Art Nouveau-Primitivism-Machinist

Musee Quai Branly Museum.


Day 8 in wonderful Paris!

Today we had to focus between the questions of faith and science. Back in the 16th Century we started to question faith. It was believed that we are all ruled

and run by a clock, Clockwork Theory, if Im not mistaken I think Voltaire thought this. A lot of people didn't believe in what he was saying. Sort of thought he was a nut case.

When going to the Museums we had to look for the Avant Guard of Art Nouveau. We looked for the reaction to the emotional psyche and going back to the beginning to find our emotional feelings.

1. Primitivism: Organic, return to nature.

2. Machinist: One who makes, operates, or repairs machines.

People have this idea that they need a machine for living.

There is no more organic living and taking your time.

Having machines means that cleanliness is becoming hugh and health is getting better.

Our first Museum of the day was Musee Quai Branly.

Cimier Antilope Des Marais Ajobo Marsh Antelope Headdress.

The Piece I chose to talk and sketch about was from Nigeria. It's a mask that, I believe ,was used as a warrior mask to ward off evil and to scare the enemy if there were ever any entering the tribe grounds.

These masks were not mass produced. Not one is the same through out the village. 20th century primitivism. NO machine involved. All organic handy work put into these masks.

The paint on these masks was amazing. Really hard to see so I couldn't get a picture of it, but when I was close to it I could see faint parts of it in the light. The Patterns on the mask make it look tribal. That leads me to believe that this mask was for protection.

One part that I saw that was close to the mouth was the shape of a stop sign and a outlined hand in that shape almost resembling a stop sign, which again makes it seem like a mask for warding off something bad or intruders.

The lighting around this mask creates shadows which gives it a protective dark erie feeling.

Back in these days this mask would be considered Avant Guard, because it was resembling a head of an animal instead of a face of a human. Going totally radical and not following the rules of headdresses. This was a new way of protection of the village.