In short, anthropology can be described as the study of humans and their ancestors at any given time or place. It's a broad field made up of four different disciplines, each specializing in a different aspect of humankind and the lives they led. They include archaeology, cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and physical anthropology. I'm sure it doesn't sound all that exciting if you don't already have an interest in learning about other cultures, but each field of study plays a considerably big part in helping and figuring out how people and their ancestors relate to and understand each other.
Part of the work I hope to go on to do is reconstructive illustration, which involves paleontology and physical anthropology, also known as paleoanthropology. The information, theories, and hypotheses they report give me and other reconstructive artists the information we need to rebuild an ancient place, person, or animal in a realistic two- or three-dimensional format. Cultural anthropology can play a role as well in helping to envision ancient peoples and ancestors when the direct, empirical information being used is limited.
This means a lot of what the class has to offer is relevant and can be used, which has given me added incentive to study.
This means a lot of what the class has to offer is relevant and can be used, which has given me added incentive to study.
 |
| The two books for my course and some class notes. The one opened is Anthropology: The Human Challenge. Reconstructing the hominin is French sculptor Élisabeth Daynès. |
 |
| Perspectives of a Homo erectus skull: my version and the book's. Still a work in progress. |
 |
| Yawalapiti tribe members playing sacred trumpets - from an image in Anthropology: The Human Challenge. |
Another reason I'm excited to learn more on the subject is because I'd like to do something similar to the work of anthropological and ethnographic field researchers. That would be traveling to a foreign area to learn what I can from whatever group of people resides there. I wouldn't mind if it was part of a research project or not. I would go just to see what I can learn for myself, even if there was no other funding available.
I've come across some of the work of some photographers who do this, and I'm not sure how they go about it, but I'm determined to find a way.
An example of this career practice is one of today's most notable photographers, Steve McCurry. If the name isn't familiar, I'm sure his photographs Afghan Girl and Red Boy will refresh your memory (both were used by National Geographic). He started as a freelancer, moving to India, and continued onward to be the first to photographically report on the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Through the years he has covered major conflicts, cultural identities, and living conditions in other parts of the world.
It might not seem like there's much of a point if there's already people out there photographing these kinds of scenes. I personally don't think visual progress and expression should end at photography. It's a different kind of process. Photographers report and show you what they've seen. I create what I've seen, and in doing so I make it unique from the subject as well as displaying the subject as I see it. Making an image from scratch also provides for certain freedoms in the creative process that photography lacks. The production requires very simple tools, which means change can be made without using different equipment and can be done with relative ease.
In some situations cameras are seen as intrusive or disruptive, not just by some native cultural groups, but here in the West as well. Cameras are generally not allowed inside the courtrooms of federal cases, for video or photography. We do, however, have sketch artists that record the events at these trials. If a major federal case makes the news, they may show a sketch or two from the collection.
In terms of reconstruction illustration, there's only so much photography can do. Photographs can be used as reference images and even a beginning step if the task is reconstructing an area, but somewhere in the process drawing has to take place either on the computer or using tangible media.
Besides being an adventure in itself, one of the things that draws me the most to the idea of traveling to such different places is most likely finding new and interesting subject matter for direct observation and plein air pieces. I'll draw almost anything, anywhere, at any time, but with so many different possibilities out there, it would be crazy to not try as many places as I can.
Money is about the only reason I haven't started traveling around already. It probably doesn't cost too much to go to some of these out-the-way places, but at the moment just about every dime I get is put back into my education or art.
When the time is right, my more mobile days will start.
I've come across some of the work of some photographers who do this, and I'm not sure how they go about it, but I'm determined to find a way.
 |
| Examples of some of the field work from Applying Anthropology. (click the image to view in full size) |
An example of this career practice is one of today's most notable photographers, Steve McCurry. If the name isn't familiar, I'm sure his photographs Afghan Girl and Red Boy will refresh your memory (both were used by National Geographic). He started as a freelancer, moving to India, and continued onward to be the first to photographically report on the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Through the years he has covered major conflicts, cultural identities, and living conditions in other parts of the world.
It might not seem like there's much of a point if there's already people out there photographing these kinds of scenes. I personally don't think visual progress and expression should end at photography. It's a different kind of process. Photographers report and show you what they've seen. I create what I've seen, and in doing so I make it unique from the subject as well as displaying the subject as I see it. Making an image from scratch also provides for certain freedoms in the creative process that photography lacks. The production requires very simple tools, which means change can be made without using different equipment and can be done with relative ease.
 |
| Steve McCurry, Cobblers, Bombay, India, 1996 |
In some situations cameras are seen as intrusive or disruptive, not just by some native cultural groups, but here in the West as well. Cameras are generally not allowed inside the courtrooms of federal cases, for video or photography. We do, however, have sketch artists that record the events at these trials. If a major federal case makes the news, they may show a sketch or two from the collection.
In terms of reconstruction illustration, there's only so much photography can do. Photographs can be used as reference images and even a beginning step if the task is reconstructing an area, but somewhere in the process drawing has to take place either on the computer or using tangible media.
Besides being an adventure in itself, one of the things that draws me the most to the idea of traveling to such different places is most likely finding new and interesting subject matter for direct observation and plein air pieces. I'll draw almost anything, anywhere, at any time, but with so many different possibilities out there, it would be crazy to not try as many places as I can.
Money is about the only reason I haven't started traveling around already. It probably doesn't cost too much to go to some of these out-the-way places, but at the moment just about every dime I get is put back into my education or art.
When the time is right, my more mobile days will start.
No comments:
Post a Comment