Expressive Culture

Art and Culture***Expressive culture– The behaviors and beliefs related to art, beauty leisure

and play.Art – The application of imagination, skill and style to matter,

movement, and sound that goes beyond what is purely practical.

Art is a human universal that can be expressed through a variety of mediums including– verbal art or storytelling, painting, sculpture, weaving, basketry, architecture, interior design, landscaping, gardens, costume design, body adornment, hairstyles, tattooing etc.

***Ethno-esthetics – are the culturally embedded and specific definitions

of what art is. – In western culture, there is definite separation

between what is considered folk art and fine art.• Fine art is typically associated with trained artists(in

European tradition), rare, and expense.• Folk art is typically created by untrained artists,

primitive/ethnic art/ arts and crafts, not rare or expensive.

Fine or Folk art?

• Piraha people of Brazil appear to have very little visual art. However, the Piraha have a rich verbal expression of art through their stories, family histories, legends, myths and folktales.

What is considered Beautiful?

Studying Art in Society• The anthropological study of art seeks to

understand not only the products of art but who makes it and why?

• ***Franz Boas emphasized the importance of studying the artist in society. Art finds importance in politics, socialization of children, ritual performance, warfare, and reinforcing social/gender roles.

Performance Arts• Performance arts include music, dance, theater,

rhetoric (public speeches) and narrative.

***Ethnomusicology– The cross-cultural study of music. Researchers study a range topics including the form of music itself, the social position and sex of the performers. Music interacts with other domains of culture specifically in—religion and rituals, healing and change in musical traditions

Battle hymns & MarchesUS March: http://youtu.be/9Odj1ek52Y8UK March: http://youtu.be/XZhWQqinZmkChinese PLA: http://youtu.be/jiKS6jrx67Q

Burundi Call to war: http://youtu.be/kZxEI9E9aP0Cree Call to war: http://youtu.be/Gvfy7IRF7wc

Cross-culturally music can illicit certain emotions or indicate some important event from the usage of certain rhythms, instruments, and musical compositions. Traditional Folk musicBalinese Music: http://youtu.be/UR0aTRvgOocMaya Music: http://youtu.be/O9uxkrciW8YGreek Music: http://youtu.be/cSaGjZKmEagCeltic Music: http://youtu.be/r47AnlXlJpgChinese Music: http://youtu.be/CXe8xOnU4YsAmerican Bluegrass: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NcCgsAMxhs&feature=player_embeddedMexican Music:Moroccan Music: http://youtu.be/Ypw-XCdZflgAustralian Music: http://youtu.be/H7oE4sKIDuUIndian Music: http://youtu.be/UpdGLkiOQnYTibetan Music: http://youtu.be/ZCkK1AqsIAI