1.4.6 The Arts
Completion requirements
1.4.6 The Arts
What shapes your identity?
Artistic expression is one way we express our identities. Consider the self-portrait at the right. How does the identity of the artist show? Artistic expression is a powerful way for people to show who they are. Every culture uses various forms of art. In some cultures, to make an artistic representation of the human form is forbidden. In others, a photograph is thought to steal the soul of the subject.
Music: Listen carefully to your favourite song. What cultural influences can you hear? Perhaps you can hear African drumming, latino rhythms, cajun zydeco, reggae, or an Indian sitar. Music has been influenced by the sounds of the world, creating a rich and dynamic musical culture.
Movies: Most movies we watch are made in North America and represent our western world and values. Try watching a movie from another country - an excellent way to learn about the ideas and identities of people with different ways of thinking.
Literature: Novels, short stories, poems, plays, and oral stories are ways for people to express their thoughts and feelings. Ideas and experiences are shared and passed through the generations.
The arts are powerful tools of expression and also powerful tools to influence the way people think and behave. Political drama has been used to convince people to vote and to encourage people to accept communism. The visual arts, including propaganda posters and advertising, is used to influence political action, public behaviour, and purchasing.
Art and you: How do you express your identity artistically? You
can create art, buy art, and enjoy art. You can even wear art! Art is
influenced by other cultures through globalization. The arts can
preserve individuality or encourage conformity.
Think about artistic expression when you complete your critical challenge. You can use art to express your identity in your Who Am I presentation.
Music: Listen carefully to your favourite song. What cultural influences can you hear? Perhaps you can hear African drumming, latino rhythms, cajun zydeco, reggae, or an Indian sitar. Music has been influenced by the sounds of the world, creating a rich and dynamic musical culture.
Movies: Most movies we watch are made in North America and represent our western world and values. Try watching a movie from another country - an excellent way to learn about the ideas and identities of people with different ways of thinking.
Literature: Novels, short stories, poems, plays, and oral stories are ways for people to express their thoughts and feelings. Ideas and experiences are shared and passed through the generations.
The arts are powerful tools of expression and also powerful tools to influence the way people think and behave. Political drama has been used to convince people to vote and to encourage people to accept communism. The visual arts, including propaganda posters and advertising, is used to influence political action, public behaviour, and purchasing.
Hybridization: When elements of various cultures come together to create a new form, something happens! A hybrid culture,
similar to a hybrid plant, contains qualities of each of its parents. A
hybrid culture is rich and powerful, but it also can mean that some
qualities of the original are lost.
Think about artistic expression when you complete your critical challenge. You can use art to express your identity in your Who Am I presentation.
