In this course we are examining indigenous art-making practices from across the Western hemisphere and subsequently the ways in which objects have been represented through various modes of appropriation. This research paper asks you to investigate a historical art form and its contemporary appropriation. It has two parts:1. Locate a historical Native American art form that interests you. This should be a traditional art form (made by and for tribal use) produced prior to 1960. Examples include but are not limited to: sculpture, textiles, architecture, dress, weapons, rock art, performance2. Locate a contemporary place/space in which this art tradition is represented or reproduced. This reproduction could be due to a renewed cultural interest, tourism, advertising, etc. Examples include but are not limited to:Art by academically trained or self-taught First Nation artistsPopular culture (food ads, sports mascot accoutrements, tourist merchandise, cinema, mass/electronic media)Cultural/religious/political events or items (ex. Pow Wows, political rallies, street fairs, New Age paraphernalia, children’s book illustrations)Your essay should address the following:1. a brief formal analysis of the historic art object under investigation including a description of the object, its materials, and how it was made.2. An in-depth analysis of the object’s cultural context. Why was the object made? How was the object used? What does this object tell us about the culture that produced it (consider cosmology, social structure, gender relations, politics, history)? This portion of your paper will require library research.3. An examination of the way this historic tradition has been appropriated in its new, modern setting. Consider the following: how has the image changed from the original? Who makes it? How is the image used? Who is the intended audience? Does it present a positive or negative portrayal of the original object and culture?4. A discussion of your findings. Consider: What are the connections between the historic image and its modern counterpart? Do they play similar roles in their respective societies? Who owns the image?
Welcome to Legit Writing
