Krabbel KunsDoodle Art

Headlines in the news today read “whites had no claim to land in South Africa” – statements like these take away one group of the rainbow nations rights to belong to South Africa. Is it any wonder then that the artist, which is to represent SA at the 57th Venice Biennale, Candice Breitz, chooses to live and work abroad?

Screenshots from the “Becoming series”, Candice Breitz, 2003.

Candice Breitz, born 1972 in Johannesburg, studied Fine Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg). After graduating, in 1993, she moved to America – where she continued her studies, receiving her Master’s degree in Art History at the University of Chicago and her doctoral at Columbia University (New York).

Currently she is a Professor of Fine Art at the Braunschweig University of Art (Berlin).

Although she has an impressive repertoire of exhibitions and publications one have to wonder if she is indeed the best candidate to represent South Africa today? She has lived longer abroad than in South Africa. Could they not find ANY suitable candidate that lives and works in South Africa to represent our art at the Biennale?

During 1994-8, her work focused on questions about gender and identity in South Africa. Examples of her early work includes “The Ghost series” (1994-6) and “Rainbow series” in which she questions commodity and gender.

Above: “Ghost series”, Candice Breitz, 1994-6.

She also created series in which she question commodities, trademarks and the art market (art as commodity), e.g. “My Twin” and “Painting by Numbers”. (1997).

In works that are more recent her art consist of video art. In “Working class hero” (2006) she explores modern peoples disillusion with believe systems and societies values as accepted status quo that needs to be re-evaluated.

Above image of “working class hero (A portrait of John Lennon)”, Candice Breitz, 2006

Her art is most definitely Conceptual Artworks but very little of her South African identity can still be found in her thinking and creative process. In the current climate where many South African’s find themselves living abroad – perhaps she is the best choice, after all, to represent all those displaced South Africans since they can better relate with her way of thinking!

South African Art

Looking at contemporary South African art one of my favorite artist is Diane Victor, a graphic visual artist that is always looking to push the boundaries with her experimental art. The beauty of her mark making holds your attention even if the depicted image pushes you away – you as viewer are caught looking again and again, making you her captured prey as defenseless as the victims she depicts.

Diane Victor was born in Witbank, South Africa. She received her BA Fine Arts degree at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, majoring in Printmaking, in 1986. Graduating with distinction, she continued to win various awards, including the Volkskas Atelier Award in 1988 that included a ten-month stay in Paris.

Since 1990 to 2014, she has been a part-time lecturer at various South African institutions including the University of Pretoria, Wits Technicon, Pretoria Technicon and Open Window Academy to name a few, teaching printmaking and drawing.

Using etching, charcoal, lino, lithography and embossing to create satirical commentary on contemporary life, she prefers to use figures as signifiers, especially her own self-portrait. With her complex narratives, she explores not only South African issues but also the global crisis of war, corruption and violence in all aspects of life, both public and private.

A few examples:

Image 1: Diane Victor, “Disasters of Peace – All for the Right Price”, 2001 (Flicr Share)

Image 2. Diane Victor, “Disasters of Peace – Blind Justice”, 2001 (Flicr Share)

Image 3. Diane Victor, “Disasters of Peace – Glass Houses and Fence Sifters”, 2001 (Flicr Share)

Image 4. Diane Victor, “Disasters of Peace – Made to Measure”, 2001 (Flicr Share)

Image 5. Diane Victor, “Straightdress”, 2002, Etching and Embossing (Flicr share). The image of a straight dress refers back to Victorian times and women’s place in society – not only their expected role but also their confinement and inability to defend themselves against domestic abuse. Even though women no longer wear straight dresses domestic abuse have not ceased to exist.

Image 6. Diane Victor, “Undertaker” 2014/15, one colour lithography. Here she explores her personal battle with genetic kidney disorder. The crocodile signifies the decease pulling her down – drowning her like a crocodile its prey.

Image 7. Diane Victor, “A Hyena Skin of Doctors”, 2014/15, Two color lithography.

Image 8. Diane Victor, “Employing the Book Advantage” 2014/15, Two-colour lithography. Book Advantage refers to lawyers and recent trails.

Image 9. Diane Victor, “The Usher (Self-portrait with goat)”, 2014/15, Single colour lithography.  In typical Victor style, she questions our relationship with animals, death and sacrifice.

In search of the rainbow nation’s art – who is displaced?

A look at contemporary South African art scene.

Image from ArtThrob.co.za

Do a google search on contemporary South African art. One would expect to get a list of recent exhibitions, art reviews and artists, but no! You get everything except contemporary South African art – with articles starting by giving a historical view of over 4000 years of art on the African continent. Yes, context is important but is it more important than the works of art? The few sites on the google search that actually does refer to contemporary art are ArtTrob and Goodman Gallery.

ArtTrob opens with various headlines, but you really have to search to find the artist and their work between the political debate on race and identity. Reading various articles on ArtTrob one could conclude that the only viable issues in post-apartheid South Africa is still questions about race and discrimination. Furthermore, it would seem that there are no white South African artists born since 1980 but only black artists. Does art only speak to you if you have the ‘correct’ skin-color? Can you only use visual art successfully if you are a specific color?  Why does politics dictate who gets to speak and what they get to speak about in South African art in 2016? 

Why do art critics and writers find it necessary to inform the audience about the black artist skin-color before talking about their art? While writing or talking about other artists work their skin-color are never mentioned – is that perhaps because their work are considered more universal? Or should we rather say more Westernized like some would have us believe, referring to white artists training in more Western practices while black artists training focus more on Non-Western art. Moreover, if that is the ideologies, does it still hold truth? I think not! Today’s training, be you white, pink or black, is the same – everyone have the opportunity to experiment with any form of art practice, both Western and non-Western. We are evermore influenced on a global level through internet and not only by local stimuli.  

Image: Willie Bester, “Taxi”, 1988

During apartheid, most black artists had to work in shadow or in other countries to be heard. Their art only being recognized in South Africa post-apartheid…but their voices now ringing loudly and with the deserved appreciation. Even then, many had some training in Western art through their exiled status or through community training centers organised by mostly white European artists.

Image:Willie Bester, “Cross Roads”, 1991

Others formed part of a resistance movement to fight for change. For example, artist Willie Bester, born in Montague, Cape Town, in 1956 to mixed colored couple – his father a Xhosa migrant worker and his mother a colored. This meant they had to live in informal settlements in other people’s backyard to stay together as a family. From an early age, Bester showed an interest in arts by making toy cars out of recycled wire that he decorated with bits and pieces of scrap metal. His love for art was further developed when he was given paints with which he could experiment. His first paintings depicted street scenes and landscapes, thus, illustrating that he had to rely on local stimuli. In 1982, he held his first solo exhibition. In 1986, he took part-time classes at the Community Arts Project in District Six where he met like-minded individuals that made him more politically aware to use his art as social commentary. He became an active participant in the anti-apartheid's movement. By 1991, he became a full-time professional artist and is recognized as one of the most important resistance artist.

Image: Willie Bester, “Prime Evil”, 1999

Image: Willie Beser, “Boy Playing”, 2003

While the Goodman Gallery site have an exhibition in Cape Town by an artist that is not born in South Africa, Nolan Oswald Dennis, and another exhibition in Johannesburg that is by a South African born artist that now lives and works in the UK, Carla Busuttil. Contemporary South African art or not? Interestingly enough nowhere in the article do you read she is a white artist…it would seem that there are in fact white South African artists born after 1980 – they living elsewhere to find recognition. The new exiles, perhaps?

Image: Carla Busuttil, “A Change of Tongue”, 2014

Image: Carla, Busuttil, “Boss Boys”, 2011

A brief look at the destruction of artworks by malicious acts.

Wikipedia: The BBC published this photo with the caption, "Islamic State (IS) has published images of what appears to be the destruction of the Temple of Baalshamin at the ancient ruins of Palmyra in Syria." They quote one ISIS caption, "The complete destruction of the pagan Baalshamin temple."

Throughout the ages, artworks have been destroyed for various reasons; for example, some by the new rulers in a final act to break the last remnants of resistance from the newly conquered nation, others in jealous rage by a competing artist and still other works have been destroyed in an act of protest and dishonoring of specific groups beliefs.

One example of deliberate destruction of artworks to rewrite history is the destruction of Pharaoh Hatshepsut’s imagery possibly by Amenhotep II at the end of Pharaoh Thutmose III reign in order to downplay her role as ruler of Egypt to mere regent of Egypt. This practice to rewrite history by destroying cultural memories was also familiar in Rome were the Roman Senate could pass the Damnatio memoriae – the Latin for “condemnation of memory” – on a traitor in the ultimate form of dishonor possible, namely to be forgotten by future generations by destroying any trace of that person/s existence. In a sense deleting them from cultural memory to leave no trace, yet it is ironic that many of their names and their stories still exist today.

Wikipedia: “Hatshepsut” photographed by  JCarriker, uploaded by Giorces.

During the Middle Ages, these acts of destroying art become so widespread that the period is still known today as Iconoclasm. The Iconoclasts destroyed artworks in a religious protest against the use of imagery. They believed that depictions of the Bible were a form of idolatry that was strictly forbidden. This type of religious protest sadly did not disappear, it is still happening today – with ISIS and ISIL destroying cultural heritage on a regular basis. At least 28 religious buildings were destroyed by ISIL from June 2014 to February 2015 in an attempt to clarify Islamic traditions. The only items to survive these attacks were the ones smuggled out to fund the ISIL organisation.

Wikipedia:  Destruction of icons in Zurich 1524. from: "Panorama de la Renaissance" by Margaret Aston

Wikipedia:  Looting of the Churches of Lyon by the Calvinists in 1562 by Antoine Caron.

Wikipedia:  Temple of Bel, Palmyra (which was blown up by ISIL August 2015), Syria Photo by  Bernard Gagnon

An Islamic State militant uses a power tool to destroy a winged bull Assyrian protective deity at the museum in Mosul, Iraq. PHOTO: AP PHOTO VIA MILITANT SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT

In South Africa, student protesters burned artworks at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in an attempt to eradicate and rewrite history. This protest started last year when they demanded the removal of the Rhodes statue in front of the campus – stating that the statue was a symbol of the colonial past that still promotes old values of inequality and racial injustices.

News24:  UCT students set paintings alight. 2016-02-16 by Mpho Raborife.

News24: photo from GroundUp reporter Ashleigh Furlong shows that at least one of the paintings destroyed by Rhodes Must Fall protesters was by Keresemose Richard Baholo (2016-02-17)

Twitter photo from The Cape Argus tweet Protesting UCT students burnt paintings and photographs. #Shackville @IOL Pics by @d7e7r7

If the rewriting of history could not be done completely during ancient times, what makes them believe that destroying artworks today will change cultural memory when we live in an age where images exist not only in the physical realm but also in virtual space? While many people have past the artworks in the halls of UCT without even acknowledging them or noticing the works we have to wonder what made these same artworks so unacceptable to these students that they deemed it necessary to complete destroy the art by burning it on the streets. What irrational fear do they have for dated ideologies that these works represent? Post-Modernism have given as the tools to deconstruct images to create new readings from the artworks – to become part of a dialogue – no longer a monologue were only one possible message could be decoded from viewing that artwork. Rather the artwork becomes one element of many – to form the context for new messages and multiple readings. An artwork is after all worth more than a thousand words as the saying goes. However, through the act of destruction the possibility of multiple readings to gain new dialogues are lost forever and instead only one reading remains, namely the one the protesters feared and that meaning will forever remain in the cultural memory.     

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY 16: The aftermath after a protest on February 16, 2016 at the University of Cape Town in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images / Die Burger / Lerato Maduna)

The Art of Byzantine.

Photo: “Vaulting of the Nave, Hagia Sophia”,Istanbul, Steve Evans from Citizen of the World,  Wikipedia

Photo: “West Side of the Upper Gallery”, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Georges Jansoone JoJan, Wikipedia.

The Byzantine Art can be divided into three distinct periods: Early Byzantine started around 300 to 750 AD, the Middle Byzantine period around 850 to 1204; and the Late Byzantine period lasted from 1261 to 1453. Most of the art produced during this time was related to the Christian Church. The Church commissioned most of the artworks, thereby dictating the norm for what was acceptable or taboo. From the very started of Early Christian Art, the question would remain whether an image was acceptable or not and at what point do an image become an idol? The artists of the times solution, that was deemed acceptable by the Church, was to focus less on the physical realm and more on the spiritual realm. Artist started to abandon Classical conventions like shading, perspective, illusions of any kind related to the natural world and any individual characteristics in their illustrations of the Biblical figures. Still not fully satisfied with the artist solutions, this question would eventual lead to the Iconoclast at the end of the Early Byzantine period.

During the Iconoclast, some scholars like Augustine, argued that all illustrations was lies and therefor was intolerable since it promoted the use of lies in the Church that was supposed to preach Truth. By 800 AD, the Iconoclast ended, when the scholars of the Church decided that images may be used to educate the illiterate mass, but the style and appearance was strictly prescribed to become almost abstract with no natural illusion of space and rather two-dimensional depictions of people, animals and objects that just barely resemble the physical objects. With these restrictions, the Church no longer had to worry about idolatry.

Photo:  Imperial Gate mosaics in the former basilica Hagia Sophia of Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) The emperor Leo VI the Wise is bowing down before Christ Pantocrator. In medallions: on the left of Christ, the Archangel Gabriel; on his right, Mary. Photographer: Myrabella, Wikipedia.

Photo: Southwestern entrance mosaic of the former basilica Hagia Sophia of Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) The Virgin Mary is standing in the middle, holding the Child Christ on her lap. On her right side stands emperor Justinian I, offering a model of the Hagia Sophia. On her left, emperor Constantine I, presenting a model of the city. Photographer: Myrabella, Wikipedia.

The Early Byzantine period started in 330 AD, when the first Christian ruler, Constantine, took over Rome. He moved the main city from Rome to the “new Rome” that was to become known as Constantinople (today Istanbul, Turkey) – an important trade city during ancient times with its own harbour. During his reign, the Christian religion becomes the official religion in Constantinople. This facilitated the dissemination of the new religion to the distant corners of the Empire, as far as Egypt. During this period, numerous Churches were built, including the Hagia Sophia (Istanbul, Turkey) and the Basilica of San Vitale (Ravenna, Italy). Many of these Churches also had monasteries were literate monks spend much of their time copying manuscripts that is known as Illuminati. An important further development by the monks was the Codex – bounded manuscripts – that replaced the ancient scrolls.

Most of the church buildings include a dome and glittering mosaics that narrate the Bible to the illiterate masses. The use of gold inside the church buildings along with candelabra and the few window openings manipulated the natural light to brighten the dark building –  creating a mood that subdue people into a spiritual realm and ensuring that people understand that God is the Light in the dark world.

Photo:  Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Wikipedia.

Photo: Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The apse. Wikipedia.

The Middle Byzantine period follows the Iconoclast, with renewed enthusiasm to building churches that are smaller in scale than the Hagia Sophia is but also includes domes and richly decorated interiors. Frescoes and mosaics are used to decorate the ceilings and domes of the churches. It is the illustrations inside the curves that create the most drama within the narrative. This use of the physical space and juxtaposing images to work together demonstrate a thorough knowledge, understanding and excellent planning of arranging images to create the narrative.

The floor plans of these churches are increasingly based on a centralised cross-inside-a-square. A plan that was to become synonymous with the Byzantine Art. Later the exterior of these churches are also adorned, a beautiful example of this is, Hosios Loukas Monastery, Greece.

Photo: View of Hosios Loukas Monastery. Photographer:  Jean Housen Wikipedia.

Photo: Exterior of  Hosios Loukas Monastery. Photographer:  Jean Housen Wikipedia.

Photo:  Fresco from Hosios Loukas (St. Lucas) monastery in Boeotia, Greece. Wikipedia.

During the Middle Byzantine period, the Christian religion spreads to the Slavic nations. Russia accepts the Orthodox Christianity during the 10th century leading to new inspiration in the art – beautiful iconography paintings of saints.  

The supreme authority of the Pope from the Latin Church of Western Europe would eventually lead to the crumbling of the Byzantine Empire. The small remnant of the Byzantine Empire in Nicaea was all that remained of the once magnificent and strong kingdom.

Photo:  Rublev's famous icon showing the three Angels being hosted by Abraham at Mamre. Wikipedia

Photo:  Icon of Sts. Peter and Paul from Saint Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod. Wikipedia

The Late Byzantine period can be found in two separate Realms: one includes Constantinople with provinces in the north and central parts of Greece and south to Peloponnesus; and the other at Trebizond in the east. These Realms finally ended in the mid-15th century when the Turks invaded them, Trebizond was the last to fall in 1460.

During the final years of the Byzantine Empire, even though they were desperately holding on defending on all sides and with extremely limited funds their art flourished. New buildings were erected, old ones restored and newly decorated with monumental scale narratives, iconography and church adornments. One of these buildings that was restore and enlarged was the Hagia Sophia. Other example is the Chora Church in Constantinople, here they used more economical mediums, replaced expensive metals with cheaper ones and used glass or coloured stones instead of precious minerals.  

Even after the fall of the Byzantine Empire, their standards for beauty would persistently influence the Latin Western Empire’s ideal of art. The new masters of Constantinople, Islam, also continued to inspire the West.  

Photo: Front view of Chora Church. Wikipedia.

Photo: Rear view of Chora Church. Wikipedia.

Photo:  Mosaic of the enrollment for taxation before Governor Quirinius. Wikipedia.

Photo:  Close-up of the Virgin Mother with child fresco, dome of the parecclesion, Chora Church. Wikipedia.

Photo: A few of my students Icons in gouache with tin foil halo’s.

Wikipedia:  Virgin and Child with Balaam the Prophet,  Image of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, in the Catacomb of Priscilla in Rome. It depicts her nursing the Infant Jesus. This is earliest known image of Mary and the Infant Jesus independent of the Magi episode. The figure at the left appears to be the prophet Balaam pointing to a star (outside the frame). The star is from Numbers 24:17.  (late 2nd century)

Wikipedia:  Good Shepherd, in catacomb of Priscilla (Second half of the 3rd century) Author: Wilpert, Joseph (1857—1944)

With Easter around the corner, we turn our attention to Early Christian Art dating back to around 300 AD. Very few examples survived but some of the most significant icons are in the catacombs of Priscilla, outside the walls of Rome. Priscilla was the owner of much wealth and she opened part of her family’s Villa, namely the catacombs for the early Christians to use. 

The Villa (photo from the official website for Catacombs of Priscilla)

These catacombs were in use from the 2nd century to the late 5th century AD. The catacombs of Priscilla consists of 3 levels and add up to about 13 km of tunnels, some sources suggest that there was almost 40 000 graves by the late 5th century AD when catacombs seized to be used as burial place. By that time the catacombs were mostly visited by pilgrims come to see the martyrs tombs. Many catacombs with holy relics had a basilica build on top of the catacombs for religious congregations to visit the relics during the late 5th century AD.  

The basilica (photo from the official website for Catacombs of Priscilla)

The catacombs of Priscilla’s upper level is very irregular in the layout since it was initially part of a marble quarry and was only later converted to catacombs, while the two lower levels is structured into a fish-bone like symmetry. Galleries containing loculi (individual niches just large enough for a body) stacked on top of each other to form a pilae, as well as larger rooms of wealthy families with sarcophagi – cubicles – can be found throughout the tunnels. The loculus (individual tomb niche) was sealed up with a terracotta tile. Using frescoes and marble engraved epigraphs individual loculi were distinguishable.

The tunnels with unused loculi (photo from the official website for Catacombs of Priscilla)

The imagery of Early Christian art roots are based on the cultural heritage of the newly converted Christians, thus Roman Art, including common poses, compositions and mediums used. Mediums such as frescoes, mosaics and relief sculpture with naturalistic approach to the human figure and a clear understanding of the natural world surrounding them. Frescoes are murals painted into wet plaster or in this case lime. Beautiful examples of frescoes in the catacombs of Priscilla suggest that symbols later found in Christian art were already developed much earlier that previous believed. These symbols include the Good Sheppard, the dove, the fish and peacock. Illustrations of Biblical stories narrate hope for the early Christians while staying in check with local customs. These illustrations were done so subtly in order to avoid prosecution – only other Christians would recognize the story by understanding the acronyms. Especially popular was the acronym: IXΘYS (Fish) the Greek for Jesus Christ son of God and Savior.

Wikipedia:  Funerary stele of Licinia Amias, one of the most ancient Christian inscriptions. Upper tier: dedication to the Dis Manibus and Christian motto in Greek letters ΙΧΘΥC ΖΩΝΤΩΝ / Ikhthus zōntōn ("fish of the living"); middle tier: depiction of fish and an anchor; lower tier: Latin inscription “LICINIAE AMIATI BE/NEMERENTI VIXIT” ("Licinia Amias well-deserving lived ..."). Marble, early 3rd century CE. From the area of the Vatican necropolis, Rome.

The Last Supper, fresco  (photo from the official website for Catacombs of Priscilla)

The Good Sheppard, fresco (photo from the official website for Catacombs of Priscilla)

The frescoes at the catacombs of Priscilla were done in the style of Pompeii. Cubicles were painted to give the illusion of architectural space and details. Artists used red and green to define this space into different parts, thus separating the image plane into distinct parts in which to tell the story, almost like a storyboard.

Fresco of one woman in three stages of her live (In the style of Pompeii)  (photo from the official website for Catacombs of Priscilla)

Wikimedia:  The Gateway of the Sun from the Tiwanku civilization in Bolivia

Our last two stops are Tiwanaku and Wari.

Tiwanaku: The monumental straight-cut building blocks still baffle researchers and visitors alike. Just how did they manage to cut and move these giant blocks? Groves cut into the blocks suggest they used ropes to move and position the blocks. Bronze clamps were cast directly into the T- and I-sockets in the stone to create massive stone doors. These huge stone buildings were used exclusively for temples, while adobe blocks were used for residential buildings.

The sacred complex consisted of the Akapana Temple, with an artificial hill which was over 15 metres high and had seven tiers with steps cut into the east and west sides. The Kalasasaya was a rectangular structure of 130 by 120 metres with the Ponce Monolith (3.5 m tall) at the entrance. Next, we find the Semi-Subterranean Temple, with a sunken court measuring 28.5 by 26 metres, accessed via a single staircase leading down from the south side. All the courts and platforms were paved. The interior wall of the sunken court were decorated with stone heads build into the wall and in the centre of the court stelae (statues) were found, e.g. Bennett Stela which is 7.3 metres tall depicted a ruler of more likely a High Priest of Tiwanaku. On many of the stelae relief carvings depict mythical creatures and suggest a narrative with roots that can be traced back to previous cultures like the Chavin’s.

Wikimedia:  Landscape picture from Pumapunku

Wikimedia:  Puma_Punku

Wikimedia:  Photo du temple "Kalasasay" prise de face avec à l'avant plan, le temple "Semisubterraneo". Photo:Anakin en 2005.

Wikimedia: Photo du monolite "Ponce" de la civilisation des Tiwanaku (avant les Incas) en Bolivia.Author Claire POUTEAU, Clairette, August 2003.

Wikimedia:  Puerta_de_la_Luna_-_Tiahuanaco_(Bolivia)  Flickr: Tiahuanaco Author:Daniel Maciel

Wikipedia: Photo du mur droit du temple Kalasasaya (à droite quand on est en face). Photo: Anakin en 2005.

The most famous structure of Tiwanaku is the monumental Gateway of the Sun. Carved from a single piece of andesite stone, the gateway measures 2.8 metres high by 3.8 metres wide, the opening of the gate is 1.4 metres wide. Relief carvings cover the top portion of the gate: the central figure reminds us of the Staff god from the Chavin culture, the forerunner of the Andean god Viracocha. The central figure is surrounded by three rows of 48 winged creatures wearing feathered headdresses. Underneath these figures is a row of geometrical designs.

The Tiwanaku culture had definite elite group that lived in finer built residential areas with cobblestone foundations and private courtyards surrounded with high adobe brick walls, the houses were constructed from finely cut stone blocks. The largest parts of the residential buildings were built with adobe bricks. Canals, drainage channels, hearths and wall niches have been found suggesting organisation. The absence of storehouses and administrative buildings suggest a lack of provisional planning and eventually lead to their demise with the El Nino draughts.

Precolombian anthropomorphic vase displayed in the "Tiwanaku Museum" at La Paz, Bolivia.

Wari: or huari was a militaristic group that succeeded through successful exploitation of the diverse landscape by building terraces for agriculture using constructed canals to irrigate their crops ensuring stable food sources even during extreme lengths of droughts. This provisional planning and sensible building of enough storehouses ensured the Wari success were other civilisations perished. While their contemporary cultures, the Nazca and the Moche civilisations, complete dispersed during the 30-year drought of the 6th century they flourished.

Wikimedia: Map of Huari Culture

The Wari built massive city walls – up to 10 metres high and 4 metres wide – with large rough stones set in mud mortar. Buildings had two or three stories and courtyards were lined with stone benches built into the walls. Most floors and the walls of buildings were plastered and painted white. There is little distinction between public and private buildings. The temple in the Moraduchayuq compound, in the southeast part of the city, was built in the 6th century and had subterranean parts – the whole structure was painted red.

Similar to other Andean cultures, it is their tombs that provide the best examples of their art, including textiles, ceramics and metalwork. A royal tomb in the Monjachayoq sector consists of 25 chambers on two different levels; all lined with finely cut stone slabs (traded from the Tiwanaku people). A shaft leading down to the third level chamber was built in the shape of a Llama – the royal resting chamber – dates to 750-800 CE. Further down, we find a final room cut out of the rock.

Wari Jar, Museo de Arte PreColombino, Cusco, Peru.  eralon

A beautiful example of Wari settlements can be found at Pikillacta that was built as a military settlement on an altitude of 3250 m. Built in a rectangular form, 745 by 630 metres it is laid out in a precise geometrical pattern of squares that restricted entrance to one single point. Pikillacta is also notable for the 40 miniature greenstone figurines depicting elite citizens and small figures of transformational shamans, warriors, bounded captives and pumas in copper, gold and semi-precious stones.

Aerial view of Pikillacta, facing toward the Cusco Basin. Image credit: Department of Library Services, American Museum of Natural History.

Published in National Geography by Virginia Morell, June 2002.

Published on Two to Travel, photo by Vidal.

Looking down the streets of Piquillacta. Published on Two to Travel, photo by Vidal.

Wikimedia:  Piquillacta Archaeological site - street. 2006

Wikimedia: View of a street in Piquillacta.  Photo by Håkan Svensson (Xauxa) in June 2002.

The Wari civilizations success can also be seen in the extensive trade routes established to far reaching places with settlements along the routes. Roads and water channels connected all the settlements. This system also ensured an economic stable civilization with wealthy elite.

They are especially known for feathered textiles in predominantly geometric rectilinear patterns, like the steppe diamond motif. Blue was a favoured colour for these textiles. Geometric patterns often included a single random change in the motif or colour change suggesting a signature. Other textiles depict deities, plants and animals, particularly the condor, puma and llama.

The same patterns are used in their ceramics and metalwork.

Wikimedia: Fardo funerario WariDate2001 (photo) Source MNAAHP Author Toño Zapata.

Wikimedia:  Wari. Four-Cornered Hat, 650-1000. Cotton, reed, feathers, 6 11/16 x 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 in. (17 x 14 x 14 cm). Brooklyn Museum, A. Augustus Healy Fund, 41.228.

Peru; reportedly from Corral Redondo, Churunga Valley Wari; 7th-10th century Feathers on cotton, camelid fiber, 28 3/4 x 83 1/2 in. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979

The exact cause for the Wari’s decline is unknown, but during the 9th century, they seem to have destroyed their own buildings after entombing their treasures in the subterranean chambers.

For class warmups, we created our own geometrical patterns before looking at example of Wari art:

Wikimedia:  Huaca del Sol, Trujillo, Pérou. Photo by  Martin St-Amant, 2007.

Our journey through Andean Art takes us to the coast of Northern Peru, were we find the impressive remains of the Moche civilization that dates from c 100 BC to 800 CE. Contemporary to the Nazca peoples further down the coast. The Moche, so called because it was the name of their capital, that lies at the foot of the Cerro Blanco mountains and covered an area of 300 hectares. This city included city dwellings, plazas, storehouses and workshop along with impressive monumental pyramids. A high brick wall once enclosed the entire temple complex. Around 450 CE, work on both temples was completed. The larger complex, called the Huaca del Sol (The Sun Temple), was originally more than 50 metres high and was built using over 140 million adobe bricks, each stamped with a signature mark. The smaller temple, known as the Huaca de la Luna (Moon Temple), consists of three tiers built from 50 million bricks. Although, both temples were once brightly decorated in red, yellow and black to provide an imposing setting for religious activities, only the Moon temple’s friezes gives us a narrative of the traditions of the Moche people’s believes and rituals. Both these temples display typical Moche architecture characteristics namely, multiple levels, access ramps and slanted roofing. It seems that the pyramids were also use as a crypt for the important figures of the Moche culture.

Our journey through Andean Art takes us to the coast of Northern Peru, were we find the impressive remains of the Moche civilization that dates from c 100 BC to 800 CE. Contemporary to the Nazca peoples further down the coast. The Moche, so called because it was the name of their capital, that lies at the foot of the Cerro Blanco mountains and covered an area of 300 hectares. This city included city dwellings, plazas, storehouses and workshop along with impressive monumental pyramids.

A high brick wall once enclosed the entire temple complex. Around 450 CE, work on both temples was completed. The larger complex, called the Huaca del Sol (The Sun Temple), was originally more than 50 metres high and was built using over 140 million adobe bricks, each stamped with a signature mark. The smaller temple, known as the Huaca de la Luna (Moon Temple), consists of three tiers built from 50 million bricks. Although, both temples were once brightly decorated in red, yellow and black to provide an imposing setting for religious activities, only the Moon temple’s friezes gives us a narrative of the traditions of the Moche people’s believes and rituals. Both these temples display typical Moche architecture characteristics namely, multiple levels, access ramps and slanted roofing. It seems that the pyramids were also use as a crypt for the important figures of the Moche culture.

Wikimedia:  Moche "Decapitator" mural at Huaca de la Luna.  Photo/upload english wikipedia by J. Stander.

Wikimedia: Lord of Sipan, Royal Tombs. Photo:  Antonio Velasco, 2005

The most impressive examples of the Moche art have come from the recovered tombs at Sipán, San Jose de Moro and Huaca Cao Viejo. The Moche culture is today recognised for their superb realistic portrait ceramic stirrup-spouted vessels. These portraits are recognisable as individuals – real people – in one example; we can recognise one individual in several different depictions because of the cut on his lip. Pottery production made use of moulds but each was individually decorated, typically using cream, red and browns. Other examples of pottery include narrative depictions of everyday life in the Moche culture painted in red on light ceramic wares. Popular subjects display anthropomorphic figures, especially fanged felines, humans in action and animals like snakes, frogs, birds – especially the owl, fish and crabs.

Researchers today believe that the Moon goddess was the supreme deity of the Moche, controlling the seasons and the storms. The Moon is considered more powerful than the Sun since it can be seen both at night and during the day.  This sentiment seems true when examining the multiple examples of night animals displayed in the Moche art as well as depictions of the night skies with a crescent moon.

Other forms of art include stunning examples of metalwork: gold headdresses, chest plates, nose rings and ear spools – some with turquoise inlaid; textiles; tumi knives and copper ware.  

Wikimedia: Vase-portrait of Moche. Legs Louis Capitan Photo:  Patrick.charpiat, Own work, 2009-03

Wikimedia: alpaca wool tapestry, Moche 600-900 A.D. Lombards Museum.

Wikimedia:  Moche Ear Ornaments. 1-800 AD. Larco Museum Collection. Lima-Peru

Wikimedia:  Moche warrior pot, from Moche, Peru, About AD 100–700. British Museum (Am,P.1).

Wikimedia:  Moche. Crescent-Shaped Ornament with Bat, C.E. 1 - 300. Hammered copper, 4 1/8 x 4 5/8 in. (10.5 x 11.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc., 86.224.202

Wikimedia:  Nariguera Moche © Manuel González Olaechea y Franco

For our warm-ups, we did perceptual drawings of portrait vessels: