Art in south afric - Research Paper Example

Art in South Africa Research topic: Art in South Africa Thesis ment Even though South African art is different and unique in Africa, some common elements such as the use of human figure, balance, and symmetry, youthfulness, composed demeanor and luster are commonly identified. South African art is a representation and portraiture of South African sculpture. A. In South African art, the artists depicted the idea of new world in their work. 1. Painters in South Africa illustrated the people, landscapes, flora, and fauna in order to describe an artistic vision involved in life of people as lived in South Africa as a nation.

Art in South Africa aims to illustrate the concept of national identity. South African artists such as Irma Stern have changed the South African art by introducing new concepts, sensibilities, and techniques of expressionism and post-expressionism. The composition and color is marvelous in that it reveals the real life and culture of South African people (Williamson 45-49). 2. The artwork in south Africa is includes new work portrayed in traditional media, with the artists creating the African art gallery and image.

These include well-decorated traditional cloths, beautiful beads, tablemats, and simple things such as candleholder. Their art is characterized by innovation, which has enabled South Africans to adapt to local, regional, and international markets. Through art, South Africans have managed to enhance their nation’s identity and uniqueness, while creating jobs, producing social cohesion and social capital. B. South African art is being applied to western culture because of its uniqueness and tradition.

It had unique music known as the vocal music that used special instruments found only in South Africa. 1. South African artists have transformed traditional form by adding some features. In this case, the manner in which figures are curved establishes a cast of eccentric feature. Artists from South Africa in the fork art have created new ideas such as mock road signs, which are used to depict eccentric information (Stone 79). Art in South Africa is moving from traditional to commercial in the sense that artists have developed high level of skills and knowledge to come up with unique artwork and sell their products to the ready markets from the tourists.

South African beads and weaved hats, once used as a symbol of royalty in traditional society has found its use in many things such as development of coverings for products and re-application of red aids ribbon present in the form of Zulu beadworks which earns them some money because of the use of their product. 2. Ceramics and basketry that were perfected in traditional South African society are present in contemporary galleries and shelves. Vocal music is well recognized in South Africa because it reminds them of the old traditional South Africa.

This kind of music was communal, associated with dances and other social gatherings to demonstrate unity. Further, the vocal music in South Africa included a well-defined call and response patterns (Stephan 81-4). Instruments such as mouth bow were common in traditional South Africa. Traditional people in South Africa did not have the idea of drums. Influence from the West later introduced new instruments such as concentrina, which were incorporated into traditional musical styles. BibliographyAddy, Obo.

African Arts and Cultures: Teacher’s Resource Guide. N.d. Web. 14 Nov 2012. http://www.oboaddylegacyproject.org/HOMOWOTeacherResourceGuide.pdf Stone, Ruth M. “African Music in a Constellation of Arts.” In The Garland Handbook of African Music, ed. Ruth M. Stone, 7-12. New York: Garland Publishing, Inc, 2000.Stephan, Lucien. Art of Africa. Pretoria: Harry N Abrams, 1993. Williamson, Sue. Art in South Africa. New York: David Philip Publishers, 1996.