Folk Art in Modern Art History: Knowledge of Its Influence and Evolution
Folk art is artwork made by non-artists that depicts the traditions and lifestyles of people. It can be characterized by its frequently chosen simple and bright color combinations. Folk art has a kind of connection with modern art since, during some periods, it started to dictate to modern artists the usage of popular motifs accompanied by radical innovations for the current epochs.
Today, folk art is still prevalent and still changes with the addition of new techniques. This article seeks to examine folk art, its passage through history, and how it has influenced modern art.
Today, folk art is still prevalent and still changes with the addition of new techniques. This article seeks to examine folk art, its passage through history, and how it has influenced modern art.
how to buy art from a gallery
September 24, 2024
Daryna Markova
contributor DOM Art Residence
Defining Folk Art
Folk art is easily recognizable by its stylized, brilliant, and naive imagery. It is made by hand, where the object’s function is combined with ornamentality. It is easily identifiable and uses the simplest of designs, coupled with some bright and intentionally over-the-top patterns. Some of the characteristics of folk art are the portrayal of life scenes, customs, and religious beliefs, as these represent part of people’s artistry passed on from generation to generation.
Folk art can be seen as an artifact that retains and documents the traditions of a community, tells about local stories and views, and provides us with information about the artist’s origin and background through the use of motifs in objects such as quilts or pottery.
Folk art can be seen as an artifact that retains and documents the traditions of a community, tells about local stories and views, and provides us with information about the artist’s origin and background through the use of motifs in objects such as quilts or pottery.
Characteristics of Folk Art
- Cultural expression. It preserves and demonstrates the norms that prevail in particular cultures and societies. Conventional Native American beadwork design has been associated with spiritual roles and other features like intricate patterns.
- Simplicity and accessibility. Folk art is free from academic structures and is characterized by simple contours and clear, unmixed hues.
- Functional and decorative. Some of the most common folk arts include quilts and pottery; they are useful artifacts that offer ornamental features to societies, towns, or cities.
Historical Significance of Folk Art
Folk art has a deeper meaning in that it provides ethnological and historical documentation of a group’s or society’s lifestyle at that particular time. The significance of oral tradition is found in the fact that it enables history and cultural essence within various communities to be passed down and depicted as they are.
Early Origins
Folk art has its origins in ancient societies. For example, in ancient Egypt, pottery and wall paintings in the form of art represented the social culture of the Egyptians, including their religious practices. In like manner, in early Greek and Roman civilizations, basic yet meaningful motifs on pottery and sculpture recounted myths, folk productions, and routines.
Medieval and Renaissance Periods
During the medieval period in Europe, folk art was represented in the form of illuminated manuscripts and religious items. These were mostly accompanied by detailed ornate patterns and telling motifs. In the Renaissance, folk and fine art started to get separated due to folk being more concerned with the use of value and common people as opposed to fine art.
Colonial and Regional Developments
Folk art was the simplest form of artistic production in colonial America since it allowed the settlers to maintain cultural symbols and transform European culture in a new environment. Some items, such as quilts, furniture, and ceramics, were made to represent certain aspects of the lives of the settlers and their culture and beliefs. As folk art, it progressed as such in other parts of the world, although styles differed by region and the resources, tools, and customs available locally.
Preservation of Cultural Heritage
Aspects like beadworks, motifs, and pottery from the indigenous population of the Americas have their own culture, bearing icons of historical and religious meanings.
Modern Recognition and Revival
Folk art is being displayed in museums all over the world and in cultural institutions and festivals. The focus has shifted to diversity and quality. This modern approach helps to maintain the art form and introduce it to new generations, as well as the history behind it.
Early Origins
Folk art has its origins in ancient societies. For example, in ancient Egypt, pottery and wall paintings in the form of art represented the social culture of the Egyptians, including their religious practices. In like manner, in early Greek and Roman civilizations, basic yet meaningful motifs on pottery and sculpture recounted myths, folk productions, and routines.
Medieval and Renaissance Periods
During the medieval period in Europe, folk art was represented in the form of illuminated manuscripts and religious items. These were mostly accompanied by detailed ornate patterns and telling motifs. In the Renaissance, folk and fine art started to get separated due to folk being more concerned with the use of value and common people as opposed to fine art.
Colonial and Regional Developments
Folk art was the simplest form of artistic production in colonial America since it allowed the settlers to maintain cultural symbols and transform European culture in a new environment. Some items, such as quilts, furniture, and ceramics, were made to represent certain aspects of the lives of the settlers and their culture and beliefs. As folk art, it progressed as such in other parts of the world, although styles differed by region and the resources, tools, and customs available locally.
Preservation of Cultural Heritage
Aspects like beadworks, motifs, and pottery from the indigenous population of the Americas have their own culture, bearing icons of historical and religious meanings.
Modern Recognition and Revival
Folk art is being displayed in museums all over the world and in cultural institutions and festivals. The focus has shifted to diversity and quality. This modern approach helps to maintain the art form and introduce it to new generations, as well as the history behind it.
The Influence of Folk Art on Contemporary Art
Folk art has influenced contemporary art through the adoption of its aesthetic features, which include vivid colors and numerous patterns. In particular, postmodernists freely borrow from folk art, incorporating its simplicity into their creations. In new ways, techniques such as hand-weaving and block printing are applied with the help of traditional and innovative ones.
Some modern artists, like Faith Ringgold, who quilts to tell stories directly, and Carmen Lomas Garza, who paints traditional Mexican folk art, represent this impact. Thanks to concertation on the issues of community history and culture, contemporary folk art encourages artists to consider identity, history, and societal questions.
Some modern artists, like Faith Ringgold, who quilts to tell stories directly, and Carmen Lomas Garza, who paints traditional Mexican folk art, represent this impact. Thanks to concertation on the issues of community history and culture, contemporary folk art encourages artists to consider identity, history, and societal questions.
Contemporary Folk Art in the US
At the beginning of the twentieth century, a group of American modernists started combining the simple geometric shapes and bright and primitive colors of the early folk arts with the movements they had studied in Europe and were adapting in America.
Contemporary folk art, including weathervanes, portraits, decoys, hooked rugs, theorem paintings, etc., has the longest and most evolving history, starting from the Summer School of Graphic Arts in Ogunquit, Maine, in 1911. Becoming part of the major art museums starting in the 1930s.
It went to the extent of establishing institutions to house art pieces in specialized museums, such as the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum in Colonial Williamsburg (Virginia) and the American Folk Art Museum (NY).
The collection of contemporary folk art is not so distinctive. It includes works by important figures in the art world, such as curator Holger Cahill, dealer Edith Halpert, and Juliana Force, the first director of the Whitney Museum of American Art. It features pieces by artists who collected and exhibited folk art, including Elie Nadelman, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, and Charles Sheeler. These pioneers saw folk art as a genuine school of art, an heir to American art, and a living tradition.
Contemporary folk art, including weathervanes, portraits, decoys, hooked rugs, theorem paintings, etc., has the longest and most evolving history, starting from the Summer School of Graphic Arts in Ogunquit, Maine, in 1911. Becoming part of the major art museums starting in the 1930s.
It went to the extent of establishing institutions to house art pieces in specialized museums, such as the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum in Colonial Williamsburg (Virginia) and the American Folk Art Museum (NY).
The collection of contemporary folk art is not so distinctive. It includes works by important figures in the art world, such as curator Holger Cahill, dealer Edith Halpert, and Juliana Force, the first director of the Whitney Museum of American Art. It features pieces by artists who collected and exhibited folk art, including Elie Nadelman, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, and Charles Sheeler. These pioneers saw folk art as a genuine school of art, an heir to American art, and a living tradition.
The Future of Folk Art in the Modern World
The future of folk art seems bright and dynamic, and it is in a position to adopt some modern trends as well as incorporate international influences, all while maintaining its traditional facets.
Embracing Digital Innovation
Contemporary artists are giving new meaning to the concept of folk painting by employing new techniques while incorporating the availability of technology. Digital media unlocks new possibilities with experimentation. It can be presented in various formats and engage with other types of art from around the world.
El Anatsui is a good example of how old art traditions can intersect with digital and contemporary practices. His large-scale sculptures, created from recycled materials like bottle caps, merge traditional African craft techniques with modern artistic methods.
Embracing Digital Innovation
Contemporary artists are giving new meaning to the concept of folk painting by employing new techniques while incorporating the availability of technology. Digital media unlocks new possibilities with experimentation. It can be presented in various formats and engage with other types of art from around the world.
El Anatsui is a good example of how old art traditions can intersect with digital and contemporary practices. His large-scale sculptures, created from recycled materials like bottle caps, merge traditional African craft techniques with modern artistic methods.
El Anatsui, A Desire To Get Away, 2024
El Anatsui, Metal Cloth, 2023
Global Exchange and Fusion
The globalization of art causes strong interconnections among cultures. This art combines traditions resulting from the ethnological developments of other countries and forms a synthesis of new trends. This cross-cultural input enhances the aesthetics of the art form by adding novel approaches and motifs.
Yinka Shonibare embodies the correlation of modern folk art with postmodern art. The artwork of the contemporary artist involves brightly patterned Dutch wax fabrics with African and European origins, through which Shonibare comments on the burning issues of identity and colonialism. By so doing, Shonibare’s art provokes the outside world to consider how different cultures and interactions may assimilate folkloric practices for inventive purposes.
Yinka Shonibare embodies the correlation of modern folk art with postmodern art. The artwork of the contemporary artist involves brightly patterned Dutch wax fabrics with African and European origins, through which Shonibare comments on the burning issues of identity and colonialism. By so doing, Shonibare’s art provokes the outside world to consider how different cultures and interactions may assimilate folkloric practices for inventive purposes.
Documentation
These documents serve as proof of authenticity, ownership, and value, and they are essential for future resale, insurance, and appraisal purposes:
- Certificate of Authenticity (COA). This is the most invaluable document that a collector should ever acquire. It confirms that the artwork is authentic and that it was made by the mentioned artist.
- Provenance Documentation. This document is a comprehensive record of the ownership history from the artist of the work to the rightful owner at the time of this document.
- Bill of Sale. A receipt is a legal document that documents the sale of the art from the gallery to you as the buyer.
- Condition Report. A condition report notes the appearance of the piece at the time of sale and stream. It is particularly useful for insurance and subsequent restoration work.
- Appraisal Report. It contains an independent assessment of the value of the artwork. It comes in handy for insurance purposes or when an individual wants to know the market value of the artwork.
- Exhibition and Publication History. This document gives details of any other exhibitions that the artwork has been admitted to and any publication that has also used the artwork.
- Insurance Documentation. It features the insurance details of the artwork while in transit and after it is placed at the client’s premises.
- Artist’s Biography and Artwork Description. More information about the artist and a detailed artwork analysis can prove valuable in evaluating and appreciating the piece.
Caring for the Artwork
Proper care involves several aspects, from handling and displaying to cleaning and ensuring the artwork:
Handling and Transporting
When working on art pieces, it is advisable to wear cotton gloves, or if that is not available, clean hands can do the trick so that one will not accidentally ruin the piece. It is also important to never try to move a framed or stretched painting by its frame. For large and expensive pieces, hiring professional art movers who are experts in moving artwork is advisable. Use quality packing materials. This involves placing the artistic piece on acid-free paper and finally enclosing the piece in bubble wrap.
Displaying and Hanging
Do not put the artwork in places that are exposed to direct sunlight or use UV-protective glass or acrylic. Ensure that the environment is stable and the temperature and humidity level are steady, with optimum values being 18-21°C (65-70°F) and 40-50%. Do not place art near a fire, heater, electric fan, or any other source of heat or damp areas of the rooms.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Clean dusty artworks frequently with a non-lint cloth or feather duster since dust may result in damage and discoloration of the artworks. Do not use the cleaning spray or water directly on the surface since they are likely to cause harm.
Storage
Artwork should be stored in conditions that are away from direct sunlight and suffer from high temperatures and humidity. It needs to be stored in a good place, avoiding extreme conditions in which basements, attics, and garages fall.
Insurance and Documentation
Find a specialized art insurance policy that would handle theft, damage, or even loss of the artwork. Take clear and accurate photos of your collection, write detailed descriptions, and record its history, status, and purchase receipts.
Security Measures
Provide security alarms and surveillance cameras in areas of art exposition as well as in art storage places. Valuable pieces must only be made available to particular people or organizations.
Handling and Transporting
When working on art pieces, it is advisable to wear cotton gloves, or if that is not available, clean hands can do the trick so that one will not accidentally ruin the piece. It is also important to never try to move a framed or stretched painting by its frame. For large and expensive pieces, hiring professional art movers who are experts in moving artwork is advisable. Use quality packing materials. This involves placing the artistic piece on acid-free paper and finally enclosing the piece in bubble wrap.
Displaying and Hanging
Do not put the artwork in places that are exposed to direct sunlight or use UV-protective glass or acrylic. Ensure that the environment is stable and the temperature and humidity level are steady, with optimum values being 18-21°C (65-70°F) and 40-50%. Do not place art near a fire, heater, electric fan, or any other source of heat or damp areas of the rooms.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Clean dusty artworks frequently with a non-lint cloth or feather duster since dust may result in damage and discoloration of the artworks. Do not use the cleaning spray or water directly on the surface since they are likely to cause harm.
Storage
Artwork should be stored in conditions that are away from direct sunlight and suffer from high temperatures and humidity. It needs to be stored in a good place, avoiding extreme conditions in which basements, attics, and garages fall.
Insurance and Documentation
Find a specialized art insurance policy that would handle theft, damage, or even loss of the artwork. Take clear and accurate photos of your collection, write detailed descriptions, and record its history, status, and purchase receipts.
Security Measures
Provide security alarms and surveillance cameras in areas of art exposition as well as in art storage places. Valuable pieces must only be made available to particular people or organizations.
Tips for Collectors
To become a more knowledgeable and discerning collector, consider these tips:
- Visit Galleries and Museums. Visiting galleries and museums regularly enriches your perceptive skills and interest in art.
- Read Articles and Books about Art. You should read art books, magazines, and articles available online.
- Network with Other Collectors. Get into classes or groups that are interested in art.
- Attend Art Fairs and Auctions. You can also buy art without a middleman intervening in your acquisition.
Collecting with Confidence
In 2023, it was estimated that 20% of collectors acquired artworks worth more than $1 million, showing an increasing trend towards acquiring investment works.
Following strict guidelines in how your pieces are handled, stored, and displayed helps retain the longevity of your pieces as well as their monetary worth. Through observing various styles and movements, traveling to galleries/museums, and reading, you better understand how to make better decisions.
Following strict guidelines in how your pieces are handled, stored, and displayed helps retain the longevity of your pieces as well as their monetary worth. Through observing various styles and movements, traveling to galleries/museums, and reading, you better understand how to make better decisions.