In my recent research, I have come across and mentioned a fair bit of folk art, and I feel that my work is becoming rather influenced by it in meaning, and I thought it would be appropriate to gather a strong understanding of the term, so I can further take influence to a deeper level.
With my research I want to focus a lot on how others would describe it to understand the most underlying themes of folk art.
The genres held within art often have characteristics that make and define them to belong to that genre, whether it be era, style or influence, however folk art is much more broad. Huffington post claims that "The dominant identifying factor of folk art is probably its distance from the academic mainstream. However, other (similarly murky) categories such as self-taught art and outsider art share such a classification too. The description of "not academic" certainly fails to describe and encompass the wide and wild range of folk art possibilities."
My work, going by this definition wouldn't really fit into folk art, however it does still take influence from it in it's themes and history.
Catherine Futter, curator, believes that folk art is often compared to outsider art, however folk art often has themes of community and tradition, whereas outsider art doesn't necessarily always follow these rules.
The Museum of International Folk Art also states that folk art "Is of, by, and for the people; all people, inclusive of class, status, culture, community, ethnicity, gender, and religion" and I think that's one of the things that draws me towards and peaks my interest in folk art, as it feels so much more inclusive of everybody in terms of themes and who can relate and appreciate the work.
After a bit of research it's clear that what everybody agrees on with folk art is that it's hugely to do with tradition and prolonging the survival of it, as Britannica would describe it.
They also state that it's "Folk art is the creative expression of the human struggle toward civilization within a particular environment through the production of useful but aesthetic buildings and objects."
In those terms, my work on the history of witchcraft certainly has a connection with folk art; the way that I wish to express the struggle of the people in our past with today's understanding of what happened, and how the tree and light are the main subjects; both useful and aesthetic with an old and painful past.
Britannica also goes into the history of the words themselves. It's said that the words 'folk' and 'art' have been interchangeable within the art field, from English to German vocab and then later in Romance languages, in which they continue that "The distinction between folk and popular art is not absolute, however: some widely collected folk art, such as the chalkwares (painted plaster ornamental figures) common in America and the popular prints turned out for wide distribution, may be seen as the genesis of popular art; and the products and motifs long established in folk art have provided a natural source for the popular field."
Folk art began to get recognised in its own right and category in the late 19th century, however at this time it was limited to what was called 'peasant art' within Europe, or 'art of the land', which I find to be a much more generous and suitable term to the category. This was because a romantic idea about ordinary and simple lives started to come into play, the 'folk soul' was valued and desired and so the art created by these newly desired people started to get a lot more attention.
Isolated areas of Europe had many skilled and crafty people living and working there before industrialisation, as they had limited contact from outside of their home town and so instead worked on mastering their craft and upholding traditions, while also being innovative with their materials.
Folk art isn't made to be put in a museum, but rather to have a purpose, often within the family or community.
It's become clear to me that what i'm producing is not folk art, but influenced by it greatly. Within my work I don't want to imitate folk art but for the meaning and feeling to be there, for my work to be both aesthetically creative and but also serve the purpose of making an audience feel strong emotions through the use of the awareness and reality of the situation.
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