Dear friends and colleagues,
Each assemblage of prehistoric and tribal art has a dominant theme.
Some ethnic groups focus their visual art on anthropomorphic figures,
others on animals, or even on a specific animal, and others again on
signs, symbols or ideograms. Well-known concentrations of prehistoric
art display millenary sequences of different phases showing different
dominant theme from one period to another. In regions like Gobustan
(Azerbaijan), Arnhem Land (Australia) or the Kondoa Province
(Tanzania), stratigraphic successions of rock art phases show flat
changes in the dominant theme, from one phase to the other. What is
the meaning and function of the dominant theme? Whatever the case,
totemic, magic, economic or else, it reflects the concern of the
artist.
Visual art is a mirror of the mind and soul of the artist, it is the
expression of his/her concerns. Visual art follows common grammatical
and syntactic rules, as elaborated in a recent monographic study
(World Rock Art, Atelier.edit, 2015). The dominant theme is one of the
factors defining the identity of patterns. It turns up to be a
diagnostic element to define the conceptual, economic and social
structure of the artist’s society. It also awakens new indications on
the issue of the “dominant concern”, which is a recurring social
pattern in every culture and every period. A practical example,
regarding the rock art of Tanzania, is presented in issue 18 of
EXPRESSION quarterly journal.
Dominant themes are present also in urban societies. The dominant
theme will not be the same in the frescoes of a Christian church and
in those of a Buddhist temple, though in both cases the dominant theme
will be that of anthropomorphic images. The ideograms associated to
the pictograms will clarify the different identities. In the cases of
hunters-gatherers, the dominant theme will not be the same in the
paintings of bison hunters and in those of snail eaters and
collectors.
A forthcoming issue of EXPRESSION quarterly journal will focus on
this topic. What makes different cultures have different dominant
themes in their visual art? Colleagues and friend are invited to
elaborate this topic, either on specific cases or on general or
comparative issues. The study of cases may help clarifying the
cognitive system behind the choice of the dominant themes. A step
further will be made in understanding the mind of the art-makers in
different societies.
Colleagues and friends having something to say are welcome to share
their knowledge and ideas in this joint effort to go one step further.
If you wish to share your ideas, please let us have the title and a
short abstract of your proposed paper during the month of March 2018,
to
<[log in to unmask]>.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Emmanuel Anati
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