Chapter 15
Art
What We Will Learn
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
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How do anthropologists define the arts?
What are the various functions of art in
society?
How do music and dance reflect other
aspects of a culture?
Cross Cultural Definition of Art
Art Should ….
1.
2.
3.
Be creative and playful.
Be unconcerned with practicality or usefulness
of the object produced
Produce an emotional response.
Cross Cultural Definition of Art
Art Should ….
4.
5.
Be transformational an image or idea
transformed into a painting, dance, song, or
poem.
Make a symbolic statement about what is
being portrayed.
Art in Small-scale Societies

Art is often left behind on rocks or cliffs or
in forms that can be taken with them:
 Performing arts (song, dance, and
storytelling).
 body decoration, such as jewelry, body
painting, tattooing, and scarification.
 artistic decorations on artifacts such as
weapons, clothing, and food containers.
Art in Complex Societies


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Associated with the elite.
Often owned and controlled by the upper
classes.
Glorifies and serves the interests of the
upper classes.
Functions of Art


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Emotional Gratification for the Individual
Contributes to Social Integration
Social Control
Preserving or Challenging the Status Quo
Graphic And Plastic Arts

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The Western notion of graphic and plastic
arts usually refers to painting, sculpture,
printmaking, and architecture.
The anthropological definition also
includes such art forms as weaving,
embroidery, tailoring, jewelry making, and
tattooing and other forms of body
decoration.
Four Major Concerns of
Ethnomusicology
1.
Ideas about music

How cultures distinguish between music
and nonmusic.

The functions music has for the society.

Whether music is seen as beneficial or
harmful to the society.

What constitutes beautiful music?

On what occasions should music be
played?
Four Major Concerns of
Ethnomusicology
2.
Social structure of music

The social relationships between
musicians.

How a society distinguishes between
musicians on the basis of age,
gender, race,ethnicity, or education.
Four Major Concerns of
Ethnomusicology
3.
Characteristics of music:

How the style of music in different cultures
varies (scale, melody, harmony, timing).

The different musical genres that are found
in a society (lullaby, sea chantey, hard rock,
and so on).

The nature of musical texts (words).

How music is composed.

How music is learned and transmitted.
Four Major Concerns of
Ethnomusicology
4.

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Material culture of music:
The nature of the musical instruments
found in a culture.
Who makes musical instruments and
how are they distributed?
How are musical tastes reflected in
the instruments used?
Music: Egalitarian Societies
and Stratified Societies
Egalitarian Societies
Stratified Societies
Repetitious texts
Nonrepetitious texts
Slurred articulation
Precise articulation
Little solo singing
Solo singing
Wide melodic intervals
Narrow melodic intervals
Music: Egalitarian Societies
and Stratified Societies
Egalitarian Societies
Stratified Societies
Nonelaborate songs (no
embellishments)
Elaborate songs (embellishments)
Few instruments
Large number of instruments
Singing in unison
Singing in simultaneously
produced intervals
Functions of Dance
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
Psychological – helping people cope
more effectively with tensions and
aggressive feelings.
Political - expressing political values and
attitudes, showing allegiance to political
leaders, and controlling behavior.
Functions of Dance
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
Religiously – various methods of
communicating with supernatural forces.
Socially - articulating and reinforcing
relationships between members of the
society.
Educationally - passing on the cultural
traditions, values, and beliefs from one
generation to the next.
Verbal Art
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Myths are stories of our search for significance,
meaning, and truth.
Legends are told as if they were true, but often
are only partially true or not at all true. They
attempt to explain the establishment of local
customs, the movement of populations from
one land to another, or the traits of folk heroes.
Folktales have no particular basis in history
and exist largely for the purpose of
entertainment.
Quick Quiz
1. According to the text, art should make a
symbolic statement about what is being
portrayed. In other words, art should
communicate information
a) by being technically skilled.
b) by being transformational.
c) by being creative.
d) by being representational.
Answer: d

According to the text, art should make a
symbolic statement about what is being
portrayed. In other words, art should
communicate information: by being
representational.
2. The term primitive art is
a) the best term we have for some forms of art.
b) an accurate description of art from small-scale
societies.
c) a valid concept in that it directs classifications
of art to recognize the skills and abilities of
pre-modern peoples.
d) not used because of its misleading
connotations of both inferiority and
evolutionary sequencing.
Answer: d

The term primitive art is not used
because of its misleading
connotations of both inferiority and
evolutionary sequencing.
3. Art in small-scale societies is ________
to a greater degree in other aspects of
the culture.
a) developed
b) imagined
c) created
d) embedded
Answer: d

Art in small-scale societies is embedded
to a greater degree in other aspects of the
culture.
4. Quite apart from whatever benefits art
may have for the total society, it is
generally agreed that art is a source of
________ for both the artist and the
viewer.
a) conversation
b) pride
c) personal gratification
d) embarrassment
Answer: c

Quite apart from whatever benefits art
may have for the total society, it is
generally agreed that art is a source of
personal gratification for both the artist
and the viewer.
5. Because the human body is capable of a
wide variety of movements, which body
parts are active and which postures are
assumed differ from one ________
tradition to another.
a) rhythm
b) dance
c) music
d) body art
Answer: b
5. Because the human body is capable of a
wide variety of movements, which body
parts are active and which postures are
assumed differ from one dance tradition
to another.