Art History 114 Final
"Moai", Rapa Nui, Polynesia, 1200-1500 1. What were these used for and where were they used? 2. What was depicted and why do they cease to exist? 3. Why are there so many abandoned and broken?
"Moai", Rapa Nui, Polynesia, 1200-1500 1. These were used/placed outside to protect over the community and to represent ancestral chiefs. Some say they were actual containers of sacred spirit that were kept 2. They were depicted of ancestral chiefs. They cease to be made/used because of a social shift - possibly caused by environmental catastrophe. Because the political structure changed, the old ways and respect/worship of ancestral chiefs were abandoned. 3. There are so many/broken bc they were lost and broken accidentally.
"Papunya Style Door", Aboriginal Australia, 1971 1. Why is the story behind the making of this door? 2. What is depicted and how did it impact beyond the location?
"Papunya Style Door", Aboriginal Australia, 1971 1. The story behind this door is give children the feeling of "belonging" - The elders painted doors to show kids the history displayed/expressed and help them do well in class 2. This piece is showing patterns that came from their ground work (original ceremonies) the permanent expression. - This impact beyond the location because it started an art movement of traditional ceremonial patterns, designs and process art into art itself.
"Bark Painting of Djang' Kawu Story", Aboriginal Australia, mid 20th century 1. What are stories like this called? 2. What is depicted and how are they made? 3. Why are they made and why is it important? 4.In what ways is this an example of process art? 5. What is done differently when bark painting are sold and why?
"Bark Painting of Djang' Kawu Story", Aboriginal Australia, mid 20th century 1. These stories are called dreamings, the beings are dreamings, the event is dreamings, and it is done in Dreamtime. 2. The depiction of this the dreamings and his sisters were kicked out of their community bc this dreaming had incest with his sisters. His sisters give birth to the first humans in that family. 3. If you do not tell history you do not make history. This is telling a specific family made. 4. This is process art (repeats itself in daily life) bc contemporary bark painting uses this storytelling. The circles mean water places. 5. Bark painting are done differently when sold because the material is cleaner and not rougher. These are usually sold to galleries.
"Canoe", Maori, Polynesia, 19th Century 1. Why are canoes so important to Polynesian culture? 2. How is history and genealogy expressed? 3. Why are traditional canoes still made by Maori people. What is their "work" 4. Why is this described as "a precious thing"
"Canoe", Maori, Polynesia, 19th Century 1. Canoes are important bc this was their way of transportation, used for war, to find food, to find new settlements 2. This canoe has Mana. It expresses genealogy by carving of their ancestors on it to be reminded of their origins. 3. Traditional canoes are still made bc it is a religious experience of building one and using one. It is a way to talk about ur roots and culture. 4. This is described as a precious thing bc this canoe carried their first ancestors to the island. This is is their original canoe
"Dilukai", Pulau, Micronesia, 19th - early 20th century 1. What was the original function and symbolism of this figure? 2. How has it changed overtime due to colonization and intro to new religions
"Dilikai", Pulau, Micronesia, 19th - early 20th century 1. The function was to put out in front of gardens of house of leaders to have plants reproduced. This symbolize creation and the origin was the goddess of agriculture. 2. It has changed over time by changing its meaning. It is now about to not be promiscuous in incest etc. These are now places in front of houses on top of it to get rid of sexual relationships
"King's Birthday Celebration", Tonga, Polynesia, 1980's 1. How are body arts illustrated in this image? 2. What is the primary type of gift given to the king and why? 3. What are other uses for textiles like tapa.*
"King's Birthday Celebration", Tonga, Polynesia, 1980's 1. Body art is illustrated in this image through the use of Tapa and Lace flowers. 2. Tapa is given to a king bc you are giving mana and it is culturally valued to the king/community. Making tapa gives it mana. 3. Tapa are also used for birthdays, jobs, promotions, wedding, births, and death.
"Meeting House With Rai", Yap, Micronesia, 20th century 1. What are Rai? Where are they from? Why they're not locally mined? How are they used? 2. What are meeting houses used? Why this form of construction 3. How does the organization of people inside relate to the social relationships?
"Meeting House With Rai", Yap, Micronesia, 20th century 1. Rai are sculptured money aka large coins that are currency. They come from Pohnpei. They're not locally minded bc the island itself does not have these materials so they are imported from other islands. They are used for currency having one means a lot of wealth it is ownership even if it is not with you. 2. Meeting houses are used for religious and political meetings used to be just for men. It has a high ceiling construction to help with ventalation and to raise the heat up to keep cool. 3. People inside are seated based on ranking status of you and your family. As people move in status things get shifted around.
"Sinahi", Chamorro, Micronesia, 21st Century 1. When and why is shell jewelry given to individuals? 2. When would a man receive this necklace? How has this changed with modernization and westernization? 3. Why is hima shell here so valuable? How does it speak masculinity? 4. What is the symbolism of the shape of the shell?
"Sinahi", Chamorro, Micronesia, 21st Century 1. Shell jewelry are given when entering into young adulthood. 2. Men would receive this when they bring/provides food for the family. It has changed later on by now when boys get a job and give first pay check, graduation, and promotion. 3. Hima shells are valuable you have to dive far to get it which is pass the coral reef. Getting the shell represents masculinity because it is dangerous to get it. 4. The shape symbolize the creation of the world/university and the first making of male and female. Has a story of a man and women cut their bodies up that created the world/universe
"Staff God", Cook Islands, Polynesia, 19th century 1. What does this type of sculpture represent? 2. Why is one wrapped and the other not?* 3. How are mana and tapu applicable to these?
"Staff God", Cook Islands, Polynesia, 19th century 1. It represents the creator and goes back to the first ancestors. 2. The unwrapped one signifies one of 2 things: it isn't active, so no need yet to wrap it; or it was unwrapped by the collector. 3. One is wrapped to show "tapu" aka protection the "Mana" power that exists.
"Tivaevae". Cook Island, Polynesia, 21st Century 1. How was this art form introduced to the culture? 2. How is it made and used? 3. How does this relate to traditional textiles?
"Tivaevae". Cook Island, Polynesia, 21st Century 1. Tivaevae was introduced by Christian missionaries - keep women busy. 2. Quilts have become an alternative textile art form across Polynesia. In the Cook Islands, it is used the same way other textiles are used: gifts for important life events, wrapping the dead, etc. It is also a group art form, bringing people together, and it can be competitive. This is made by tapa a that is beaten down into the fabric. 3. Relates back to traditional textiles by the patterns that represent their ancestors and family similar to like a crest.
"Traditional Dress Marshall Islands", Micronesia, 21st century 1. What are the different components of body art? 2. What is unique to Micronesia and Polynesia? 3. What is the function of body arts and why are they vital
"Traditional Dress Marshall Islands", Micronesia, 21st century 1. Components of body arts for Micronesia are - Tattoos, Movement, Oogis, Music, Singing, Olfactory 2. Micronesia has, tattooed (is used for gender identity and status,) olfactory, botanical (for smell), clothing, dance, singing, Oils to show their bodies, shells are a major component of their bodies art because it is based on their environment and impacts their aesthetics. Polynesia, has all of the previous stated except they use Figi tapa for traditional clothing. Mana (power that exists in all things) and Tapu (it is to protect mana) go hand in hand. 3. The function of body art is to establish identity, status, community, remembrance of history and culture. It is vital because it continues the culture's history and identity.
"Tusky Maiden", Rosanna Raymond, Samoa, Polynesia, 2014 1. What stereotypes is Raymond addressing in this performance? 2. Before colonization what was the role and perception of women.* 3. How does her art work destabilize colonial narratives?
"Tusky Maiden", Rosanna Raymond, Samoa, Polynesia, 2014 1. addressing the stereotype of the bare-breasted (or coconut bra wearing) dark skinned woman - Poedua is seen in postcards and a multitude of images of women in the Pacific. They are represented as sexualized objects to be possessed. 2. Women before colonization were seen as warriors and the bares of the culture. 3. Her work destabilizes colonial narratives by addressing women are divine and represent a part of a God who fights and are warriors not submissive.
All Papua New Guinea, Melanesia, "Bilum", 21st century 1. What are bilum and why do they matter? 2. When and why are they used?
1. Bilum are women's net bags that were originally made for practical purposed of carrying things. 2. Bilum is the primary aesthetic expression for women. They are used for practical purposes but have expanded to become part of bilas for women.
Knowledge = Sacared
1. Inherited (patrilineal and matrilineal 2. Graded access 3. Status 4. Land Based 5. Specific expression depending on history -ownership of symbols -Multitude of meanings & combinations -Dreamtime-Cooperation -Inside/Outside
1. What is oogis and how is it manifested? 2. How does the environment affect the cultures and their artistic expression? 3. What is Festac?*
1. Oogis is any art or items that has quality craftsmanship, simple, elegant, and has to have function. It is manifested by craftsmanship 2. The environment affects cultures aesthetics and artistic expression by the number of resources. One material like a specific shell could be only produced near an island for one community meaning they would use this shell more than other islands bc they do not have the resources. 3. Festac similar to Pow Wow is where Oceania communities come together in remembrance to celebrate their ancestors, history, and culture. It is also a place of entertainment and competition for these people. A place of socializing and a place to honor their culture to reinforce their value and craftsmanship.
Spiritual Belief System
1. People are associated with specific Ancestral Beings (dreaming) in specific location - Ceremony (songs, patterns in art) -Knowledge -Without telling the history, history ceases to exist -Eternal
Asmat, Melanesia, "Bis Pole", 20th century 1. Why are these made and what do they do?* 2. What is depicted and how are they used? 3. How dose the material relate to Asmat identity and origin stories?
1. These are made for anyone who died. They are the promise to restore the energy balance. Once that is accomplished they are taken down, placed in the forest and allowed to deteriorate. 2. What is shown here are phallic art, human figures, pran mantis, flying fox, and penis resembling head hunting. This is used to place the heads of the people who have died. 3. This goes back to Asmat identity with head hunting, competition, and the superior idea of male and the power comes from the head.
Abelam, Melanesia, "Haus Tamberam" late 20th century 1. What is this structure? What is the symbolism form? 2. What is depicted on the from of the house? What happens within it? 3. What happens with initiation?
Abelam, Melanesia, "Haus Tamberam" late 20th century 1. This structure is a "Men's House". The symbolism form is a vagina meaning the house is a womb and the house is having sex with itself representing the continuation of the culture aka birth into culture. 2. The house has drawings of skulls, penises, and symbols related to head hunting. Ritual acitivits, ceremonies, and everyday life happens in it. 3. 3. Initation is a 6 month to a year process that goes about 20-30 yrs to finish. -This is where young men have to ask questions, interoperate and listen to others about a displays (tablo) of art. The art changes over time. By the 8th cycle you should know that "knowledge and understanding never stops so there is no answers to initation.
Abelam, Melanesia, Wapinyam, 20th-21st century 1. What is this display and where is it? * 2. What is the function and what activity has this replaced
Abelam, Melanesia, Wapinyam, 20th-21st century 1. This display is a huge yam that are grown for competition on who can grow the biggest. 2. The function of this is a connection linked to the ancestors. You must treated like a living being. -dress it, Bilas, mask, never eat your own, men only do it. This activity replaced headhunting
Alice Hinton-Bateup, "Dispossessed", Aboriginal Australia, 1986* 1. What is the artist talking about in this image? 2. What does the color palette reference and why the python and map?
Alice Hinton-Bateup, "Dispossessed", Aboriginal Australia, 1986 1. This is talking about how people were forced to move from their land meaning that they are loosing the connection of the land and people. Making them travel far to their homeland 2. The python represents they created the land in general. The color palette refers to the colors they associate with from the past and the map represents a white perspective.
Asmat, Melanesia, "Decorated Skull", 20th century 1. What is the importance of the head in Asmat culture? 2. Whose skull was this and how can we tell it wasn't an enemy? 3. Why was skull kept and what does the decoration signify? 4. Where would this have been kept? How was it used?
Asmat, Melanesia, "Decorated Skull", 20th century 1. The importance with the head is the source of power and knowledge the more heads you head the more power the community had. 2. This is a skull of an ancestor with great power and leadership due to the bilas being shown. This is not an enemy skull bc it would not have these embellishments and enemy skulls would be used for like sleeping, sitting on, showing disrespect to them whereas this skull would be placed for display. 3. Skulls were kept because they were sacred, held power, knowledge, used for guidance, and you don't throw away ancestors. They are respected in death as in life, and in the image are decorated with bilas as they would have been in life. 4. These skulls are kept inside the men's house. They are used for guidance and power.
Gordon Bennet, "Australian Icon" (note on perception No. 1), Aboriginal Australian, 1989 (9min) 1. Who is depicted in this painting? What does the title mean? 2. What is the double meaning of the dots and the use of perspective? 3. What is Bennet saying in this painting*
Gordon Bennet, "Australian Icon" (note on perception No. 1), Aboriginal Australian, 1989 1. The image itself is Cook who "discovered" the Pacific island who is seeing an Aboriginal man. The title meaning what is a white perception of Aboriginal Australian. The box is boxing in stereotype which is done in a vanishing point referring they are not important. 2. The vanishing point means that the Aboriginal is vanishing and not recognized. He is playing with the art world here. The dots refer to knowledge -Aboriginal Knowledge and Experience Knowledge also the dots refer to how images were made in the printing process 3. Bennet is saying in this piece that the colonization caused damaged to Aboriginal People and that they do not matter
High Ranking Women, Maori, Polynesia, 1860s 1. How can we tell this is a high-ranking person and women? 2. What aspects the broad body art depicted are specifically Maori? 3. Why were changes made from things found in other parts of Polynesia? 4. What are the necklaces? What does moko signify? 5. Why did Moko nearly die out and what is different about moko today?
High Ranking Women, Maori, Polynesia, 1860s 1. We know this woman is high ranking because of the feathers places on her hair, the wrapping of her body, Maori cloak, and the "Heitiki". We can tell this is a woman bc the Moko is on her lips. 2. The "Heitiki and Moko is specifically Maori related. The color of Heitiki is important bc it represents life and growth. The Heitiki represents ancestors and the goddess of childbirth. 3. What changed was the tools. During the early colonization, the needled became the main tool and changed the feel of the skin to smooth. 4. The necklace is "Heitiki". Moko is a face tattoo to show high ranking status and the transition from childhood to adulthood. It is also a way to distinguish gender. It symbolizes a reflection of genealogy 5. Moko nearly died out b/c of forced Christianization. Also, these people were judged and treated unfairly because of the expression of their traditions Moko today is done by a tattoo machine and is given to anyone. However, traditional tattoo does exist and has made a comeback. We also see designs that belonged to one culture used in others, and people incorporating personal symbolism into family patterns.
Iatmul, Melanesia, "Orator Stool", 20th century 1. Where were these kept? How are stools like this used? 2. What is depicted? What does that signify? 3. Why is the proportionally too large
Iatmul, Melanesia, "Orator Stool", 20th century 1. This is kept inside the "men house". This is used for discussions so only way to speak is when one person has their hand on it. 2. This is a depiction of an ancestors with a big head, markings related to head hunting, and penis. This signifies an ancestors 3. The head is big bc it is place of knowledge and power
Nelson, Aboriginal Australia, "Five Dreamings", 1984 1. How are the patterns used in Aboriginal art determined? 2. Who owns a painting (when it is first made)? 3. What is depicted and why does it matter? 4. What functions does a painting like this have? 5. What is the origin of Contemporary Aboriginal Painting like this?
Nelson, Aboriginal Australia, "Five Dreamings", 1984 1. The patterns are belonging to a specific clan in specific cultures. It is copy right 2. The elder owns the painting 3. This is telling 5 dreamings bc it is telling 5 different stories. 4. This is to tell the history of the land and dreaming 5. The origin of Contemporary Aboriginal painting is from patterns and dreamings paintings that reflects Tjurunga
New Ireland, Melanesia, "Malangan", late 20th century 1. What is malangan? 2. What are different components to the entire context? * 3. What is represented here?
New Ireland, Melanesia, "Malangan", late 20th century 1. This is a funeral art that takes about 6 to 2 yrs to make. - create sculpture insulation to help enter spirits (person who died) enter the spiritual realm. -During this time other communities are invited to bring professional entertainment whereas, the person community hosting it provides food and art. It is a feast, masquerade, the art installation is all context of the funeral. 2. Components to the context are Art, feast, visitors who bring entertainment such as maskers 3. Being represented here is spirits rowing into the spiritual realm
Ramingining Artisits, Aboriginal Australian, 1987-88 1. What is the context for this installation? What do the forms reference? 2. Why are there 100? What do each symbolize? 3. How is the gallery space laid out? Why
Ramingining Artisits, Aboriginal Australian, 1987-88 1. This is an insulation done at the natural history museum. - These are ceremonial post that present un-acknowledge aboriginal deaths every year since colonialism. 2. 100 represents the the years of un-acknowledgment. Each symbolize a death. 3. Forces guest to go through it "intervention art" and this is give acknowledged the brutal history of colonialism toward Aboriginal people.
Dreamings
The time of the actions of supernatural and ancestral beings 1. They created all that there is through (actions) 2. They are often the land itself 3. They named the animals and plants 4. Created humans (totemic) 5. Set rules of social and religious actions (original beings that habitual the world and their actions)/ Dreamtime (current connections to the dreamings and predominant art where it becomes real)
