1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.
The first video I chose was, African Art: Legacy of Oppression, because while I was making my mask I found the African masks to be highly complex and very foreign to me due to its removal from western history.
The second video I chose to watch was Buddhism because I find the philosophies of the religion to be humbling.
2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.
African Art: Legacy of Oppression:
Masks were called sinking feelings in the pit of the stomach in one African tribe.
Picasso referred to masks due to the purity of the human form and the emotions captured within.
Distortions in masks inspired the modern arts.
Abstracted forms and a system of signs within a culture to capture specific messages.
Many of the objects are considered magical or of the spiritual realm. On one mask, white symbolizes health while the black symbolizes illness.
Some masks were used to frighten to teach lessons in cultures.
Colonization and slavery limited and destroyed African mask arts.
The Europeans in the Congo would chop the right arms off of the natives.
Native people would be placed in exhibits as well as their art in Europe.
Art is about exploring existence.
Buddhism:
Buddha saw suffering and worked towards healing and focusing the mind on overcoming suffering to enter nirvana.
Pleasure, position, and desire must all be destroyed (including the ego) to be pure and enter enlightenment.
Buddha’s ultimate message was that of love and compassion.
Buddha encouraged others to find their own way.
While Buddhism bloomed after older religions which influenced the east such as Hinduism and Islam, it was still able to impact the art and architecture of ancient cities.
3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?
The text captured multiple styles of art, functional objects, sculptures, and more from Native Americans, Africans, and the East. Many cultures considered to be less advanced or detached from the western standards and beliefs get looked over, however, the text incorporated a vast amount of information about the histories of arts within certain regions and the functions they served. The videos however incorporated a deeper insight into the cultures. Buddhism allows one to understand the figures depicted within its art and what the symbols included mean. Art becomes much more enriching if one is able to understand its messages. African art and their masks are full of stories to tell and meanings within each piece if one is capable of listening and willing to understand.
4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to the understanding of the readings and art concepts?
The films and readings were refreshing in that they transported me out of my western mindset. When looking at the art of other cultures I am reminded of the fundamentals of what life is ultimately about—connection. Art truly brings people together and gives us an understanding of other cultures’ beliefs.
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