Page 62 - Studio International - March 1972

emerging from the real conflict between of a socialist culture having to assimilate all that Adam Pollock and is the result of two field trips.
traditional bourgeois thought and Marxism. is best in past culture. Conceivably the The Bangwa live in a mountain area in West
Although many of the concerns of art, both in uneducated of socialist Russia needed to learn Cameroon. The authors have made a
theory and practice, in Russia in the 192os about past art, rather than art's most recent fascinating and penetrating study of the
appear to relate themselves to the needs of the developments, in order to erect their own sculptures, both in their aesthetic and social
new state and to Marxist thought, it is possible culture. contexts, which are used during the 'cry-die'
to question the thoroughness of their re- Faced with this, the artist in a bourgeois ceremonies after the death of a chief. These
thinking. Much of the writing contains tradition is confronted with a demand to ceremonies and cults, 'juju' centred in the
theoretically Marxist ideas about the abandon his art now, in order that political Night Society protect the palace during the
interrelationship of thought and reality, the action may provide, not for him alone but for all often turbulent interregnum and present the
priority of the base over the superstructure, and members of society, an opportunity for real successor to the people. Apart from this
the problem of the independence of the artist's creation of, and participation in, works of art. powerful secret society there are many other
`intuition' from social conditioning, as well as Throughout Marx's work there seem to me to societies with political, economic and social
the need for artists to engage their work actively exist ideas of certain essences, certain always- functions, for example the Gong, the Elephant
in gaining popular support for the revolution: present potentials, which only a socialist society and the Leopard societies, each with elaborate
yet it seems to me that very many of the actual can give full expression to. Of these, the essential masks, costumes, dances and songs. The authors
texts remain concerned with art in a traditional nature of man is one, and linked to this is that of present some intimate portraits of Bangwa
way, unenlightened by Marx's broadest work and that of art. In Marx's scheme all artists and show how the art styles are influenced
scientific understanding of society. Even those social organizations use these essential qualities, by two culture areas—the Bamileke of the
who proclaimed the death of art did so on the and all human beings are aware of them, even savannah and the Ekoi of the West Cameroon
two fairly crude grounds of rejecting bourgeois if dimly. Equally, in all but a socialist society, and Eastern Nigeria. Of special value are the
art and the need for industrialization, a theme their expression, in practice, is distorted and many photos of sculptures, because many of
much more part of capitalist than Marxist limited, and at times they are turned into their them have become famous collectors items. Now
thought, while those who claimed to be the opposites. What Trotsky continually accuses the best figures have been taken by marauding
cultural representatives of the new society the avant-garde in Russia of is asserting an collectors and some of the chiefs refuse to show
ignored the Marxist view of the relationship essence without reference to its real context in their treasures or let them be photographed.
between ideas and historical events. the social and political situation. Since in many The authors have established their point well—
In this sense it is possible to relate to ways we face the same situation today, I feel this small area of the Cameroon Highlands is one
internal factors the relative failure of the artists that documentation and criticism of this period of the most fertile breeding grounds of sculpture
in this period to really link themselves with its can only be helpful. Yet while the analysis in West Africa.
social and, particularly, its political life. remains essentially that of an artistic tradition Andrew and Marilyn Strathern have chosen a
However, it may be that this is misleading for which already exists, it is liable to the same very special artform —self-decoration. The
us today. Certainly the internal factors were weaknesses and ultimate failures as the original Hageners of New Guinea are not known for
strong. The influence of existing traditions in art art. q carvings, masks and paintings like other New
was powerful in determining its development in A.R.L.HIGGENS Guineans. Their medium of artistic creativity is
socialist Russia, as we are increasingly aware; their own bodies —not merely for decorative
while the rise of Stalin and the bureaucracy Fieldwork and valuation purposes but for everything connected with
checked and finally halted the investigations and Bangwa Funerary Sculpture by Robert Brain cults, festivals and warfare. One must go back
experiments which were taking place. But, as far and Adam Pollock. 148 pp, 21 illustrations in to Boas's famous lectures on Primitive Art or
as I know, no artist or critic was able to analyse colour, 84 black and white. Gerald Duckworth Levi-Strauss's Tristes Tropiques to find such a
both the artistic and political situation in such a & Co. Ltd. £4.00. comprehensive treatment of body decorations,
coherently Marxist sense as to ally himself to Self-Decoration in Mount Hagan by Andrew yet self-decoration in Mount Hagen excels every
any specific party of opposition to Stalin. It and Marilyn Strathern, 208 pp, 31 illustrations other similar work in the richness of its material
may be that if we see this failure, rather than in colour, 84 black and white. Gerald Duckworth and analysis in depth of the aesthetic and social
any particular limitation or influence, as the & Co. Ltd. £4.50. principles involved.
crucial one, we shall learn more. The first chapter gives us the social setting.
The difficulty, of course, is that if we accept The Art and Society Series, edited by Peter J. The following chapters are concerned with
the Marxist view that the base is prior to, and Ucko and published by Gerald Duckworth decorations, formal and informal, how they are
ultimately more important than the & Co. Ltd., has presented its first two volumes made, face-painting, reactions to display and the
superstructure in determining both events and and it is indeed a pleasure to welcome and meaning of decorations and the connotations of
ideas then we are forced to Trotsky's general recommend them. colour. Thus white and black may be summed
conclusions in Literature and Revolution, that The Editor points out: 'most existing books up as 'male' and contrasted with red as 'female'.
while socialism must, by its nature, produce a on so-called "primitive art" are written at a high One of the basic aims of decorations is, of
richer and more universally useful culture than level of generality. It is hoped that the books course, attracting wealth and the opposite sex.
capitalism, this culture must emerge of its own in this series will do something to supply the In this connection reference can be made to
accord and in its own time. This does not mean lack of basic texts on specific art forms Levi Strauss's description of the Caduveo
awaiting the product of a crude economic throughout the world.' women, who paint face and body for erotic
determinism, but basing action and ideas on a For a true understanding of primitive art— reasons; even the most beautiful tapestries
thorough analysis of the cultural possibilities and indeed of all art—it is important to know as cannot compare with these paintings. Never, it
and political and economic realities as they exist much as possible of the internal and external seems, have the erotic effects of make-up been
and interrelate at any one time. For example, events and circumstances connected with the so consciously and so systematically exploited.
typical of the non-Marxist views of so many creation, display and use of the artforms. The But the authors have also done an impressive
Russian (and Western European) Futurists, was authors have most successfully combined amount of ethnographic and social research,
their rejection of past culture. This is, in fact, anthropological fieldwork with aesthetic illustrating all aspects of self-decoration, styles
typical of the avant-gardist aspect of Romantic valuation. and contexts in which it is used.
art which, in itself, had already become a Bangwa Funerary Sculpture is the work of an The books are beautifully produced, with
tradition. It has nothing to do with Marx's view anthropologist, Robert Brain and a designer, excellent photos and colour plates, line drawings

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