Art Crafts Research Articles

No man is an island: globalisation and resilience in the Fez zillīj tradition

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the ‘island’ construct by focusing on one case study of cultural production: zillīj tile work in Morocco. This artisanal craft form is a hallmark of Moroccan identity, yet also remains fervently appropriated by the outside world. The goal here is to flush out the complex and often competing forces in such a dynamic. Through interviews with craftsmen and a critical assessment of issues related to expertise and production, we learn that in Morocco this art form is situated in ever-widening zones of influence and investment, from a nucleus of daily production-related practices, to the professional tensions in local and regional politics, to the global presentation of zillīj as Islamic cultural heritage. It is not until we test the assumptions and realities of the relationship between craft and religion, however, that we begin to differentiate the globalised rhetoric from a strong core of local resilience.

Artisanal Craft and Expert Knowledge in Africa: The Neglected Role of Specialised and Individualised Knowledge Practices

Artisanal Craft and Expert Knowledge in Africa: The Neglected Role of Specialised and Individualised Knowledge Practices

Manos del Uruguay: Exploring the Inherent Tensions between Localism and the Global Craft Economy

This paper is a discussion of the tensions between localism and globalism and their subsequent effects on the artisanal craft industry within the prevailing dynamics of the hegemonic capitalist market place. Global demand for artisanal craft has enabled a spatial relationship between producer and consumer, creating a sense of place that transcends traditional localities. Drawing from the Sumak Kawsay cosmology, this study suggests alternative, non-market-based solutions in achieving a “rooted sense of place” that encourages economic and environmental sustainability for textile cooperatives in Latin America. Through extensive participatory observation and interviews, this study presents an in-depth case study of the Uruguayan textiles cooperative Manos del Uruguay in order to understand how the lives of artisans are affected by the global commodification of local crafts. While navigating the global market and establishing a human connection between the artisans and consumers, Manos del Uruguay has succeeded in remaining adaptive and crafting a global sense of place. However, there is a fundamental need to reconnect artisans to their means of production and lessen the dependence on Western consumers and market forces to ensure ethical distribution and management of natural resources.

Chemical composition of the essential oils of Centaurea tomentella Hand.-Mazz. and C. haussknechtii Boiss. (Asteraceae) collected wild in Turkey and their activity on microorganisms affecting historical art craft

In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oils from aerial parts of Centaurea tomentella Hand.-Mazz. and C. haussknechtii Boiss. collected in Turkey was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. The main components of C. tomentella L. were hexadecanoic acid (19.7%), caryophyllene oxide (6.6%) and spathulenol (4.8%) whereas C. haussknechtii was rich in hexadecanoic acid (26.2%), (Z,Z)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid (19.3%), heptacosane (5.3%) and nonacosane (5.1%). Antibacterial and antifungal activities against some microorganisms infesting historical art craft, were also determined.

Narratives of vicarious experience in oral history interviews with craft artists

This paper analyzes two case narratives of vicarious experience (NoVE) from oral history interviews with a designer and an art and antique dealer in the Smithsonian Archive of American Art. I explore the relational work the case narratives accomplish, including how they are used to engage an audience and to contribute towards self-identity. Furthermore, the NoVE are shown to expand the experiential dimension of what can be ‘known’ about people and events. I propose the concept of a web of shared experience alongside Linde's (2009) “institutional memory” to capture this enhanced experientiality.

Percepción y planificación del turismo sostenible en comunidades indígenas de México

La investigación destaca la necesidad de salvaguardar las riquezas culturales de los pueblos indígenas, más aún cuando en sus comunidades se promueven y llevan a cabo actividades turísticas que ponen en riesgo su identidad como culturas autóctonas preservadoras de sus tradiciones y lengua de origen. Tal es el caso de las comunidades Mayas Chontales en el municipio de Nacajuca, Tabasco, México. Donde se preservan costumbres ancestrales como la lengua chontal y la elaboración de artesanías. El trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar el grado de participación activa de los pobladores en cuatro comunidades pertenecientes al corredor Bijí Yokot’an, donde la población Maya Chontal funge como parte de la oferta turística. El diseño metodológico es con enfoque mixto. La recolección de información incluyó: observación directa, entrevistas exploratorias y encuestas con sondeos de opinión. Para el cálculo de la muestra se realizó un muestreo aleatorio en cada comunidad utilizando la estimación de una proporción, y con base en los resultados del muestreo se aplicaron 304 cuestionarios en las comunidades objeto de estudio. Los resultados obtenidos indican que en dichas comunidades no se promueve la práctica del turismo sostenible. Incluso, hay artesanos quienes permanecen como espectadores del producto turístico desarrollado en sus comunidades. Por tanto, el trabajo demuestra la ausencia de una oferta turística planificada, así como la falta de toma de conciencia y participación en la mayoría de los habitantes en la zona.

PROBLEMS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLE'S ARTISTIC CRAFTWORK IN CONNECTION WITH CHANGES IN THE MARKET ENVIRONMENT

Abstract. Aim. The aim is to study the rich traditions that have developed in the art crafts of Dagestan in the formation of the product range in modern conditions. Materials and methods . At the first stage of the study, according to the register and publicly available materials, the constantly changing market of products of folk art crafts was studied as well as its growing influence on the artistic quality of products manufactured by the enterprises of folk arts and crafts. Discussion . To identify the causes that gave rise to this phenomenon, we need to turn to the state of folk art in the late 50's - early 60’s of the twentieth century, when almost all the traditional enterprises of the art crafts of the Russian SFSR experienced an acute industrial crisis, which collapsed the unique centers of folk art. As a result of a sharp decline in demand for products of folk handicrafts, the volume of production of enterprises has decreased significantly; skilled hereditary masters with rich experience of making highly artistic works of folk art began to leave the fields. Conclusion. During the research, were revealed the main problems of sustainable development of folk arts and crafts in modern conditions in connection with the changing market conditions.

Wacana “Ajeg Bali” Pada Seni Kerajinan Sarana Upacara Di Gianyar Bali

Wacana “Ajeg Bali” Pada Seni Kerajinan Sarana Upacara Di Gianyar Bali

“I Choose to be Here”: Tensions between Autonomy and Precarity in Craft Market Vendors’ Work

Outdoor markets have emerged as key nodes in cities’ attempts to revitalize downtown areas through culture and consumption. However, few studies have investigated urban markets as sites of labor, or explored work conditions from the perspective of vendors themselves. As self–employed creative workers in a seasonal industry, artisan vendors experience various forms of economic insecurity related to precarity inherent to their line of work. This article investigates the experiences of artisan craft vendors in Ottawa's popular ByWard Market. Through interviews with vendors, we explore themes such as artisan identity, relationships in the market, and economic and labor conditions. We argue that although precarity seems to be inherent in the vendors’ work conditions, it does not undermine their identities as artisans, in part because of the strong value attached to autonomous, creative work. This attachment may, however, hinder artisan vendors’ abilities to organize for structural changes that would mitigate their economic precarity.

The Formation of Landscapes in the Sakhalin and Kuril Islands

Sakhalin is one of the most remote areas from the art centers of Russia such as Moscow and St. Petersburg. As such, it has not been an object of close study in regard to the history of art and landscape painting. Except for the northern part of Sakhalin Island, this region was ruled by Japan until the end of World War II, and thus the art history of Sakhalin in a Russian context began only around that time. At first, Sakhalin was represented with a romantic and exotic vision by new settler artists who arrived from different parts of the USSR. As time passed, the artists, some of whom had been born in Sakhalin, tended to face the reality of the region, keeping step with the stylistic changes in Soviet realist paintings, and they produced works with numerous local motifs, such as the ocean, frozen sea, coastlines, islands, volcanoes, fish, seagulls, and sea lions, as well as art featuring the lives of northern indigenous people. At the same time, the crucial role played by the “Shikotan Group” should be stressed if we consider the importance of its activities in the development of typical landscapes of the Kuril Islands. In this paper the focus will be on the analysis of the works by local artists who have been active since the demise of the Soviet Union. Natalia Kiryukhina, a leading artist of Sakhalin, does not conceal her attachment to her homeland, epitomizing its landscapes and sometimes resorting to Russian folklore and artistic crafts. Sergey Vasenkin adores and assiduously learns from Ivan Aivazovsky and seems to transform the individual scenery of Sakhalin into one of ideal, collective Russian landscapes. Looking closely at the works of these artists and others, we can argue that, through the process of representing a place such as Sakhalin, which was the land of indigenous people where the settlers were displaced one by the other, the landscape of the place transfigures itself according to the gaze of viewers and aspires to be an integral part of a broader national structure while retaining its local features.

Образы скифского искусства в современных художественных промыслах Республики Алтай

Образы скифского искусства в современных художественных промыслах Республики Алтай

The Effectiveness of Experience and Nature-Based Learning Activities in Enhancing Students' Environmental Attitude

This study investigated the effectiveness of experience and nature-based learning activities in enhancing college students’ environmental attitude. It employed pre-test-post-test experimental research design. The participants were the class of fifty-three college students of a higher education institution in Region 2, Philippines. Seven learning activities were employed by the researcher namely pamphlets making, environmental-themed movie poster making, collage making, miniature plant exhibit, vegetable gardening, community clean-up service, recycled art crafts making, and tree planting drive. In like manner, the pre-attitude score and post-attitude scores in the standardize environmental attitude inventory test were compared and the significant differences were determined using paired sample t-test. Results of the study revealed that the different experience-based learning activities were generally rated interesting. Moreover, it was also revealed that the different learning activities significantly increased the environmental attitude of the students towards nature enjoyment, support for interventions and conservation policies environmental movement activism, conservation motivated by anthropocentric concern, confidence in science and technology, environmental threat, altering nature, personal conservation behavior, human dominance over nature, human utilization of nature, and ecocentric concern. This implies that allowing students to be exposed to the different environmental learning activities where direct learning experience is involved significantly increased students' environmental construct.

К ПРОБЛЕМЕ СОВРЕМЕННОГО БЫТОВАНИЯ ТРАДИЦИОННОГО ИСКУССТВА

Works of folk art crafts from a certain time change the territory of existence, turning from objects with an emphasized utilitarian function to souvenirs. That contradicts their material essence and role in the context of the national spiritual culture. Traditional products, originally endowed with a bright and imaginative decorative, deep substantial meanings, have nothing to do with external embellishment are perceived as souvenirs, at the same time, the decorative function of these things can’t be reduced to their souvenir use. It is necessary to recognize the production of these things as a special form of industry, proceeding from the fact that the decorative richness of folk art has nothing to do with embellishment. In the USSR, measures have been developed and taken to preserve this material and spiritual activity, which has its own specific features and in the current conditions of development that need special protection. Important decisions were proposed in the USSR aimed at the development of traditional art: the preservation of handicrafts and artels, the institutionalization of traditional art within the Union of Artists of the USSR, special measures to support scientific creativity and a comprehensive study of folk art by specialized organizations. The collapse of the Soviet system of folk arts and crafts, production, loss of continuity in the development of traditional art leads to a steady drop in the artistic quality of products and the erosion of professional criteria in the approach to this unique field of creativity. in the field of folk crafts and disruptions in the continuity of both artistic and scientific schools, led to a drop in the average level of products and the erosion of the professional criteria for commercial production. The article gives an analysis of the processes taking place in the last decades in this field, and expresses the need to return to professional methods of running the industry, cultivating specialists who understand the role of preserving traditional culture, which, in turn, is impossible without fixing it in the legislative framework. Proceeding from a detailed study of Soviet experience, it is possible to give a number of recommendations on the qualitative development of folk crafts. They are the legislative protection of fisheries and the prevention of counterfeit, the holding of festivals and seminars for the exchange of experience, the art expertise of the workshops and the wider involvement of artists in craftwork, implying the critical acceptance of their stylistic searches as a necessary part of the development of folk crafts.

Cluster approach in professional education in the field of traditional artistic crafts

Cluster approach in professional education in the field of traditional artistic crafts

Amate Paper Culture in San Pablito, Pahuatlán, Puebla, Mexico

Amate paper is the results of artisan family labor in San Pablito, in the Otomi indigenous community, Pahuatlán, Mexico. It is a product of pre-Columbian origin, and its production continues today through the transmission of their culture in local families. Its manufacture requires bark fibers from jonote trees. The promotion of tourism transformed artisanal crafts into merchandise and increased demand. As well, it promoted problems with environmental contamination and a high dependence on business intermediaries. In analyzing such production, indicators of sustainability were considered to be social, economic, and environmental. Results show that the primary income generating activity in the community is making amate paper, which preserves continuity in the transmission of ancestral artisanal knowledge. Yet, sustainability of production is low due to excessive use of natural resources, the use of chemicals in the production process, and poor community organization.

Ravi Palat. The Making of an Indian Ocean World-Economy, 1250–1650: Princes, Paddy Fields, and Bazaars.

This study appears to have some provenance in the author’s dissertation of a similar title, which covered 1350 to 1650. The bibliography and notes of the book under review, The Making of an Indian Ocean World-Economy, 1250–1650, indicate attention to relevant literature since the date of the dissertation. Ravi Palat’s central argument is that Asia provides an alternate background to an alternate modernity, embracing an “industrious” revolution, built on large populations, rather than an “industrial” one. A premise the author relies on is that capitalism only triumphs when capitalists penetrate the state, and this process happened only in Europe (7, 26). A key component of the author’s argument, presented in the first of his four chapters, regards wet rice cultivation, notably that in southern India, but also that in parts of East and Southeast Asia. Rice production was labor intensive in societies that had large populations, and therefore work-saving technologies were not an important concern as they were in the more lightly populated areas of Europe at that time. Rice has a much higher seed-to-yield ratio (many grains of rice per plant) than do the staples of rye, barley, and wheat in Europe. Palat argues, too, that wet rice cultivation was more of an artisanal craft than were most agricultural pursuits, because it required expertise and skill—rather than capital formation—in dealing with small plots of land, transplantation of seedlings, water and drainage, as well as selective breeding of rice varieties, including those that could survive several days submerged under flood waters. I would find it helpful to have a clearer explanation in this chapter of what it entails for societies to be “based” on wet-rice cultivation (33, 222).

EKSISTENSI SENI KERAJINAN DI MUSEUM BALAPUTRA DEWA NEGERI SUMATERA SELATAN

The art of craft in Balaputra Dewa Museum of South Sumatra is basically a reflection of the cultural values of past societies, where it contains historical, social and aesthetic values. Each of the handicraft products in the museum of Bala Putra Dewa has its own uniqueness, both in terms of engineering workmanship, materials used, and its function in the life of the community supporters. The objectives of the research are: (1) to know and understand the form and function of art of work that exist in Balaputra Dewa Museum, (2) as a medium for study and appreciation in the context of art of craft (art of craft) and culture, (3) insight and art course subject matter and design, (4) as an effort to be developed to the stage of further research. The method used is observation made through direct observation of art craft products that exist in the museum Balaputradewa Palembang. The observations made on art craft products are the types of crafts, shapes, functions and materials used. Outline of the results of this study is the function of craft art products, engineering workmanship, materials used, concepts and values contained therein.Keywords: Art Craft, Presence, Museum Balaputra Dewa Negeri Sumatera Selatan Â

Aesthetics and functions of craft art in public art space

<p>The problem in this research is about how to assess the aesthetics and functions of craft art in Indonesian city public space compare to other cities in other countries. It is also about how these craft arts can be used to improve the aesthetics and strength a city’s identity. Approaches used in this research are aesthetic theory and sociology of art. Aesthetic theory is used to assess the craft art textually or intra aesthetics. Sociology of art theory is used to see how craft art role can fulfil its function as a medium for craftsperson to participate in creating an art work that is useful to the society, so the existence of craft art in public space can give positive impacts towards the urban society. Results of this research is a positive impact of the craft art existence in some Indonesian public places where craft art becomes a city icon or identity with a special symbol attached to it; as a sign of historical or contemporary works. It also creates the aesthetics of a city design to be more humanist and healthy for all citizens.</p>

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of Mentha pulegium Growing Wild in Sicily and its Activity on Microorganisms Affecting Historical Art Crafts

The chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Mentha pulegium L. (Linné) collected in Sicily was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. The main components were pulegone (50.6%), piperitenone (27.8%) and menthone (6.9%). Comparison of this oil with other studied oils of different populations is discussed. The oil showed good antibacterial and antifungal activities against some microorganisms that infest historical art works.

PROJECT FORMULATION AND EVALUATION FOR ARTISAN CRAFT PROMOTION : The Effective Promotion for Regional Development in Developing Countries (5)

PROJECT FORMULATION AND EVALUATION FOR ARTISAN CRAFT PROMOTION : The Effective Promotion for Regional Development in Developing Countries (5)