In this essay I will compare and contrast the approaches and goals of Richard and Sally Price and S. Allen Counter and David Evens on the topic of Maroon arts of the Suriname. I will explain how they present their findings. And tell what I think they would say the most important discovery or confirmation is. After all of this is done I will do follow up art historical research in the same area. The main focus of my research would be why anyone would be interested in finding out more about this particular region?fs art. The calabash maroon arts would be the art form I would research (relying on the experiences of the authors), giving a brief description of the research I would undertake. I will provide information on how I got the much-needed information about this art form. Also stating if I talked to anyone and why. Lastly describing what questions I would want answered if any.
First, I would like to talk about the approach that Sally and Richard Price had when doing their research on the Maroon arts of Suriname. I believe the Price?fs approach was to answer what they called what is undoubtedly the most difficult, politically charged and hotly debated aspect of the study of these arts: their deep culture-historical roots.
The Price?fs went to Suriname to do research on these archeological people to find out if these Maroon art works such as calabash bowls were truly African in origin, or if they have other sources that have provided an influence on them that is far beyond Africa. There was a re-emergence in the Maroon arts that?fs unexplainable to many scholars that have studied them. The Price?fs term this as a ?gunique balance of continuity-in-change?h. What this term means is, they feel there was a lack of documentation during these times and the arts where always around and there was no disappearing act.
Counter and Evens went to Suriname find Africa. They believe that Africa and the Suriname Maroons have a direct connection other than being of African decent as far as the arts are concerned.
I believe both the Price?fs and Counter and Evens had the same goals in mind, which was to find answers. To find out the unknown of these arts of the maroons, but their intentions were totally different. Like I stated earlier, Counter and Evens wanted to find Africa.
Elizabeth Catlett`s art documents history, but particularly the experiences of the black and brown working class women.. She combined what she has learned of African art, African American art, and
Mercer, Kobena. Welcome to the Jungle: New Positions in Black Cultural Studies. New York: Routledge, 1994. 171-220.
When one thinks about early pieces of colonial art that have indigenous influences on them, one of the first things to come to mind is feather painting. The incorporation
Before analysing selected art works in more detail it will be worth introducing a few different definitions and hypothesis of aesthetics in art based on theories of well-known critical thinkers.
1. Hunter, Sam and Jacobs, John. Modern Art, 3rd Edition. The Vendome Press, New York, 1992.
Suriname was originally a territory inhabited by tribes of Arawa Native Americans. The English began a plantation in the early 17th century but a fleet of Dutch West India Company captured the colony leading for the English to perform an exchange for what was left of their part of the land of Suriname for what is now New York City. After the exchange, the Dutch ruled the colony and it was designated as one of the constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In November of 1975 Suriname became independent leaving the Kingdom of Netherlands and becoming a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardner's Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective. N.p., 2014. Print.
The official name of Panama is the Republic of Panama or (República de Panamá). Panama is located on the narrowest and lowest part of the Isthmus of Panama that links North America and South America. This part of the isthmus is situated between 7° and 10° north latitude and 77° and 83° west longitude. Panama is slightly smaller than South Carolina, approximately 77,082 square kilometers.
In sub-Saharan Africa, thousands of languages, cultures, and geographical regions helped influence our African society. The ways in which we produce our artwork, spiritual ideals, and ritual performances are organic and raw. From the tropical regions of Congo and Ghana, to the arid regions of Mali; I pass through the global gateway into a domain where the Western world lost its roots and artistic imagination and grandeur. Africa appeals most to me for its ability to create a realm where the living, dead, and artistic ideals come into a single unit of tranquil philosophy.
...ora in the Spanish Caribbean, this is apparent, as demonstrated through the strong attachment to plants and associated practices. Maintaining pieces of this was integral to easing the process of assimilation in the new world: otherwise culturally diffuse, enslaved Africans achieved solidarity on the basis of conceptualizing their new physical space according to their traditional model – of understanding plants in any context; likewise, they fomented an identity surrounding a nature-based religion and medical practices. The relationship with plants arguably served as an agent of unity and resistance against loss of tradition, culture, and knowledge across the Atlantic. Rather than being a strictly geographical phenomenon, the human bond with plants can be seen under a lens of race. The uniquely Afro-Caribbean ethonobotanical legacy serves as tribute to this.
In Ashanti tribe, family and the mother’s side are most important to this particular group. This tribe believe that child often inherit their father’s soul while flesh and blood is received from the mother. “Instrument such as talking drums are used for learning the Ashanti language and spreading news and used in ceremonies. This instrument is very important to the Ashanti and there are very important rituals involved in them”. (Vollbrecht, Judith A., 1979).
The first art that interested me was the art of Indonesia which in this exhibit depicted the culture, history and art of Indonesian people. For instance, Bali a small island in the Indonesia valued most of its art based on the rich resources they occupied such as most art was composed of gold, diamond and sapphires which people of Bali believed that it will resemble their higher standards in the society. Art of Bali amazed me the most when it came to their “King’s crown” and “Queen’s crown” which was completely “fashioned in pure gold with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires” (Bali). The king’s crown was much simpler compare to queen’s crown which contained many varied of gold decorative that looked like gold flowers, and all of its designs such as rubies or sapphires were perfectly horizontally lined to each other that sort of depicted as a shiny necklace. The Bali’s art that I observed was very interesting know about the society they lived in those centuries with representation of their upscale society (Bali).
Angeles, Los. (2009). African arts. Volume 28. Published by African Studies Center, University of California.
[6] Professional Jewler Magazine Archive, Lev Leviev's Angolan Connection, [internet] Accessed on: 13th November 2005, http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/2002/feb02/0202dn1.html
South Africa is a nation with a wonderful and varied culture. This country has been called “The Rainbow Nation”, a name that reflects the diversity of such amazing place. The different ethnic and cultural groups of the South Africa do, however, appreciate their own beliefs and customs. Many of these traditions, besides African culture, are influenced by European and Western heritage. The complex and diverse population of the country has made a strong impact to the various cultures. There are forty-five million people; about thirty million are black, five million white, three million coloured and one million Indians. The black population has a large number of rural people living in poverty. It is among these inhabitants that cultural customs are preserve the most.