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Anthropology, art and cultural production / Maruška Svašek

Catalog Data

Author:
Svasek, Maruska  Search this
Physical description:
vii, 264 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
Type:
Books
Date:
2007
Notes:
SMIAA
AFA copy 39088019022060 is a gift from Janet Stanley.
Contents:
pt. 1. Theorising art -- 1. Introduction -- 2. From evolutionism to ethnoaesthetics -- 3. From visual communication to object agency -- pt. 2. Objects, transit and transition -- 4. Performances : the power of art/efacts -- 5. Markets : art/efacts on the move -- 6. Museums : space, materiality and the politics of display -- 7. 'Fine art' : creating and contesting boundaries -- 8. Processual relativism : fante flags in Northern Ireland -- 9. Conclusion
Summary:
This book provides an introduction to anthropological perspectives on art. Svasek defines art as a social process, where we study not only the artifacts themselves and the values attributed to them, but also the process of production and the wider context in which this process takes place. Svasek provides a critical overview of various anthropological theories of art. She examines the process of collecting and exhibiting art works and how this relates to art's production, distribution, and consumption in an increasingly global market. The book also explores the significance of art and aesthetics in everyday life, examing the shifting boundaries between art and other categories such as kitsch, souvenirs, propaganda, and pornography. Finally, Svasek argues for an anthropological perspective that gives a proper political context to "art," linking the production and consumption of artifacts to political, religious, and other cultural processes.
Topic:
Art and anthropology  Search this
Material culture  Search this
Art and society  Search this
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_1114298