The Art of Dressing The Body: Throughout
the world and from the earliest of times, the human body has proven
itself to be a powerful vehicle for visual expression and an important
avenue for understanding the rich artistic achievements of world
cultures. The body contains qualities that make it unique for self-embellishment,
including its three-dimensionality and graceful mobility. It is
a multi-faceted canvas that allows a person to express individuality
while engaging in a variety of cultural conversations. The body
itself can be modified or it can be adorned with clothing, costume,
and jewelry. I broadly define dress to include all forms of clothing,
supplementary accessories, and modifications of the body. All forms
of dress can contribute to ideas of tradition, cultural identity
and pride on everyday and festive occasions, as worn appropriate
to time or place. In addition, dress can also distinguish a wearer's
status and his or her unique role in a community, while simultaneously
suggesting social expectations of behavior and knowledge. By exploring
how cultures have adorned the body in the past, as well as in the
present, we are able to increase our historical and contemporary
understanding of differing world perspectives on themes ranging
from sense of self, family, spirituality and culture.
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The dressed body has long been an important focus for creative artistry
among Samoans, communicating important social and cultural messages
through tattoo, clothing and adornment. Worn With Pride: Celebrating
Samoan Artistic Heritage attempts to examine modes of dress in the
Samoan community that are strongly linked with their unique cultural
heritage. For this exhibit, Samoan dress is defined as any item
worn or displayed on the body for at least one of two reasons. First,
it is deemed appropriate or necessary by cultural parameters (determined
by age, event or status), or secondly, it is individually chosen
as a purposeful reference to a general Samoan cultural heritage,
and thus becomes a personal marker of cultural identity. While Samoan
dress expresses cultural affiliation and personal identity, its
meanings have continued to flux and flow throughout history, and
from individual to individual. Learning to appreciate the many forms
and meanings of Samoan dress will enrich our understanding of Samoan
life and culture, while reaffirming the importance of Samoan art
in the global artistic community.
"What is
traditional? The word 'traditional' has often been
misleading and confusing. It connotes a static and
fossilized art form, unchanged and unaffected, come
what may, over the years. This is not true, for
what may be traditional today may not necessarily
be tomorrow. Societies change, and so must their
arts, if they are to be meaningful, functional and
express the sentiment inherent in that society.
This is not a radical and complete break from the
past, but rather a compatible and gradual
modification to suit the new values, identities and
concerns of that society." Vilsoni Tausie, 1979, p.
viii.
"I am
interested in the arts of our region not only for
their own sake, but in how they can be used to heal
and restore our pride, self-confidence, and
self-respect." Albert Wendt, 1983, p.198.
"Worn with Pride: Celebrating Samoan Artistic
Heritage" was curated by Teri Sowell, Ph.D.
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