Re: What do we call ourselves?

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Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on February 20, 2000 at 17:35:55:

In Reply to: What do we call ourselves? posted by Lisa on February 20, 2000 at 16:44:53:

I have no idea what to call myself as a henna artist. "Hinnawi" is
the medieval Spanish word for henna artists, but I doubt if anyone has
used the word since 1550. There are other words, n'gassa, naquasha,
muzzayina ... but most of the indigenous words just confuse folks
around here, (and if they hear a foreign word that's not one they've
seen on a restraunt menu, they get uneasy and walk away).

Several show organizers hereabouts seem to have decided that henna
can't possibly be fine art, or a serious art, because you can't hang
it on a wall and watch it collect dust. Honest to goddess. I got
notes back from some show committees that said henna couldn't be taken
seriously as an art because it is transitory. By that line of
reasoning a toxic waste dump ( tastefully arrayed) has more
credibility as art, then, because its going to last for centuries.

What a silly species.

It may take quite a while for festival organizers to catch onto henna.
It may take quite a while longer for any consensus to form about what
we are. If we're lucky, we'll come in a tad above the "fingernail
miniature artists" and the kiddie face painters .... and a little off
to the side of the folks that array people with bits of removable
metal .... and maybe we'll be a little like 'wearable art' folks with
their clothing and jewelery. I just hope we don't get stuck for long
alongside the racks of stick-on decals with a big "Trendy Mehndi"
banner.

I'm a little reluctant to call henna a fine art, because that carries
a lot of hubris (well, pride and arrogance anyway ) with it .....
stemming from European academic notions of "ART" that I personally
loathe . There have been times in history that henna was an
absolutely extroardinary fine and complex art! Granted, because it
was practiced by women, (courtesans especially) it was considered just
a bit of trivial fluff .....

One note of hope ... in 1800, ceramics, glass, fashion, jewelery,
that whole area of reasonably functional stuff was absolutely not
considered ever to be fine art. Now, fine crafts are often recognized
as fine art ..... maybe henna will get there. If anything does elevate
henna to recognition as a fine art, it will be a cultivation of finer
techniques, better plant strains, better understading of the
chemistry, and a comprehensive knowledge of the history and traditions
of the art form. IE .... back up the artistry with substance.

Follow-ups:

An Artist, If You Like SeeSee 18:38:01 2/20/00 (2)
- Re: An Artist, If You Like Natasha Papousek 16:26:08 2/21/00 (0)
- Re: An Artist, If You Like Lisa 07:23:49 2/21/00 (0)

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: I have no idea what to call myself as a henna artist. "Hinnawi" is : the medieval Spanish word for henna artists, but I doubt if anyone has : used the word since 1550. There are other words, n'gassa, naquasha, : muzzayina ... but most of the indigenous words just confuse folks : around here, (and if they hear a foreign word that's not one they've : seen on a restraunt menu, they get uneasy and walk away). : Several show organizers hereabouts seem to have decided that henna : can't possibly be fine art, or a serious art, because you can't hang : it on a wall and watch it collect dust. Honest to goddess. I got : notes back from some show committees that said henna couldn't be taken : seriously as an art because it is transitory. By that line of : reasoning a toxic waste dump ( tastefully arrayed) has more : credibility as art, then, because its going to last for centuries. : : What a silly species. : It may take quite a while for festival organizers to catch onto henna. : It may take quite a while longer for any consensus to form about what : we are. If we're lucky, we'll come in a tad above the "fingernail : miniature artists" and the kiddie face painters .... and a little off : to the side of the folks that array people with bits of removable : metal .... and maybe we'll be a little like 'wearable art' folks with : their clothing and jewelery. I just hope we don't get stuck for long : alongside the racks of stick-on decals with a big "Trendy Mehndi" : banner. : I'm a little reluctant to call henna a fine art, because that carries : a lot of hubris (well, pride and arrogance anyway ) with it ..... : stemming from European academic notions of "ART" that I personally : loathe . There have been times in history that henna was an : absolutely extroardinary fine and complex art! Granted, because it : was practiced by women, (courtesans especially) it was considered just : a bit of trivial fluff ..... : One note of hope ... in 1800, ceramics, glass, fashion, jewelery, : that whole area of reasonably functional stuff was absolutely not : considered ever to be fine art. Now, fine crafts are often recognized : as fine art ..... maybe henna will get there. If anything does elevate : henna to recognition as a fine art, it will be a cultivation of finer : techniques, better plant strains, better understading of the : chemistry, and a comprehensive knowledge of the history and traditions : of the art form. IE .... back up the artistry with substance.

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