Art and Oceania

The western influence on the arts of other ethnic groups around the world has brought about new and constantly evolving views on the roles of the artists and art of these groups. Oceania groups’ views however slightly differ from those of Native American, Oriental and African groups (Enwonwu, 2000). Oceania art encompasses the artistic traditions of people native to Australia, the pacific islands and New Zealand. Themes in these cultures mostly dwell on the fertility and the supernatural (Moore, 2005). Use of masks in social and religious ceremonies is common and so are tattooing, use of petroglyphs and painting as other forms of artistic expression.

African art for example has taken the shape of justifying itself and the erosion of its original forms has forced today’s African artist to go an extra mile in trying to “Africanize” their work. “… African painters and sculptors … sustain western views by imitating an attitude derived from the influence of African art works upon the Western aesthetic tradition” (Enwonwu, 2000). The economical aspect of African art is considered along civic importance.

While Oriental art still has a mystic effect on the rest of the world and has emerged to be highly sought after and hence very lucrative, the artists sought of try to keep the degree of this sense of mystery high. Oceania art struggles in this aspect and the artists attempt to keep it alive in an otherwise unreceptive world (Moore, 2005). Native American art on the other hand holds interest on peoples’ imaginations and the artists try to make it have a voice. “… Paint a picture in your mind … that is the real world” (Erdoes, 1972). Art changes with time and Oceania art has not been static unlike African and ative American artists who try to remind the world of its existence as if it is headed for extinction.