The Artifact: The Role Of An Artist In Our Society

One pleasant afternoon, my classmates and I decided to visit the Houston Museum of Fine Arts to begin on our museum assignment in world literature class. According to Houston Museum of Fine Art’s staff, MFAH considers as one of the largest museums in the nation and it contains many variety forms of art with more than several thousand years of unique history. Also, I have never been in a museum in a very long time especially as big as MFAH, and my experience about the museum was unique and pleasant. Although I have observed many great types and forms of art in the museum, there were few that interested me the most.

An artifact is a man-made object used by humans. Humans would create things like pottery, arrowheads, coins, tools, toys, and jewlery. Artifacts help archaeologists uncover the past, by giving them an idea of what our ancestors used and created back then.

2. Using the evidence left from early human burial grounds and stone tools, anthropologists were able to infer that early human societies were egalitarian, hunter-gatherers, nomadic, easily adaptable, and developed sophisticated technologies.

I believe that as a society we indeed do have a social responsibility to support, promote, provide access and education to the history and or practice and appreciation of the arts in our community. Social responsibility, to me, is an arrangement of conduct designs that depicts how my activities will profit the general public. It could be a little demonstration of giving assets (capital and materials - garments, books, sustenance, and so forth.) or currently endeavoring to achieve change. By and large, people have a tendency to be either dynamic or uninvolved with regards to social responsibility. It is possible that they abstain from enjoying exercises they esteem will hurt the general public (detached) or they effectively take an interest in some action.

Form of "afterlife insurance" in order to trick the soul into staying alive in the event of the body's destruction

In Grandview Boulevard, completed in 1974 CE, the artist utilizes painterly brushstrokes. The shadows of the trees that are painted dark purple appear to have more painterly aspects than the rest of the composition. From far away, the painting seems smooth and sleek, but up close, the individual thick brushstrokes can be seen. The implied texture of the leaves in the painting is sturdy and prickly, and the texture of the yellowed grass appears to be dry and coarse, however, the actual texture of the painting itself is smooth. The artist also uses both curvilinear and geometric lines. In looking at the trees in the painting, they are composed of primarily geometric lines (excluding the leafy top) that run in a

We can find out about prehistoric lives from a variety of sources. Archaeologists and physical anthropologists can research prehistory and unearth more information by sorting through and observing artifacts, a handmade object whether completely intact or not that represents the cultural aspects of a different time period. Examples of artifacts include stone tools (daggers, projectile points, spears, harpoons, arrowheads) for hunting and gathering food, pottery (for storing food), weapons, objects for personal use such as jewelry, clothing, and buttons, and tools used for daily life (cooking/preparing food, making clothes, bathing) such as woven baskets, stone hearths, grindstones, sewing needles, etc. All of the artifacts found are useful because

Since the beginning of art, typical mediums have consisted of oil paints, marble, pastels, and charcoals. As time has progressed, and aesthetics have changed, so has the extensive list of mediums found in art. One medium in particular, known as the use of “found objects” has become increasingly more popular since the days of the Renaissance. Found object art can be as straightforward as Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain,” which is a urinal fountain that is simply orientated sideways and signed; this, bordering the line between art and an object from everyday life, brings forth many questions and lots of public controversy. Art has always caused this same controversy, but one main argument frequently surrounding found objects is the extent unto which the piece must be abstracted or reincorporated in order to be considered “art.”

Archaeology is the scientific study of humans from the origin through the present. It encompasses the investigating, analyzing, and interpreting of culture, behavior and the material remains of previous human societies. Material remains, or artifacts, might include structures, garbage-heaps, tools, metals, ceramics, or food. Archaeology is an important field of anthropology, which is the study of human culture. Archaeologists concentrate on past societies and cultures and study their changes in those societies over extremely long periods of time.

Since the beginning of time, there has been a great amount of progress throughout the world. From cultural adaptations, the creation of social classes, technological advancements, the spread of languages, and so on. We know about all of these progressions simply because of anthropology. By studying humans, of the past and the present, anthropologists have learned how humans have evolved throughout time, how they have adapted to their world, their own personal ways of living, as well as how they communicated with one another. One of the ways anthropologists are capable of learning such things, is through the study of archaeology. By digging up past civilizations, archaeology allows anthropologists to put all the missing pieces together and to

Art is a catalyst of change. It can confront both social and political issues as well as providing people with a creative outlet in which they can express their innermost thoughts and feelings - but what effect can art have on our society as a whole? Artists today have the unique ability to connect with people in a creative, innovative way that they can understand and interpret themselves. With this ability, artists are able to express their own views as well as influencing the views of others. Art is an immense part of our world – so much so that we barely even consider its impact upon us – but just how significant is the work of artists in our modern day society?

Pillar 1 Subject Matter: In artwork there is usually one main theme or subject matter to the piece. This focus allows the audience to understand or get a sense of what the artist is trying to get across. The subject matter of artwork is what tells the story when looking at a piece, it is usually takes up the majority of the canvas. Although it may be hard to identify for some people it is what the artist chooses to be the one main focus of the piece. In the Islam faith their first pillar, Shahadah, is the profession of their faith in one God known as Allah. Like in Islam, art in a creative way professes one purpose, one story, one subject.

In my opinion, artists are simply creators. Artists create things that are reflections of their psyche, society at-large, or anything that comes to mind. Given that the inspiration for an artist’s work can be so varied and diverse, I think it’s hard to say that artists have a social responsibility given that some artists’ work don’t necessarily convey or reflect the feelings or ideals of the greater bulk of society. Artistic expression is important and as soon as society begins to police or restrict the ability of an artist to express his or herself, I think we’re moving into dangerous territory as a culture.

For my visual and cultural arts essay I visited the James E Lewis museum at Morgan State University. For my essay I have selected key pieces of art that I believe express the African experience in terms of their social, ethnographical and theological beliefs. This paper will also attempt to draw a comparison to key themes features in the African Creation myths, which will further elucidate the meanings hidden in these various works of art. It is my belief that this paper will not only serve as a guide into the philosophical ideas of the African peoples but will help to juxtapose these ideas with the often false premise purported by certain groups of society, which would like to view Africans as primitive and uncultured.

The history of art dates back to ancient times. Artwork can be, and was, found around the world. What makes art interesting is that it can be created in any way, shape or form with any materials. It seems that the artwork can also tell us a lot about the artist. Art seems to be simply, a direct, visual reflection of the artist’s life. Therefore, one can assume that an artist’s life experiences and beliefs directly influence their art. If we look at examples from different periods of art we will be able to see the connection between the artist and the art.