ANTHROPOLOGY OF ART SUMMARY
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Anthropology of Art Summary.
Artwork presents a chain of distribution consisting of the artisan to a middleman and the consumer. The artisans are mostly from the village whose products are made available to the middlemen. In artwork, the supply and demand system is not applicable, nor does it control the art market (Morphy, 2005). This is because the artisans cannot create a market for the objects they have in stock. Neither can they create a stock of objects needed to satisfy their target market.
In artwork, the supply depends on the availability of skills, production potential of contemporary artists, and the availability of products from the village artisans. With the African traders, art objects are made for two purposes, mainly rituals and trade purposes. Due to middlemen’s interactions with consumers from different parts, including Europe, they understand and know the western taste (Morphy, 2005). This lead to the manipulation of the objects to fit the western preference and meet the perceived demand.
Artisans are also strategic in the presentation of their objects. This is influenced by the context in which the object is placed and the conditions surrounding its discovery. Apart from the presentation, the mentioned factors also determine the object’s value, quality, and authenticity. All these factors are considered while making the presentation, which is critical in increasing sales of the objects. In one of the examples provided, the author insists on presenting art that will attract sales. A dresser was made earlier to meet a white man’s need, and though new, the artisan had to manipulate the dresser in strategic means to ensure that it appears like an old authentic dresser.
During the sales of the art objects, the description is also vital. In the African context, description revolves around the traditional meaning of the object and the function of the piece. Different people describe differently but with the same intention of selling the object. Their description ensures that it fits the retailer’s idea and that instruction of how the receiver should interpret the content (Morphy, 2005). With Africans, the description used is usually done through informal verbal communication. The westerners are more specific with their information, which entails when it was collected, how it was acquired, and where it originates from. On the other hand, traders use general information of the objects, including the cultural meaning and use, while describing the objects to foreign tourists.
Interestingly, art objects do not have a specific monetary worth, but the worth is determined after traders have tossed its worth by bargaining with several clients. However, some of the clients may opt to get their products from the village artisans. With direct contact, the value and the authenticity of the piece of art are elevated (Morphy, 2005). Consumers seeking authentic and culturally valuable products will always consider having their objects from the village artisans.
However, the middlemen and traders alter or adjust some of the art pieces to fit the consumers’ desires. Removal of some parts, restoration of fractures, and erosion of artificial transformations of surface materials are crucial in ensuring that sales are made. Alteration is solely done to dismiss any claim that would suggest the object had been discovered earlier, which might have led to its purity and authenticity compromised by western contacts. The removal of certain parts or adjustments on the art piece is only meant to create the idea of authentic pieces of art from the village sources. All this is influenced by the market’s desire to receive authentic and pure pieces of art.
One thing that stands out in art is the exchange of culture and its importance. This is because despite the cultural differences in Africa and other continents of the world culture has significantly influenced the designs of the art pieces. The presentation and the description of the objects revolve around the cultural significance and cultural practices that influence the formation of the objects (Morphy, 2005). Additionally, the trading of arts has allowed the exchange of different cultures to the European world. The African culture has expansively spread to the European nations, making them understand the value and the importance of African culture. They show appreciation of it and seek the meaning of the devices while searching for authentic and pure arts from the main sources, the villages.
Nonetheless, while culture has influenced the world of art, some artisans have had to adjust and alter some of the images or designs to satisfy the demand of their target market instead of creating demand. To some extent, the culture is distorted or limiting, forcing people to initiate other ways to sustain their clients and meet their needs. Upon selling the arts, the consumer and the trader get different impressions from one item. The consumer walks away with a piece of art that he considers valuable, authentic, and pure from a remote culture. In contrast, the trader walks away with the western taste and desires that will be incorporated into his knowledge store of how tourists perceive Africa and African art.
References
Morphy, Howard. 2005 “Seeing indigenous Australian Art.” In Anthropologies of Art, edited by Mariet Westerman. William, MA: Yale University Press. And Wollemi/PERAHU Rock Art Documentary Series https:www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ5qVccmo0s