Week 10 Video Review

1) I selected the following four videos because I was interested in learning more about what the topics covered. I chose topics that I knew little about.

2) Buddhism: This video did a great job of explaining details about the culture of Buddhism and its contribution to the art world. Much of the information given is about the architecture of Buddhism. Temples were often built to honor the leaders of the Dynasty.

African Art: Legacy of Oppression: This video was about the many cultures contained within this region. Africa probably contains the most variations of culture in any given area. Much of their art was actually used to define their culture and set them apart from surrounding tribes and threats. Masks were created to instill fear in their opponents during tribal warfare.

Chinese Art: Treasures of the National Palace Museum: This video was interesting because it showed some of the differences in art from Dynasty to Dynasty. Much of the Chinese art was functional just like art from Africa. Their design was similar to the Africans as well; they used mythical beliefs to influence their art. The Chinese used designs with dragons quite often which is of course a mythical creature.

Hinduism: This video was similar to the video on Buddhism as it explained certain cultural beliefs and how their art reflected these beliefs. The video touches on the architectural style of Hinduism. Temples and places of worship were built with great detail but were relatively smaller than other cultures. The reasoning behind this is because the Hindu people do not worship in large groups. Instead they worship alone and the size of their buildings reflects this practice.

3) The videos directly relate to the readings from the text. They expand on points in the book by going into more detail.

4) I enjoyed the videos and feel as if I have learned from them. The videos add depth by giving visual examples to what we had previously read about. I feel it is important to visually see things to really retain important details and information.