I chose these videos because I wanted a wide range of cultures to learn from. I picked one from each culture.
African art is full of animal related works. There are dry regions that the works have remained to see the animals depicted for either a prize of capture, or a release of the spirit when one was killed.
Great Zimbabwe has a wall enclosure that represented the rulers that ran the land. The architectural styles are powerful in features.
The Europeans saw the African art as childlike and primitive. They failed to understand the difference of the two main styles of art. Perceptual and conceptual were the two main styles of the Africans and Europeans. The perceptual art of the Europeans was art designed to represent actual images like making people look realistic whereas the conceptual art of the Africans was made to represent a symbolic or spiritual event.
Hinduism is a difficult culture to understand. Everything in Hinduism is symbolic. Art is magical and is carved in stone in India. A sculptured elephant is at the base of a story of the Hindu gods. In comparison to the European style, the perceptual, the images seem lifelike. The whole architectural design is carved out of stone and not wood.
Buddhism flourishes in every Asian country than the one it was born, India. This is where Buddhism was born. Buddhism enriched Hinduism. The art is dedicated to modern styles of the time.
Chinese art is very detailed in its fine design. The viewing windows created on a tea pot show a distance beyond the immediate viewing area.
I have a better understanding at the meaning of art from watching these videos. The self concentration and attention to detail to get the meaning across in the art is amazing. The many different styles and textured pieces to use are quite more than I ever imagined.
Thank you
