Topic > 20th Century Chinese Art and Sculptures

The importance of music is off the charts because not only is it a way of expressing oneself, but it is also a way of communicating one's feelings, it can bring people together, and finally music it's everything in today's society. The same can be said for transportation, in modern times we rely on transportation on a daily basis, whether it's driving to work or sending and receiving goods abroad. What do you say when a loved one dies? Today, in 2018, every culture or religion has its own way of dealing with a deceased loved one. Whether it is a celebration, a funeral or a specific way of showing respect for the deceased person or their family, it is a real situation of great importance. What is interesting is that these three major impacts on life can all be linked back to the arts and carvings of 20th century China. All three of these elements were influenced and/or ideas expanded by the arts and printmaking of 20th century China. Through a visit to the Bowers museum in Santa Ana California, I chose my exhibit on 20th century ancient Chinese arts and carving, with the three art forms being slit drums, ancestral poles and Tao fishing canoes. Everything that has influence on today's society is extremely underestimated. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The stylized crocodile-shaped slit drum was invented among the Sepik peoples of the Upper Sepik River region, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia of In the 20th century one of the most important instruments is the slit drum. Carved from a tree, the massive trunks are hollowed out with a narrow slotted opening that releases a deep tone when struck sideways by musicians with wooden beaters. On this drum, the slight depression on the side makes it obvious where players most often strike the instrument. Played exclusively by men, the slit drum is a very visible part of any ceremony, celebration or practice. Whether a moment of joy or despair, the slit drum was often present multiple times. Due to the ability of sound to travel far, these instruments are often placed near a river for optimal acoustic transmission for long-distance communications. In addition to the sounds and music, each village had its own rhythm so that neighboring villages knew who was sending a message. They also had different drum beats that represented a different emotion or different situation. This small man-made slit drum would represent the beginning of the expansion and advancements of music and communication through sound. Ancestral poles were created from wood, paint and fibers by the Asmat people in regions such as Papua, Province, Indonesia and Melanesia in the 20th century. These ancient ancestor trees were cut from a single tree. Also known as Bis poles, they can reach a height of 25 feet and consist of carved ancestral human figures, animal figures, canoe prow carvings, and phallic symbols. These poles were carved by special craftsmen in the community after someone was killed during a headhunting raid. Headhunting is the act of attacking or defending a rival enemy village. Asmat tradition believes that the deceased soul is not free to go to the afterlife unless the stake is erected for them. Often a skull from enemy villages was placed under the new pole before it was erected, ensuring a constant stream of raids and killings. The wing-shaped extension is an intended phallic symbol representing the strength of the village's ancestors andthe bow of the canoe towards the afterlife. The human figures remembered deceased ancestors. Today we have our own unique ways to honor our deceased loved ones, such as burial celebration or cremation which can be kept in an urn or the ashes can be scattered in a location upon special request of the deceased. Created by the Yami culture, Orchid Island, Taiwan, a typical Tao fishing canoe was propelled by an oar and mounted with coconut palm leaves. This boat does not have a balancing stabilizer arrangement. A variety of lumber is also used for different parts of the boat. In the assembly process, wooden nails and tree root materials are used to fill the seams. A one-man boat generally required nine pieces of planks. The Tao are perhaps best known among the Austronesian people for their unique and beautifully decorated plank-built boats. Once the construction of the boat was completed, they were often painted. They were limited in colors because they made white paint by grinding shells into powder and mixing them with resin. The seemingly different similar decorations on the boats are actually different depending on the characteristics of each village. What I found most interesting is that no one can build a boat. A Tao man must first raise Tara to serve as a ceremonial gift to inform his friends and relatives of the plan. Next he must select the ideal timber in the mountains and pray before the boat building season begins. Finally, an elaborate ceremony is held as the newly completed boat is first launched. It takes at least three years to complete a decorated boat. The way these three elements are related to the arts and carvings of 20th century China is because the stylized crocodile-shaped slit drum, ancestor poles, and the Tao fishing canoe have all had influences on the music modern, on the tree of ancestors and on transport abroad. As mentioned above, the slit drum was used in any ceremony but also “carved in the shape of a mythical fish and lacquered red. Both were used in religious rituals, and the former was also used in Chinese opera orchestras” (Slit Drum). There were many different uses for these drums because they provided the songs and music that people made while playing them. Along with slit drums, ancestor poles have had a huge impact on today's society. Showing appreciation and respect for deceased loved ones is great. “Each pole is made from a single piece of wood. To create the characteristic shape of the pole, carvers select trees with plank-like buttress roots” (Heilbrunn). Carving a figure or symbol to remember that person is really interesting because the idea of ​​remembering a deceased loved one has evolved into jewelry, personal artifacts, and even photographs today. Finally, these simple boats used for fishing and transportation created the path for these huge boats and ships that serve the same purpose in fishing and transportation. The ideas of the 20th century have been adopted and carried forward to this day are incredible because if today's society put itself in the shoes of the people of the 20th century, the appreciation of what we have today would be much greater. “Tao boats range from the 1- and 2-seater tatara, approximately 2.3 meters long, to the 10- and even 14-seater chinedkulan, 7.6 meters long” (Orchard). Each boat had its own purposes, obviously the smaller ones were for fewer people more of the fishing type. As for the larger ones, they were built sturdier and larger to hold more people and greater weights for the export and import of goods. This reflects the way boats are used for fishing today, i.