Abstract
This article investigates the notion of the
‘contemporary vernacular’ in the visual arts and
how this is invented or developed in response
to certain national imperatives, as delineated
in Hobsbawm & Ranger (1983), Fine (2004)
and Bowe (1993). It then examines the sociopolitical
factors that give rise to the need for the
invention of the ‘contemporary vernacular’ and
the characteristics of such ‘vernacular’ arts,
and clarifies this theoretical explanation briefly
in relation to two historical examples, viz. the
Russian matrioshka doll and the products
of Morris & Co., the Victorian craft company
belonging to William Morris. It then examines
three examples of contemporary South African
crafts, namely Ardmore Ceramic Art, Kaross
embroideries and the Mapula project. The
works produced by these initiatives show
stylistic characteristics that reveal a developing
South African ‘contemporary vernacular’ and,
furthermore, in their modes of production,
correlate with the social, political and economic
characteristics of ‘vernacular’ arts in a number
of countries.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:tut/oai:encore.tut.ac.za:d1001853 |
| Date | 14 September 2009 |
| Creators | Stevens, I, Allan Munro, A |
| Publisher | Universit y of South Africa Press |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | |
| Rights | © Universit y of South Africa Press |
| Relation | De arte |
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