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Lesson Plans


Re: Making African Masks

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Judith Auslander (judith)
Tue, 21 Oct 1997 13:34:53 -0700

Thank you Teresa. You say it so much better than I. Here you are
living in Africa. What do your students think of the idea of us "white"
folks here in the States creating our own, personal version of a mask or
other art form not traditionally ours? Do they find it horrid, or are
they pleased that we find their art so interesting that we would want to
emulate it? Sure there will be those who say, "This is our art - not
yours." But I would imagine that most would find the imitation
flattery. Isn't mimicry the highest form of flattery? Judith

ttipton.tz wrote:

> I agree with Judith. It seems to me that what is missing from this
> entire discussion is the issue of "context."
>
> Masks that are false faces or African or Native American or orther
> cultural artifacts like kachina dolls or totem pools have a meaning
> according to a particular context. We are not creating initiation
> rites
> in the art room by making these masks or poles or dolls in and of
> themselves.
>
> We are engaging in a process with a content to explore ideas,
> materials, methods, symbols, meanings, experiences and the
> like. We ourselves are "teaching" in an artificial environment,
> a fascimile of outer experience, perhaps even a bastardization of
> it. Everything we do is "appropriation" from something else. Be
> careful, be sensitive, be informed, be aware, but why censor
> experiencies because of some abstract ideal of authenticity?
>
> Regards,
> Teresa Tipton
> "Debbie, maybe we aren't able to make "Real" African masks, but
> couldn't
> kids have the pleasure of creating their own mask. It doesn't have to
>
> be called an African mask, but rather, a mask that speaks to them
> about
> something important in their life. Why should they miss the
> opportunity
> and the fun and the learning experience of making an African style
> mask
> just because they are not African. We need to take the art of other
> cultures and learn from, even adapt them so they mean something to us.
>
> At least this is the way I feel. You are of course welcome to
> disagree. judith"
> DEBBI CRANE wrote:
>
> > kenneth,
> > i'm concerned about the part where you say they're ONLY third
> > graders. i don't think anyone is going off the deep end, either.
> > there does, however, seem to be a general awareness movement in art
> > ed. not to minimalize cultures to their crafts/arts/artifacts. i
> > stress again and again to my students that we, in southern indiana,
> > can look at slides of african masks, talk about african masks, see
> > the exhibit at the museum, but we cannot make african masks. it's
> not
> > a big deal, just respect for
> >
> > art happens, debbi
> >
> > ----------
> > From: Kenneth L. Poos[SMTP:klpoos]
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 1997 10:33 PM
> > To: artsednet.edu
> > Subject: Re: Totem Poles
> >
> > Some of you guys went off into the real DEEP end. We are trying to
> > give
> > these kids an insight into a culture. These are only 3rd graders
> here.
> >
> > We don't have the resources and money to get REAL cedar so the kids
> > can
> > actually carve a totem pole. It would be great if we could. In the
> > process of making this totem pole(with what we have), kids learn
> alot
> > about this culture that they never knew before. Yes, the materials
> > have
> > no relation to the origional materials but who can get the origional
>
> > materials on our budget(please!) I think the kids get an
> understanding
> >
> > of what a kachina is by making one( from what you can get) and
> > learning
> > about the history and culture. They know that it is made of wood,
> but
> > we
> > just want to try and duplicate it as best we can, with what we have.
>
> > They are learning in this process. Thats what we want.
> > The children may NOT have the origional materials to work with but
> in
> >
> > the process of actually making a totem pole, kachina,etc. they are
> > really learning alot about the culture and the history.
> > Sandra Poos
> > Cahokia Dist#187
> > Cahokia, Ill.
> > Grades 1-6