Native American Art, popularly known as American Indian Art, is the art of the indigenous resident Americans. The art aims to awaken an emotional response in the mind of the buyers of such a product. Native American Art also came into being because of the freedom of expression. The freedom of expression here is not primarily oral expression but the desire to express and tell their stories through art. This has, over the years, played a significant role in the economy of native Americans.
Features of Native American Art
There are specific nature and features of various things worldwide, and Native American art is not an exception. Discussed below are the major components of Native American Art.
It is Traditional
As stated earlier, the inception of Native American Art started with the indigenous resident of America, making it a traditional art style. The artist’s ability to communicate well depended on recognizing such art within a particular locality. This implies that the artistic expression is limited to a given location with understanding.
It is Based on Individual Talents
Talent is necessary to create popular, beautiful, and captivating Northern American Art. Asides from going through the process of learning how to make this art, indigenous residents have been instilled with this talent, and they do not need to learn from anyone to create something exceptional. This, according to the Native Americans, is popularly known as the “Vision Quest,” where a particular person can see things beyond the physical realm.
It is a Means of Communication
Art is a form of expressing important ideas or feelings, and northern American art is not an exception. Over the years, these artworks have been used to communicate with other people. Artists who have difficulty expressing how they feel or what needs to be done in a particular way can use their talents and vision quest to communicate to people. Another important thing is that there are a lot of possibilities to speak to a large audience with their art. Native American artists interact with their audiences optically, expressing how beautiful the world is through shapes made by wood, textiles, pigments, etc.
Honor for the gods
Asides from the features above and nature, another important thing to note is that these arts are important for honoring their gods. There’s always a way of keeping and showing reverence to supreme beings. The Native Artists use their art to honor their gods because they believe that these gods are the author of the vision quest, which allows them to be creative about painting and creating other art forms.
Economic Value
Despite being a traditional art, Native American Art is also used to make money for its creators. Since it’s their Intellectual Property, they have the opportunity to monetize it and also generate money for their indigenous community.
Native American art has existed for generations, and it has come to stay. The most important way to encourage the artists to create more art is to purchase their craft; this will increase their productivity and, in the long run, make the world more beautiful.