Primitivism

1. What are some of the formal characteristics of Primitivist art?
Overt sexuality is a major characteristic in primitivist art, as ‘primitive’ people were seen as more sexually available compared to people in more developed areas. Abstraction of facial and body parts is often a characteristic, along with the use of pattern and colour. The artworks are also often very flat, without being overly realistic.

2. What is the difference between ‘primitive’ and ‘primitivism’?
Primitive refers to a group of people or a society who have not yet conformed to economic and technological advancements, and live a simpler life more focused on manual labour. Primitivism is the concept that life was better and more moral in a more primitive state of living, without the business of technological build-up.

3. Discuss how contemporary ‘Primitivism’ might manifest itself.
As we continue our advancement in technology we will be building up our society even further, and there will forever be people who long for a simpler time without all the complications of modern machinery.

4. Find an example of a work at the NGA that you think might be primitivist and discuss what might make it so.

Manao Tupapau by Paul Gauguin is a prime example of primitive art. The lithograph is of a naked primitive woman, who is drawn in a very sexual, but not seductive way. The artwork is also very flat, and doesn’t have much depth or dimension, which is often seen in primitive art. Paul Gauguin was one of the world’s most influential primitive artists, and left his home in Paris to visit places such as Peru and Panama in order to search of subjects who are more available to his artworks.