OPINION
Representational
and Non Representational Art
Indigenous art is of two types. One is abstract non
representational art while the other type is representational.
The two may mix and the lines may not be strictly drawn, because even
when doing an abstract nonrepresentational image the image is based on
something real imagined by the artist. Similarly an artist does
representational art includes abstract images representing the real
images portrayed.
Spirituality plays an important role part in people's lives and it's
part of the culture. Legends and stories are part of the spirituality
and the subject of art. This is represented through designs made on
everyday objects such as tools, household items, clothes and on built
structures. Art is a great part of indigenous culture worldwide.
When doing artwork you can be authentic or you can just paint
anything abstractly. If you wish your artwork to be meaningful then you
will use your cultural knowledge rather than outside influences on you
such as Walt Disney movies. for example when you paint a face and want
to add lines to it, you can just add some lines but if you are truly in
the culture you will add 4 lines or seven lines or another number of
lines that is from the culture. If you think in terms of the English
system of 6 and 12 or the decimal system and based on that draw 6 or 10
lines, then that's something outside the indigenous culture.
Native artists who work on preserving the culture and conveying a
good message through their artwork are warriors. That's why when you
examine closely the design in their work you notice that everything is
based on the culture that they are from and not on the English
measurement system nor the decimal system. This is true for both the
abstract non representational indigenous art as well as the
representational indigenous art.