Folk Art

The News & Record published a fabulous article on the front page of the "Ideas" section on Sunday (9/11/16 p. E1). Written by Scott Romine, Head of the English Department at UNCG, the topic was "What constitutes fork art?.  Romine shares the common assumption that folk art "promises something lost in a globalized world of box stores, fast food and auto-tuned pop." He explains that folk art comes from a people, as opposed to a person. Folk art and folk culture aren't something available at the marketplace of "boutique multiculturalism"*

The tradition of hanging bottles in trees is traced to Africa and represents and effort to trap evil spirits. This tradition has been in the rural south for several generations. Now, bottle trees are available made from metal and people put them in their yards, to be sure for decorative purposes and possibly for the original purpose of chasing away evil. They have an element of folk art in them. The bottle tree above is found in Westerwood. They are usually available for sale at the Art to Soul Walk, held in the Westerwood neighborhood (map here) October 1st from 10am-5pm. We suggest go to Art & Soul and be on the lookout for folk art. While we can't pinpoint an exact definition, Romine asserts, "one knows it when one sees it."

*Romine attributes the phrase to Stanley Fish.

Comments

[William Kendall]

I've never seen it done here.