Basic 6 · Creative Arts · Thinking and Exploring Ideas
International Visual Artists and Their Cultures
In this topic you will study artworks by international visual artists and analyse how they reflect the history and culture of their communities.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Name some famous international visual artists and their works
- Describe how artworks reflect history and culture
- Compare international artworks with Ghanaian artworks
What you already know
- Visual artists of Ghana and Africa (Basic 5)
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- Visual Arts
- Sub-strand
- Thinking and Exploring Ideas
- Indicator
- B6.1.1.1.1 – Explore and study the artworks of some international visual artists and analyze how their artworks reflect the history and culture of some communities in the world
Introduction
Art is like a window into another people's world. By studying paintings and prints from Spain, Japan, Mexico and America, we can learn about the history, beliefs and daily life of those communities.
1. Some International Visual Artists
| Artist | Country | Famous work | What it reflects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pablo Picasso | Spain | "Guernica" (1937) | the bombing of a Spanish town during the Spanish Civil War; the horror of war |
| Katsushika Hokusai | Japan | "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" (about 1831) | Japanese landscape, Mount Fuji, fishing life and woodblock printing |
| Frida Kahlo | Mexico | many self-portraits | Mexican dress, plants, animals and folk traditions; her personal pain |
| Vincent van Gogh | Netherlands | "The Starry Night" (1889) | the night sky and village of Saint-Rémy, France; his emotions |
| Jacob Lawrence | USA | "The Migration Series" (1940–41) | African Americans moving from the South to northern cities |
| Leonardo da Vinci | Italy | "Mona Lisa" (early 1500s) | Renaissance portrait painting and realistic techniques |
2. How Art Reflects History and Culture
Artists show what matters in their society. Picasso painted "Guernica" in black, white and grey to express grief and anger after the bombing of a town, so the painting has become a symbol of the suffering caused by war. Hokusai's prints were made by carving wooden blocks and printing them many times, so ordinary people in Japan could buy art. Frida Kahlo wore traditional Mexican clothing in her self-portraits to celebrate her culture. Jacob Lawrence used simple shapes and bold colours to tell the story of his people's migration in 60 panels, like a picture book of history.
3. Comparing with Ghanaian Art
| Feature | International example | Ghanaian example |
|---|---|---|
| art that tells history | Lawrence's "Migration Series" | adinkra symbols and kente patterns with historical meanings |
| art about war or struggle | Picasso's "Guernica" | murals of independence and the 1948 riots |
| printmaking | Hokusai's woodblock prints | adinkra stamping with calabash blocks |
| celebration of culture | Kahlo's Mexican dress | Ablade Glover's market scenes |
4. Analysing an Artwork
- Describe: What do you see? (people, objects, colours, shapes)
- Analyse: How are the elements arranged? What stands out?
- Interpret: What story, history or feeling does it show?
- Judge: Is it successful? Why?
New words
- international
- Involving more than one country.
- culture
- The way of life of a people.
- woodblock print
- A picture printed from a carved wooden block.
- self-portrait
- A picture an artist makes of themselves.
- mural
- A large painting on a wall.
- symbol
- An image that represents an idea.
Summary
- Picasso, Hokusai, Kahlo, Van Gogh, Lawrence and Leonardo are famous international artists.
- Their works reflect the history, beliefs and daily life of their communities.
- Ghanaian art also tells history and celebrates culture.
- Use describe, analyse, interpret and judge to study art.
Class activity: Art Detectives
- Each group studies a picture of one international artwork.
- Answer: What does it show about the artist's community or history?
- Present your findings and compare it with a Ghanaian artwork.
You need: Printed photographs of Ghanaian, International performers, Locally made drum, Gourd shaker
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Who painted "Guernica"?
- A. Pablo Picasso
- B. Hokusai
- C. Frida Kahlo
- D. Van Gogh
Show answer
Answer: Pablo PicassoSpanish artist.2. "The Great Wave" is a…
- A. Japanese woodblock print
- B. Mexican self-portrait
- C. Spanish war painting
- D. Italian portrait
Show answer
Answer: Japanese woodblock printBy Hokusai.3. Jacob Lawrence's "Migration Series" tells the story of…
- A. African Americans moving north
- B. a Japanese fisherman
- C. a Spanish war
- D. Mexican dress
Show answer
Answer: African Americans moving north60 panels.4. Frida Kahlo came from Mexico.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueShe celebrated Mexican culture.5. "Guernica" is painted in bright, cheerful colours.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseIt is black, white and grey.6. A picture an artist makes of themselves is a ______.
Show answer
Answer: self-portraite.g. Frida Kahlo.7. Name two international artists and one work by each.
Show answer
Answer: Picasso ("Guernica"), Hokusai ("The Great Wave").Any two.8. How does "Guernica" reflect history?
Show answer
Answer: It shows the bombing of a Spanish town during the civil war and expresses the horror and suffering of war.History in art.
Homework
- Find a picture of an international artwork and write what it tells you about the artist's culture.