Video Review

I selected the African videos because after watching the first one I wanted to learn a little more about African art and decided to watch the second one. I thought it very interesting that they European masters and Picasso took aspects from this type of art. Hinduism and Buddhism are two very interesting ideas. I always thought of myself as spiritual and wanted to learn more about these two art forms. I especially like the concept of not having to worship in a building or specific holy place. 

I enjoyed the videos and actually started watching the Japanese art video. It was great to view more examples of the different types of art that we have been studying. All of the types are interesting because of their uniqueness and its intriguing to see how each style can share cues with each other even though they live so far apart from one another.

African Art: Legacy of Oppression

The Belgium Tervuren Museum holds the world’s largest collection of Central African Art. The Congo Region where most of the art is from is hone to over 250 different cultures. The abstract qualities in artistic style found in this region influenced Picasso and other European masters. The artists glorified the motherness of mothers, the chiefness of their chiefs and gave grandeur ro everyday objects such as combs, wooden cutp to a bed. Many of these artifacts are magical housing potions or totems of revenge. Masks are a big part of this art. Some masks were created to scare their enemies, such as us westerners but they stopped making them because they didn’t work. King Leopold from Belgium wiped out half of the Congo population during his colonization and slave labor conquest. Because bullets were so expensive the soldiers had to bring back a right hand for each bullet fired whether the person was dead or not. The Belgium’s were bringing back thousands of artifacts from the Congo. African slaves were brought back with these artifacts and displayed at the museum like animals. This art explores the nature of existence. 

Buddhism

This religion began in India and its Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya is its center. The key teaching in Buddhism is “tanha” which releases all desires and all things that feed your ego and obstruct enlightenment. Buddha proclaimed a simple message of love. Buddhism split in two within 100 yrs of Buddha’s death. The monks labeled the “hinayana” who would crossover in a boat they were to make themselves. The “mahanyana” would seek out companions and wait for the ferry. Sanchi because the center of Buddhist art and architecture. The great Stupa contains symbols and the great Buddha is only represented by the Bodhi tree. Every block of this Stupa represents some form of sculpture. Every step around the Stupa is one of discovery and enlightenment. A pilgrim must walk clockwise as to let go of material things in lieu of virtue. Built from lava block the temple of Borobudur is the largest Buddhist shrine in the world.  This is a stepped pyramid built into the form of a lotus. The temple is siz stories high, called the temple of countless Buddha’s and took 100 yrs to build. The temple was buried for 800 yrs because of a volcanic eruption. Chuang Yen Monastery is found in Carmel NY. It is a complex of buildings dedicated to Buddhism finished in 1985. All of this Monasteries’ art and architectural design comes from the Tang dynasty. The main building head to be erected around the largest Buddha statue found in the Western World.

Hinduism

Hindu's believe that life lasts millions of years through life, death and rebirth. The symbol of this is the Ganges river. Hindu's can worship anywhere just like Buddhists. The aarte ceremony is meant to honor Brahma/God. It literally means, remover of pain. There are many Gods/Goddesses in Hinduism. They provide access to Brahma. Direct access to heaven is guaranteed by cremation in Varanassi on the Ganges. Mamallapuran in the South is where the Ganeges turns to stone. This is a holy and highly decorated place. Stories are told throughout, being depicted on the walls through sculptures. Single boulders are decorated and stone caves inside them are also carved. Hierarchy is depicted in the art but peasants and noble men are sculpted together when it comes to them meeting God. Every man is an equal when it comes to death . Architecture moved from wood to stone. Slender pillars carved on these shrines hold up massive vaulted stone cielings and have done so for centuries. The Shore Temple was excavated and contained many examples of ancient art and architecture. Sex is seen to reflect the creative love of Brahma which is the opposite of Christianity. Phallic symbols are found in many Hindu temples. Source of all life for the Hindus is Brahma.

African Art

Art is an important part of African everyday life. Most pieces that are found in museums are less than 200 yrs old due to the humid climate and the fact that most were made from wood.  The oldest African art is found in the dryer regions. Stone carving and paintings have endured for centuries but some may have be only a few hundred years old. Bushmen painting typically are of animals but humans are also represented in stone art. Bronze statues were being cast in Nigeria during the 9th century and sculptures from the 15th century were also found. A royal residence found in Zimbabwean shows symbolic art and the style of 14th Century Architecture. This is their central feature. African art was relatively unknown to Europeans until the 19th century. They regarded African art as primitive or even child like. The key to understanding African art is to learn about perceptual and conceptual. Perceptual is of the artists observation of visual reality. Europeans traditions are deeply rooted in this approach. Conceptual flows from the artist imagination. Most African art represents the Conceptual or abstract. Many utilitarian objects are decorated such as containers made from ostrich eggs. African artists tried to make the same art as their ancestors but with more skill. They were respected members of the community but skill in creating traditional pieces was seen as more important than creating new original works. This art is intertwined with magic and religion. All things are animated by unseen spirits. Art intertwined  with life, objects will not represent people or animals. Art was used for worship to appease god and their ancestors. African sculptures can depict deities and ancestors. These objects are seen as the actual deities and spirits they do not just represent them. Sculpture elongated form may represent their ancestors remoteness from daily life. Figures should be viewed face on but when side views were depicted they were carefully planned and well thought out. Textures are very important in African art and specific materials were used to simulate the feel of carved wood.