Folk Art

Folk art covers all visual art that has been made within folklore, or folk culture, and therefore reflects the culture of a specific community. Folk culture is the culture that is shared between a group of people, and encompasses the traditions that are present in that group. These traditions are specific to their own group, but often include oral traditions like songs, tales, legends and jokes. Other traditions include material culture, which can include building styles, clothing and art objects specific to a group, as well as customary traditions, such as annual celebrations, dances and weddings. Folk art objects can be made by a single person or by a team of artisans, and by nature are not mass-produced. 

Art that is made within the context of folklore often has a functional aspect rather than being purely decorative. Rather than being trained within the fine art tradition, folk artists are often trained in traditional practices of their culture. This traditional mode of training means that folk art objects are often easily attributable to a certain group or culture based on the style and techniques used. An example of folk art is a 17th-century Norwegian calendar stick, which was hand-carved from wood. The object also has the Norwegian national coat of arms carved into it, which is a common motif in Norwegian folk art. At Artsper, we have curated a selection of works that take inspiration from the fascinating world of folk art. Join us and find artists following on from traditional artistic practices, such as Enedina Vasquez Cruz and Jumeaux Ouattara!