a chief of the clan, members would take relics from the body and decorate them with pieces of metal for additional power. The guardian statues, contained in cylindrical boxes, were used to protect the relics of the deceased that were housed in baskets or in bundles. They are always of the same design with the oval face convex for females and concave for males. Only certain individuals had access to the remains these figures protected and they were very important in communal rituals and ceremonies. Figure 12.4, Portrait of a queen. 12th-13th century. From Ife, Nigeria. This portrait of a queen was made by the Yoruba people From Nigeria. It represents the importance the Yoruba place on states of mind. This sculpture, depicting a very serene face and wearing an elaborate headdress celebrates the life and accomplishment of the deceased. As many sculptures of this kind are made, it is meant to inspire the living to equal or surpass the accomplishments of those who have gone before them. Other pieces from the Yoruba include costumes and masks that are worn in ceremonial dances to honor the ancestors that have died. The dances are performed with lots of whirling in circles, meant to represent the continuous cycle of life and the intertwined cycles of past, present and future, symbolizing birth, life, departure and return (Art Online). These performances are also meant to inspire the present generations to better themselves and the world through their own actions and following the example of others who have gone before them. We see in many of the cultures throughout Africa the desire to preserve the memory of their ancestors. More than merely to honor them we see them placing very special importance to the lives the past generations have lived as a model to live by and to remain a part of the life of the living. These sentiments and beliefs have been beautifully preserved in the artwork symbolizing the departed. Still admired by the present generations, these pieces bind the past and present together. Read More