Exam 17: Art and Media

The author states that immigrants he had never met recognized him on the streets of New York. Why was this possible?

What is one result of the attention focused on Morrinho?

What is one of the things that helps make the film Leviathan a unique experience?

Côte d'Ivoire's art traders actively engage in the construction of:

What unique evidence of artistic endeavor did archaeologists discover in South Africa's Blombos Cave?

The late-night rara processions described in the text, along with the ensuing response of a member of the military, reveal what important aspect of this art form in Haiti?

Art in Western traditions is often associated with notions of what kind of culture?

The author discusses the importance of art found in caves inhabited by humans in the Paleolithic era for understanding the lifestyles of early humans. Summarize the important finds in Africa and Europe to explain how archaeological excavations of the painters' studio found in the cave have shone new light on our knowledge and understanding of the technologies developed by early humans, including when humans created art. Use two additional examples from southern Europe to discuss ways that evidence from the Paleolithic era has expanded our understanding of the social life and religious beliefs of "cavemen" and the way that human cultures have developed, including when we see evidence of widespread production of art.

Pick an example of American art (either pop or fine art) or media and subject it to an anthropological analysis. In what context does it occur? Who is the intended audience? How does it intersect with race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, politics, or economics? Consider what specific questions you would want to answer if you were to conduct an ethnographic study of this art or media form. How would you structure your research?

Cooking and building, fashion and oratory, decorating and dressing, and sewing and play are all ________ through which artists and audiences communicate.

What did anthropologist Faye Ginsberg mean by her use of the phrase "media worlds"?

From an anthropological perspective, who is eligible to create and experience art?

According to the author, what is a critical form of media that allows Chinese immigrants and those at home to remain in contact with each other?

How does the author refer to the aesthetic experience?

What does Kyra Gaunt's research into kinetic orality in U.S. playgrounds demonstrate?

Cross-cultural research leads anthropologists to argue that appreciation of art is acquired through what social vector?

Different cultures have different visions of the meaning and value of art. Provide the author's definition of "art," and use this as a starting point for explaining why Western art became the standard for galleries and museums. Distinguish between Western and so-called primitive art, and explain the role anthropologists played in raising awareness of the latter. Highlight both the positive contributions attributed to and criticisms of anthropologists relative to notions of "ethnocentrism" and the "universal gaze." Provide two examples to discuss how and why "primitive" or "ethnic" art has become a collector's item.

According to the archaeological record, how old is evidence of human artistic expression?

What are the key aspects of any art market that ethnographers strive to understand?

As discussed in this text, globalization has meant greater economic overlap and communications between different nations. Anthropological studies of art traced the production and sale of art created in once-remote locations to galleries and shops on the other side of the world. When did so-called ethnic art become more popular? Using two specific examples discussed for Africa, explain how art produced in one part of the world is distributed and consumed in the United States or Europe. Identify the two primary types of buyers and discuss three categories of individuals most directly involved in selling the works of art abroad.