Assignment: Asian Art

1. Describe one traditional art form a Native American tribal group. How does it represent an adaptation to the local environment and then discuss how contemporary Native American artists keep this art form alive. Compare that to a traditional Asian - Asian American art form. How do Asian American artists keep the art form alive? Use at least three examples of each culture.

2. Discuss the position of being "in between" - socially, as Kim and Machida describe. What topics are principle to their discussion and how are they treated by artists of various Asian heritages? How does this compare with Dan Namingha's statements about Dualities? How does Dan address the problem visually?(Reference Dan Namingha's statement "My paintings are two-dimensional. What I wanted to do in moving from painting to sculpture was to get the three dimensional effect...to see two sides of the image. When I was thinking about these things, I was thinking of my own culture as well, the idea that as Native Americans we live in two worlds constantly. On the one hand we are holding on to tradition, while on the other hand, we have to leave and live in the dominant society and try to interact with that .... So you have these dualities..."(1997)

3. In Asian art, contemplating nature intended to provide wisdom for living life - people among people through of nature and elements that are perceived to be in natureby Taoism or Confucianism. How does that compare with Asian American and Native American perceptions ofnature? How has it changed??? How has it stayed the same?? if at all!