Assignment 2: Exploring the Art of Indigenous Cultures: Part 2

All of the indigenous cultures that we have explored this week were at one time “discovered” by European explorers who often collected traditional art objects to take back with them to Europe as “curiosities.”  These objets d’art inspired collectors and artists alike and opened the Western world up to new ideas, new cultures, and new art forms.

This is part 2 of a two-part assignment and spans Week 3 and 4.  Imagine that you are one of these intrepid European explorers who has set out to discover and collect the traditional art forms created by the five cultures we have learned about this week.

• The Americas: North, Central, and South
• The Pacific Rim
• Sub-Saharan Africa

As you travel and collect two works created by the indigenous cultures from each of these regions.  You will collect:

• 2 traditional works of art representing 2 different cultures indigenous to North America
• 2 traditional works of art representing 2 different cultures indigenous to Central America
• 2 traditional works of art representing 2 different cultures indigenous to South America
• 2 traditional works of art representing 2 different cultures indigenous to the Pacific
• 2 traditional works of art representing 2 different cultures indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa

As you “travel” and collect two works from your five cultures, you need to document some important field notes that will help you to explain what these treasures are upon your return home.  These field notes need to include for each object:

1. Name of the culture that produced the object
2. Title or name of the object
3. Date of the object
4. Medium/materials used to create the object
5. Current location

Assignment Instructions

1. Using the textbook and Internet sources, locate 2 traditional works of art from each of your 5 cultures/areas. Label the following in a document:
   1. Name of the artist (if known—otherwise, attribute the culture)
   2. Title of the work
   3. Date of the work
   4. Medium/materials used to create the work
   5. Current location
2. Capture the image of each example and place it in the document. Once you have done this, examine each object carefully.
3. Use your textbook to find out as much as you can about cultural context for each object. Go online and find some reference sources to provide you with more information.
4. Use the document to help you to organize your thoughts and research for each object. Thoroughly explain and analyze:
   1. What each object is.
   2. Why is it culturally important.
   3. How you think your European friends back home will react to each object, and why.
   4. Offer a citation of your sources for each image and the information provided as appropriate.

Submit your effort by Tuesday, April 25, 2017, to the W4: Assignment 2 Dropbox. Name your document as follows: LastnameFirstInitial_W4_A2.doc.