User:Wood-m98/Anthropology of art

Anthropology of art is a sub-field in social anthropology dedicated to the study of art in different cultural contexts. The anthropology of art focuses on historical, economic and aesthetic dimensions in non-Western art forms, including what is known as 'tribal art'. ''Franz Boas is viewed as a pioneer in this sub-field with his publication of "Primitive Art" in 1927. There has now been further contemporary analysis of both older anthropological approaches as well as modern approaches, especially non-visual art such as music and cuisine, as well as the influence of technology of art.''

Contemporary Analysis of the Anthropology of Art
During an exhibition featuring primitive art showcased in the Musee du Louvre in Paris in 2000, there was a push to legitimize non-Western art to a more contemporary audience while at the same time trying to comprehend why these art forms were not always seen as legitimate in the past. In recent years, there has been a push towards analyzing the art of anthropology through a lens of decolonization. Anthropologists have also been pushed to separate themselves away from classist ideals of art, such as concepts of low vs high art, as they are now seen by many anthropologists to hold same value in regards to analysis and research. Similarly, there has been a push towards a new branch of the anthropology of art, which researcher Elizabeth Tunstall describes as "design anthropology", as a way of looking at both business and architecture through an anthropological lens to extract information of its aesthetic values. There has been further discussion around what constitutes art and how to separate ourselves from ethnocentric ideas of art and how digitization will influence the anthropology of art in the years to come.

Art is defined by Howard Morphy and Morgan Perkins as a distinct human activity that showcases creativity and the capacity of others to respond to it as art. In that regard, this also allows art to be analyzed past a strictly visual sense as it was in the anthropological past. Though ethnomusicology has been in the anthropological discourse since the early 1960's, there has now been value seen in how people listen to music as a form of anthropological art analysis. Bruno Deschênes first took a multidisciplinary approach when discussing the influence of technology as a way of sharing music in a communal exchange of artistic culture.

Though technology is now a factor in how art is accessed and perceived, there is now the ability for non-academic audiences to access ancient and contemporary art, both of which continue to be discussed in anthropological circles. In 2007, the Connecting Art and Anthropology workshop was held over a three day long period that featured anthropologists, artists, and curators alike. Its goal was to shift engagement with art and be able to value artistic merit while also seeing cultural influences, having them not eclipse the other.

History [Edited]
Franz Boas, one of the pioneers of modern anthropology, conducted many field studies of the arts, helping create a foundation to the field. His book, Primitive Art (1927), summarizes his main insights into so-called 'primitive' art forms, with a detailed case study on the arts of the Northwest Pacific Coast. Part of his analysis of art through anthropology was his use of exhibits featuring Indigenous Pacific Northwest human culture, therefore presenting culture as a form of art which he did through presenting clothing and textiles, which many contemporary discussions surrounding art would consider a form of art in its own.

The Problem of Art [continued]
Art economy has also shifted since the original conception of anthropology of art, with capitalism holding influence in the way art is perceived and presented. When historically it was non-Western, or "primitive" art being analyzed, it is harder to access cultural art when there are less ways of accessing non-Western art without funding or connections.

Another problem facing the way art is analyzed is the concept of The Death of the Author that describes how the initial point in art is lost when it is analyzed by mass audiences or academic discussions.