Book Description
Traveling the back roads of North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, Charles R. Mack spent the summer of 1981 talking with the potters who produced the face jugs, mugs, and plates that had skyrocketed in popularity in the late 1970s and collecting examples of their wares. He was, in effect, taking the pulse of a southern folkway on the brink of transition.
With the benefit of a quarter century of hindsight, Mack has now gathered these interviews into Talking with the Turners, a single volume that documents the world of southern pottery as it shifted from the production of utilitarian wares to the aesthetic realm of folk art. In their own words the turners, most of whom are now deceased, explain what it means to be a potter, to be part of a profession that passes from generation to generation, to experiment with new designs while continuing to produce traditional forms of ceramics. Arranged thematically, the interviews emerge as an open dialogue among the participants—the type of backroom shoptalk that collectors and scholars are rarely privileged to share.
In addition to the centerpiece interviews—many of which are also featured on an accompanying audio CD—Mack includes numerous color and black-and-white photographs of the potters, their shops, and their wares. Mack's extensive commentary sets these particular potters in the context of the larger American ceramics tradition, explains pottery techniques, and summarizes recent changes in pottery making.
Talking with the Turners is augmented by an introduction by Lynn Robertson, director of the McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina, and a foreword by William R. Ferris, the founding director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi.
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Just Above the Water: Florida Folk Art
Kristin G. Congdon , and
Tina Bucuvalas
Manufacturer: University Press of Mississippi
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Jimmy Lee Sudduth
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ASIN: 1578067782 |
Book Description
Florida has an abundance of excellent artists whose work reflects the traditions of their many diverse communities. Yet there has been, until now, no major publication that focuses on the state's visual folk arts and folk artists.
For several years, Florida folklorists Kristin Congdon and Tina Bucuvalas researched and documented Just Above the Water: Florida Folk Art. This book includes an overall view of folk arts in Florida and individual profiles of over seventy artists, including Mary Proctor, Mario Sanchez, Nicholas Toth, Ruby C. Williams, and Purvis Young. Artists profiled in the book range from painters and sculptors to master saddlemakers, iconographers, and instrument makers. Their work is illustrated in more than 200 black-and-white and color photographs, including more than 100 photos from noted photographer Bud Lee.
The term folk art is understood in many different ways by various groups of people. Some consider folk art to be art created by self-taught individuals working in an idiosyncratic style, while others believe it to be the expression of traditional cultural forms. Congdon and Bucuvalas argue that artists of both types express innovation and tradition. In many instances, a close examination of the artists and their work reveals much about Florida's cultural history. All have lived and/or worked in Florida. The artists clearly reveal that they are not naive, simple, primitive, or quaint. Instead, they are as sophisticated as their work, and they express their creativity in relation to complex cultural backgrounds.
Customer Reviews:
Folk Arts in Florida.......2006-08-11
Congdon and Bucuvalas wrote this book largely from their own years of fieldwork across Florida. Even though the book is about Florida folk artists, it will appeal to anyone interested in the subject of folk art and folklife in general. The authors include the more conventional folk art subjects, such as quilt making, wood carving, blacksmithing, and basketry, but they also stretch the boundaries of what many may think of as "folk art" to include traditional activities such as the crafting of diving helmets, the operation of a fruit stand, and the paintings of some artists who have had formal education in the visual arts. There are also profiles of what is problemmatically termed "outsider art." In presenting these artists, Bucuvalas and Congdon avoid the exoticism that tends to permeate much of the presentation about these forms of artistic expression. Instead, they provide enough background information and interpretive commentary to allow the reader to appreciate the artwork simply as "art." The melange of forms, works, and artists works well, and it represents Florida's diversity in a fresh and exciting way. This rich and vivid presentation of these varied arts and artists provides an interesting and accessible documentation of contemporary folk artists. These artists are talented, and the text offers interesting, even inspiring, commentaries on their arts. These commentaries consist of background information written by the authors and well-chosen selections from numerous interviews with the folk artists. One other strength of this book is in the way that the well-written profiles of 75 artists blends so well with vivid portraits in the text and 81 full-color plates that complete the volume.
Book Description
The first comprehensive overview of an important genre of American art, Souls Grown Deep explores the visual-arts genius of the black South. This first work in a multivolume study introduces 40 African-American self-taught artists, who, without significant formal training, often employ the most unpretentious and unlikely materials. Like blues and jazz artists, they create powerful statements amplifying the call for freedom and vision.
Customer Reviews:
Like Buying Your Own Art Gallery.......2006-09-01
I had only limited knowledge of this subject in that I had interest in a few of the Artists that I knew were represented in the book before purchasing it. I was amazed at the quality of the reproductions and the text included. There are multiple reproductions for each Artist giving you a great basis to explore the development of their work. I now feel that I can really grasp a personal knowledge of these Artists and it great to have fantastic examples of Art that is now due to market demands and deteriorating mediums impossible to own.
This book is probably the best investment I have ever made. It will go straight to the top shelf. Do yourself a favour and buy it.
A set of books that tells an incredible story.......2002-06-04
This book is a marvel in both production quality and content. If ever a set of books deserved the "tome" designation, this set wins big. They opened my eyes to a world I hoped existed but feared did not. I have long appreciated and understood the contributions of African Americans in the arts, but often wondered why the visual arts traditions hadn't reached the heights that the music (blues, jazz, gospel, hip hop, R&B, Rock n' Roll), literary, athletic, fashion, theater, etc.. reached? I have also always been dismayed that many of the great African Americans have had to leave the south, and often this country, to receive recognition at all. It is an old story that is far to common. These books tell a different story. The art work is of the highest caliber, and often created with the humblest of materials?found wood, roots, house paint, discarded materials?yet the artists find ways to make the most glorious objects. It was certainly a revelation to see work that would rival what I see in the many museums in town, made by men and women who don't seem to have any regard, or perhaps knowledge, of these institutions. Work made for themselves, their families, or their communities enjoyment and education. The true meaning of art. It would be impossible for me to say which book I prefer. Both were so eye opening. Now that I have both, I can't imagine not having either. I hope that these volumes will find their way into the libraries and schools across America, for they tell a story that has long been unkown, which is unfortunate. Or, I fear, ignored, which is tragic. Kudos to both, and I hope that there will be a Volume 3. I must add that if you are interested in the "real" American story, history, art (of any kind), then these books are a must read (and look). And as a lover and collector of Twentieth Century art, I realize I have not been, up until now, told the WHOLE truth.
Yes to Volume 1, No to Volume 2.......2002-04-24
The first volume of Souls Grown Deep is an essential book for any American folk art collector. Many of the great African American folk artists of the 20th century are covered and all have a short write up and some pictures. The only problem is that some artists get short change with a one paragraph write up (really short) and 2 or 3 small images on a single page. Clementine Hunter for example, gets this treatment. And Mose Tolliver gets much more space than Bill Traylor, possibly because most of the artwork shown is from the author's own folk art collection, but apparently the author doesn't have many Bill Traylor artworks compared to Mose T's. But it's such a large book that it will still be required for any folk art library. Beware, the second volume is just as big but seems like an entire book of filler. There are some interesting artists presented, but overall the quality isn't as high as the first volume. Perhaps because the artists in the 1st volume are already "established"' it's easier to see their place in folk art history whereas the artists in volume 2 are still relatively new. Both books have high production values in paper and binding. My recommendation is definitely buy volume 1, but be careful of volume 2.
Gorgeous-.......2001-05-22
Gorgeous photos and very high quality printing and paper. The artwork is very interesting and continues to offer surprises further and further into the book. I enjoyed the stories and recollections of the artists which added a personal and human side to the visual splendor. The editors' own energy and passion for the subject matter shines through. This is a rare gift I will go back to time and time again.
A modern day revolution.......2001-03-28
Combine the literay precision of John Stuart Mill with the passion of W. B. Yeats, pour over the artistic brilliance of Cezanne and Rothko and infuse the philosophical profundity of Kant and Aristotle; the result is the monumental genius of Souls Grown Deep. An epic achievement, William and Paul Arnett's masterpiece transports the reader deep into southern America in which a genre of art is explored that rivals, if not puts to shame, any existing work anywhere in the world. Souls Grown Deep is a necessity for any individual even remotely concerned with understanding the very first thing about art.
Book Description
Here is an intimate glimpse into the lives and work of thirty-four self-taught artists, two folk art environments, and one museum, which tells the tale of a region's fast-disappearing way of life. Kathy Moses' thoughtful, insightful portraits introduce us to these men and women, some of whom are well known and some not so well known, but who all are driven by a compelling need to create. Their stories are told with warmth, affection, and respect. For many of these artists, this is the first time they have been presented to a wider audience. With 375-plus photographs, the book beautifully illustrates the range of each artist's work, with more examples per artist than has been shown before. The book is also an invaluable reference guide, with a source section that lists museums and galleries where the art may be seen and purchased, a retail price guide, a bibliography, and many organizations, publications, shows, and auctions devoted to Southern folk, outsider, and visionary art.
Customer Reviews:
A good cross reference guide book.......1999-08-30
Each book can only feature so many great artists. Inevitably, many get left out. Here is a decent sampling. Interesting interviews. Wonderful photographs. I disagree with a price guide found in the back. We should encourage involvement in outsider art for its historical, social and emotional value, and not based on what a piece can fetch at auction, or how collectable an artist may be. The worth of a piece and/or artist is, or should be, a subjective decision.
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- Cajun art with recipes and descriptions of Cajun culture
- COMPLETELY CAJUN, AND TONS OF FUN
- introduction to colorful Cajun culture
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Zydeco Shoes: A Sensory Tour Of Cajun Culture
Manufacturer: Pelican Publishing Company
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ASIN: 1589802462 |
Book Description
This collection of vivid, humorous paintings by self-taught artist Earl Hébert takes the reader into the real heart of Cajun culture--the back-road music halls, the small-town family gatherings, and the all-important, spicy, local cuisine. With its evocative text, authentic Cajun recipes, and enclosed music CD, Zydeco Shoes celebrates the joie de vivre of South Louisiana and its people.
Alexandria Hayes lives in Stratham, New Hampshire, where she founded Blue Moon Communications, a marketing and consulting firm. She first encountered Earl Hébert and his work during a visit to New Orleans' historic Jackson Square.
Earl Hébert was born in the tiny town of Ossun, Lousiana, and began his working life as a restaurateur. Mr. Hébert took up painting as a hobby in the late 1970s. Increasingly successful despite his lack of formal training, he has maintained his own gallery, Mr. Earl's Gallery, in New Orleans' French Quarter for more than fifteen years.
George Rodrigue is known worldwide for his Blue Dog paintings. Born in New Iberia, Louisiana, in 1944, he studied art at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. Mr. Rodrigue's paintings are eagerly sought by collectors and museums around the globe, and he has produced several books. His commercial commissions include designing posters for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and a print ad campaign for Absolut Vodka.
Kerry Boutté and his daughter Monique Boutté Christina both carry on the tradition of the original Mulate'sR, the Cajun restaurant and dance hall that Mr. Boutté founded almost twenty years ago in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. Mulate'sR now has three locations, including one in New Orleans, where fans can sample authentic Cajun cuisine and dance to local music seven nights a week.
The Lucky Playboys make their recording debut on this exclusive compact disk.
Customer Reviews:
Cajun art with recipes and descriptions of Cajun culture .......2005-01-04
Enthusiasts of Louisiana and Zydeco art, folk culture, and music will find it all in one gift-appropriate package in Zydeco Shoes: A Sensory Tour Of Cajun Culture, a gorgeous package blending an oversized art book blending Cajun art with recipes and descriptions of Cajun culture to a cd by The Lucky Playboys, Plus D'chance-que D'l Esprit (More Luck Than Sense). The oversized presentation and striking arrangement juxtaposing art works with recipes, cultural insights and music assures recipients receive a full taste of Zydeco culture.
COMPLETELY CAJUN, AND TONS OF FUN.......2005-01-02
"Zydeco" for those unfamiliar with Cajun culture is defined as "a combination of traditional Cajun dance music and African blues." Quite obviously, that's a jumpin' kind of music, really snappy. And, this is a really snappy kind of book from the bright red and orange shoes on the eye popping cover to the paintings by Earl Hebert to the 34 recipes from Mulate's Cajun Restaurant and Dance Hall to the CD zestfully played by the Lucky Playboys. If you can't hop a plane to Louisiana, this is the best way to immerse yourself in the Cajun's fun loving way of life.
The editor of this book, Alexandra Hayes, discovered Earl Hebert and his art in New Orleans' Jackson Square. Hebert's first career was in the restaurant business; he began painting solely as a hobby in the 1970s. Without any formal training his works soon generated quite a following, and he has maintained his own gallery in the French Quarter of New Orleans for the past fifteen years.
Hebert's paintings, basically in rich primary colors, recall a less complicated life when happiness was found with a mess of crawfish, beer on ice, and good friends. By using acrylic paints the viewer is treated to a layering effect that is both unique and memorable.
Known throughout the world for his Blue dog paintings, George Rodrigue contributed the foreword for "Zydeco Shoes." A native of Louisiana, he studied art at the University of Louisiana. Today, his paintings are much sought by collectors.
Making their debut on the included compact disk The Lucky Playboys give new meaning to zestful music. You won't be able to keep your toes from tapping.
Popular Cajun recipes featured are from the files of Mulate's, a restaurant founded by Kerry Boutte some twenty years ago in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. He now has three locations, one in New Orleans.
"Zydeco Shoes" is complete Cajun, and tons of fun.
- Gail Cooke
introduction to colorful Cajun culture.......2004-12-26
Music on a CD, recipes, anecdotes, and most of all, Earl Hebert's vibrantly-colored illustrations convey the tone, energy, and distinctiveness of Louisiana's cajun culture. The full-page illustrations in this oversize book make readers feel that they are practically participating in the scenes of dancing, music playing, and socializing. The book and CD are packaged in an eye-catching, brightly colored slipcase. The different parts combine together for a celebration of this widely-known regional culture.
Customer Reviews:
excellent material.......2007-05-13
As I am currently studying Historic Preservation, I appreciate what it takes to do research. This book is well-researched, and interesting, to boot.
Mary Black's Family Quilts: Memory and Meaning in Everyday Life.......2007-01-11
I was somewhat disappointed that there was not a more extensive use of primary source materials. This is an easy book to read and understand.
A Landmark Book.......2006-12-13
This is landmark book, one that has the potential to broaden and, at the same time, focus the study of American quilts. It adds substantially to current knowledge of quilt history, particularly in the under-documented inland South. It also models an analytical approach, what one cultural historian calls "cultural behavior," that expands the study of material history to reveal the complex meanings inherent in artifacts.
It is not a "picture book," although it is richly and thoughtfully illustrated. Over 100 sharp images, 32 of them in well-rendered color, depict the quilts and complement the text.
Nor is it a conventional "quilt book," focusing only on quilt documentation.
It transcends categories and is at once an analysis of sixteen quilts made and preserved by one family over six generations, a superb local history, and a study of a family whose values helped shape a community.
But its focus is the sixteen family quilts preserved by Mary Black and donated to a South Carolina museum. In seeking to discover their meanings as textiles and as personal and cultural documents, the author creates a world both immediate and immensely interesting.
This is highly readable book. After the first chapter, in which she identifies and illustrates the analytical procedure she used to study the Black family's quilts, Horton avoids the jargon of scholarship and critical theory. This choice and her crisp prose style are seductive: her book reads more like a story of discover than a scholarly analysis. The truth is, it is both.
The epigram, from James Deetz' "In Small Things Forgotten," suggests the writer's mission and method. Deetz writes, "In the seemingly little and insignificant things that accumulate to create a lifetime, the essence of our existence is captured. We must remember these bits and pieces, and we must use them in new and imaginative ways so that a different appreciation for what life is today, and was in the past, can be achieved."
In Laurel Horton's experienced hands, this approach yields bounty. Horton is uniquely equipped for her task. She has studied the same terrain for 25 years. She knows it from personal experience, from her study of the Scots-Irish who formed its backbone, from her study of the quilts of America and the British Isles. Her understanding of the deeply narrative South Carolina upland culture attunes her to stories and signs that point beyond the concrete object and reveal meaning. In fact, the metaphor running throughout this book is that of the scholar as one who "listens" to the voices in the material remains she studies.
Yet it would be mistaken to conclude Horton regards the scholar only as a medium through which the quilts speak. She knows the textiles exist with a series of contexts that can help free their voices and permit the listener to construct valid meaning.
In a culture where women left relatively few documents, however, the quilts remain the writer's primary sources. Horton says she began her research "with a close examination of the quilts themselves, attempting to set aside what I thought I already knew and trying to be receptive to what they could tell me....I have attempted to attend to the quilts and to `listen' to their stories objectively, without rushing to supply answers to my emerging questions."
The result is a fresh and exceptionally well-articulated understanding of a coherent group of quilts. In her effort to identify their meanings, the author opens a world to the reader and in the end, the quilts also become memorable objects in the reader's experience.
Mary Black's Family Quilts is valuable both to the cultural and political historian. It is important to anyone studying the lives of women in America. Certainly it will become part of any complete bibliography of the history and culture of the American South. It is being read in student coffee houses in Spartanburg and readers interested primarily in local or state history have created long waiting lists for it in Carolina public libraries. In short, it is a book for many readers.
One of its more obvious audiences is that of quilt historians, for whom it provides a model and for whom it is also cautionary. Quilts from the inland South have been subject to many unfounded generalizations. A student of textiles and quiltmaking who is keenly attuned to the differences in the cultures and quilts of adjacent counties in Pennsylvania, for instance, often sees the quilts made south of the Mason-Dixon line as a unit.
Studies like Horton's show the danger of such generalization. They remind us of the variety present even in a generally coherent community. The Spartanburg, South Carolina area and the members of the Snoddy and Black families are not offered as microcosms or even representatives of larger groups. Mary Black's Family Quilts focuses on the particular-quilts made by the women in one family in one place and time. Considering the general lack of scholarly attention so far accorded the quilts of the Deep South and the southern hinterlands, one hopes Horton's work generates the discovery and equally thoughtful study of other groups of quilts in the region.
"Mary Black's Family Quilts" reminds us of the tremendous importance of the concrete detail in the study and communication of meanings in history, the sound or fragrance or scrap of fabric from which explodes a world of meaning. It also reminds us this detail is part of a larger whole. Both in its method and subject, it breaks new ground and will, one hopes, encourage other books that do the same.
For anyone interested in the study of American quilts, women's history, or in the culture and history of the American South, this book is a must-read.
Don't expect a quilter's handbook here: this is local history at its best.......2006-03-07
Laurel Horton is an independent folklorist and textile scholar who examines the family quilting traditions of six generations in Mary Black's Family Quilts: Memory And Meaning In Everyday Life. Sixteen quilts here tell the story of the family, a South Carolina legend - and reveals the trunks full of quilts Black left to her descendants. Don't expect a quilter's handbook here: this is local history at its best.
Book Description
In the works of many famous self-taught artists, such as Howard Finster and Sister Gertrude Morgan, Biblical themes and imagery abound. How has the Bible inspired these Southern creators?
Examining 125 works of art by more than seventy contemporary folk artists, Coming Home! Self-Taught Artists, the Bible, and the American South accompanies a traveling exhibition organized by the Art Museum of the University of Memphis. The exhibition features painters and sculptors of wide acclaim, including Finster, Sister Morgan, William Edmondson, Clementine Hunter, Joe Minter Elijah Pierce, Robert Roberg, William Thomas Thompson, and Myrtice West.
In the South, Evangelical Christianity is predominant. Essays in this catalog explore this particular religious influence on the work of Southern self-taught artists. The artwork is considered within the context of contemporary American art and history, literature, and music. Also included are brief essays on thirty-two of the artists along with biographical sketches of each, identifying denominational ties and providing relevant religious information.
Coming Home! offers new ways of understanding the rich meaning, theology, and history of this art and its stylistic approaches and various purposes. Essayists also forward a fresh appreciation of the cultural influence of Evangelical Christianity. They include Carol Crown, Erika Doss, Hal Fulmer, Norman Girardot, Paul Harvey, Babatunde Lawal, Leslie Luebbers, Cheryl Rivers, and Charles Reagan Wilson.
Customer Reviews:
Well-written...gorgeous full-color plates.......2006-12-17
The only thing better than reading the essays and seeing the full-color plates was to have been to the exhibit in person. The art is fascinating. The exploration of these artist's intentions and influences is inspiring. This is a first-rate publication that accompanied a first-rate exhibition.
Book Description
Speaking powerfully and directly to a growing audience, African-American vernacular art is making its mark in the art world. In this outstanding collection of contemporary art, works by 27 self-taught artists bear eloquent testimony to the social, cultural, and spiritual experiences of Southern African Americans.
Thornton Dial Sr., Ronald Lockett, Bessie Harvey, Mose Tolliver, and Purvis Young head a roster of leading artists in this genre. Five scholars explore the significance of these emotionally charged, culturally complex artworks and their context in the larger art world; brief biographies and the artists' own statements are included.
Testimony accompanies a traveling exhibition organized by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and Exhibitions International.
171 illustrations, 101 in full color, 192 pages, 91/4 x 101/4"
Customer Reviews:
Valuable information - insightful essays.......2002-12-31
Not your everyday book on Outsider Art. While most art books on this subject just showcase collectors' investments, Testimony includes critical studies on the ways collections have been organized and new historical information about the relationship between African American vernacular art and the Outsider movement. All of the essays address hard questions and give you something to think about. In a field noted for its ugly politics, collectors Ronald and June Shelp have been brave and responsible in supporting this kind of writing.
Nothing Special.......2002-06-06
This is a weak survey of African-American "vernacular art". There are a few pieces of artwork shown for the various artists covered and a short bio. Nothing in depth in terms of the artwork shown or the information given. This is basically your standard collection of the usual suspects in folk art today. A little bit of Dial, Tolliver, Young, Burnside, Light, etc. And the pieces shown aren't that special. It's great they've got a couple of Mose Tolliver's, but they aren't that special in the overall spectrum of Mose's work. Since nothing is in-depth, I'm not really sure what the point of this book is as it adds nothing new to the field. It's great Ronald and June Shelp own all these pieces, but so what? Good for them, but the book adds nothing for the reader. A much better survey is Souls Grown Deep. Much more expensive, but well worth it.
Book Description
Noted writers on art, culture, and the tropical Americas, Richard and Sally Price have crafted a mystery at the intersections of art and anthropology. Drawing readers into their quest for a solution, they build an unusual partnership between text and pictures, daringly expanding the possibilities of academic discourse. Enigma Variations--in the tradition of The Recognitions and The Crying of Lot 49--is an entertainment as readable for its intellectual power as for its irresistible drama.
Customer Reviews:
Suspenseful Cultural Anthropology - A New Genre.......2004-07-29
I had to continually remind myself that this remarkable story was indeed fiction and not a scholarly account of a factual occurrence. I had actually purchased this book believing it to be a descriptive work of field anthropology. Enigma Variations was published by Harvard University Press, the authors acknowledged their fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities, every page is illustrated with scanned images of Saramakan art objects, and the footnotes referenced genuine scholarly publications. I did not immediately realize that this fascinating story was actually a rare blend of cultural anthropology and suspenseful fiction.
Richard Price and Sally Price have individually and jointly published scholarly works with titles like Stedman's Surinam: Life in an Eighteenth Century Slave Society, The Guiana Maroons, Primitive Art in Civilized Places, and Saramaka Social Structure. According to the book cover, they divide their time between rural Martinique and the College of William and Mary in Virginia.
In this short novel two anthropologists are asked to appraise a remarkable set of museum quality Saramakan musical instruments that are offered for sale. In following their investigations we readers learn about art smuggling, art renovation, and art forgery, and gradually discover that the ethical distinction between original and forged art can become quite blurred.
Enigma Variations is an exceptional book that defines an entirely new genre. I highly recommend this fascinating work.
Curiosity: This soft cover publication by Harvard University Press is printed on high quality, vanilla colored paper. The pages were bound backward in my discounted copy.
An unexpected pleasure.......2000-10-21
Richard and Sally Price are practicing anthropologists who have written a novel about some of the non-academic aspects of their work. Based on their real experiences, this book describes a detective hunt to establish the authenticity of some South American tribal and slave artifacts. But a simple yes/no question quickly blurs into shades of grey as they worm their way through collectors who 'restore' pieces, native carvers who mix styles to please buyers and museum officials trying to justify monies spent.
The book provides a fascinating philosophical discussion of authenticity and the differences between the way the art world and the academic world define it. Every page includes a photograph of an artifact discussed in the story, only at the end do we get a glimpse of which were genuine and which were not.
I expected a quick read and got a picture of a world I've never seen before. A boundary stretching book that holds your attention with personal narrative. I'll never look at a native mask or bowl the same way again.
Average customer rating:
- engaging new CD-ROM on the popular art of Bangladesh
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Transports of Delight: The Ricksha Arts of Bangladesh
Joanna Kirkpatrick
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM
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ASIN: 0253341485 |
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Combining over 1,000 brilliantly colored photographs, videos, music, and text, this CD-ROM documents a distinctive folk art of urban Bangladesh. The owners of rickshas (conventionally known as "rickshaws" in English) personalize their vehicles with elaborate paintings that incorporate geometric motifs, drawings of animals, mythic and religious themes, and pictures of movie stars. Ricksha art is an expression of the fondest desires in men's hearts - for wealth, sex, power, one's village home, religious blessings, and consumer goods.
Joanna Kirkpatrick has photographed these vehicles for more than 20 years, cataloging styles and motifs. Her study becomes a window on Bangladesh culture and religion, as she examines the questions posed by pictorial representation in a Muslim society. Thanks to Transports of Delight, general audiences interested in South Asian folk art and aficionados of pedicabs around the world will join scholars and students of Bangladesh on an enjoyable and informative journey.
System requirements: PC system with display set for 16 bit color at 800x600 resolution, 4x or better CD-ROM drive, Apple QuickTime 4 or better, Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher. Video segments require Pentium II Processor.
Customer Reviews:
engaging new CD-ROM on the popular art of Bangladesh.......2006-01-07
Joanna Kirkpatrick
Transports of Delight: The Ricksha Arts of Bangladesh
Indiana University Press (2003)
An appealing review and analysis of the ricksha arts of Bangladesh, with comparisons to popular arts in India and Pakistan, this interactive multimedia CD-ROM is informative and easy to navigate. Besides the large number of excellent color images of rickshas and the art that decorates them, there are four video clips, shot with a hand-held camcorder, that give a vivid impression of what it is like to travel by ricksha through the city streets and country roads of Bangladesh. These clips employ both folk songs and natural sound. The introduction is also backgrounded by a contemporary Bengali ballad that invokes Kirkpatrick's interpretive theme of the CD.
The CD-ROM is divided into four main sections (Introduction, Ricksha Art Images, Streets and Views, and Readings). Sub-sections address various topics, including the history of "conveyance art," comparisons of ricksha art to other genres of popular and folk art, and recurrent themes seen in ricksha decoration. A sub-section on artists and makers examines how rickshas are made and decorated. Each sub-section includes illustrated text discussions and a gallery of photographs supplementing the points the author has made.
The text and the four articles in the Readings file raise important questions, such as how "iconophilic" South Asia reconciles with Muslim uneasiness about the depiction of human figures, and the ways that popular imagery pique or satisfy a largely male audience's desires. These and other timely discussion points make this CD-ROM an ideal resource for courses on the art or visual ethnography of South Asia. It should also be of great interest both to scholars of the region, and to general readers interested in world popular and folk art.
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