Factors That Have Shaped Bahamian Culture Essay

Factors That Have Shaped Bahamian Culture - Essay Example The essay "Factors That Have Shaped Bahamian Culture" discusses a number of factors that have shaped the Bahamian culture and identity since a large number of Haitian migration to the Bahamas at the end of the 18th century have been instrumental in constant tension between the Bahamians and Haitians. However, the Haitian retention of African based beliefs and customs, its music, folklore, and gambling habits, has had some effect on the Bahamas. Since 1967, there have been developments in music, dance, festivals, literature, painting crafts, and architectural preservation, which have helped define a Bahamian identity. The Department of Archives plays a dominant role in preserving the rich island architectural heritage and takes care of the antiquities, monuments, and museums. However, the lack of recognition by other Caribbean countries has been a great stumbling block for the nation to establish its own identity and many outsiders viewed the Bahamas as an offshoot of the United State s and a tourist Mecca with sun, sand, sea, and sex, and a society devoid of serious writers. Analysing the Bahamian culture one can understand that it is the Bahamian African culture that has shaped the Bahamian identity and that factors such as the tourism industry, the changed political scenario, and the oral tradition and newspapers have been instrumental in developing the Bahamian culture and identity. Yinna points out three elements that contributed to the formation of a ‘collective self-image’ among the Bahamians after 1973.

Jackson Pollock as an artist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jackson Pollock as an artist - Essay Example Jackson Pollock introduced a new metamorphism in the post world war two era of art because he came up with new diversification of abstract art and figurative imagery. Apparently he introduced the new concept of abstract art in which concepts of â€Å"pour† painting were introduced. As an artist he revolutionized the field of art in America due to his unique style of painting in whole body was involved. As an artist there are two phases of him in which he transformed. Firstly he was staunch advocate of representational art working like that of Picasso and his role models were mural artworks of Mexican artist but then his life took a new turn when he married a famous artist named Krasner.After marriage his thought process evolved and he worked in a new domain known as â€Å"drip painting†. Drip painting involved using of the most unconventional forms of art ever practiced. IT was later known as action painting. Jackson used to pour the paint on the canvas and let the drip pings freeze so that they can give a good look on the canvas. Literally everything could be used as brush from a simple lipstick to a hardened brush from a tree. Jackson Pollock eventually became characterized by this technique and used it at maximum optimal usage. It is because of Jackson Pollock that world of art saw the alluring forms of adroitness like sand painting and under- painting. Using of gestures, which was later became a proper field in art deployed the concept of â€Å"gestural lines† through which all the mess of three views, foreground, background and side view was vanished. Jackson said that the lines should be used in such a way the viscosity of the fluid can be used optimally. He also started a new technique in the design process which used painting the canvas horizontally rather than vertically in order to save the paint and color combinations. Jackson Pollock really did great services to art because of his ideas, people started to perceive the canvas as a workspace where they can actually â€Å"perform† some art at run time rather than just sticking to the conventional ways to follow and draw a design. Jackson Pollock was later on appreciated by many gurus of art and he is regarded as pioneer of â€Å"action painting† in the modern era. Jackson Pollock in his personal life As a man in his personal life, he can be regarded as a person exceptionally volatile. Because of his early tough life and childhood, he could never get a chance to actually settle to a routine or idea. He is said to be drunk excessively, cruise and agile personality. Drinking became the main cause of his accidental death later on and this great legend of art was no more with us to draw his talent on the canvas. â€Å"I am Nature† Jackson Pollock just used to entwine nature in his art works. Once he said to an artist on a reaction to a demand which said to work more outside the nature, â€Å"I am nature†. The meaning of this quote can be easily seen by having few glimpses of his canvas. He just used to dwell in the art work and â€Å"drip† the paint, swayed his body all around and made maximum use of nature to express what was inside him. Using of tree brushes, syringes to paint, and leaves to depict is a sign that point towards an ideology, which later on made some standards in the modern American field of art. Jackson Pollock was of the view that art work should be such painted that it does not need explanations, technical faults, unnecessary details rather the viewer can only admire the allure of the scene just like he does when he sees a bed of roses. The captivating beauty of abstract art and action painting by Jackson Pollock approves this thesis if we just have a bird’s eye view of such of his masterpieces. Pensive feathers, animal dancing, springs of long island are examples of his love for nature. Quote There are numerous and ample quotes of Jackson Pollock about abstract art because this was his primary field of interest. Choice is difficult to make among so many astute quotes but one