14 Types of Cultural Arts and Examples

The definition of culture  essentially has various types with their respective functions. For example, culture in social life, economics, education, even in the arts. Culture related to art is usually called arts and culture.

Where the cultural arts in question are all arts related to culture in the archipelago (Indonesia) and abroad from ancient times to the present. All developments in types of cultural arts that still exist today.

Art and culture

Art and culture are everything that is created based on existing habits in  society  , starting from  lifestyle  related to elements of beauty. This has been passed down from generation to generation from ancient times to the present.

Many types of cultural arts develop in society in various packages. However, what is certain is that this cultural art is sometimes also used for important activities related to culture or entertainment only. Cultural arts is a term commonly used to describe the beauty that exists in society. This term is no longer foreign to artists in the world.

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Types of Cultural Arts

There are many types of art, this time we will discuss several forms of art that we often encounter around us. This is because currently not everyone can enjoy art because art performances are no longer as massive as they used to be, only a few special events.

Following are several types of cultural arts and examples;

  1. Traditional dance

Traditional dance is a dance that exists in  the social environment  of society. Traditional dances usually adapt to the surrounding environment. When the community creates traditional dance, it is usually inspired by all the daily activities carried out by the community.

Dance can be created from social, spiritual activities, livelihoods and environmental conditions. When people work as farmers, they will create many dances related to agriculture. Examples include traditional dances, including the caping dance, jaipong dance, tor-tor dance, serimpi dance, kecak dance, and others.

  1. Modern dance

Modern dance is a dance created by the current generation, dancers will make many creations based on existing basic dances. In fact, many dances are combined with  western culture.

When this is combined, an amazing work of art will be presented. We often see this art in several music performances or several videos on online media. For example, combining Javanese dance with modern music, creating creative dances based on traditional dances, and so on.

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  1. Painting

Painting is a work of art which is made using several tools, one of which is paint, supported by other painting tools, namely brushes, knives, palettes, etc. which can be used to apply color. When you want to determine the depth of color, you must use a type of dye that suits the medium used.

The media commonly used are paper, canvas, walls, glass, and others. Where each media certainly has different treatment. For example, such as painting, there are several schools, including naturalism, realism, romanticism, and others.

  1. Theater

Theater is a performing art that is guided by a text or script that has been selected and then interpreted, worked on and presented in a performance. Theater can be used as a means to depict someone’s life in a certain period of time or can only be considered as a performance.

Theater has many components in its performances. These components include director, exhibition, props and arrangement. All components have a very important role. The most visible component during a performance is the arrangement which includes make-up, fashion, lighting, sound and use of props.

Examples of theaters that still exist in several places include the Central Java Cultural Park, Taman Mini, and many other performance venues.

  1. Musical instrument

Musical instruments are a type of instrument used to create certain musical arts. The art of music has various types ranging from traditional and modern. The types of music that are best known in Indonesia are pop music and dangdut.

All music that is formed begins with musical instruments, whether traditional or modern musical instruments. Each region in Indonesia has its own characteristics of certain musical instruments. For example, musical instruments in Indonesia include gamelan of various types, flute, harp, angklung, tifa, and others.

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  1. Poetry

Poetry is a literary work that conveys a message through the choice of words with a certain writing pattern. Someone who creates poetry is usually called a poet. Poets have the ability to compose beautiful strings of words using figures of speech and neat word choices.

Poetry in Javanese culture is almost the same as gurindam. Indeed, the characteristics are different, but the meaning of the delivery is similar.

Many Indonesian poets are very famous. There are many poetry titles that we can read. For example, the famous poets Chairil Anwar, Sapardi Djoko Damono, W. S Rendra, Taufiq Ismail, Widji Tukul, Mustofa Bisri, and others.

  1. Kris

Keris is a type of traditional weapon in Indonesia which is famous in Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan. This weapon is included in the class of daggers or knives which have had many functions for society from the past until now.

The types of keris are very diverse, ranging from small to large. The characteristic of a keris is that its surface is not straight but curved. Examples of keris in the archipelago include the Mpu Gandring keris, the Kiyai Condong Campur keris, and others.

  1. Batik

Batik, which is one of  the meanings of geomaterial decoration  , is an art made on cloth using certain methods. Batik can be made using writing, stamping, printing, etc. In each region, many types of batik are created according to the environmental conditions or each region.

Several areas in Central Java produce batik according to their respective characteristics, namely the Surakarta City area, Pekalongan, and others. For example, the batik that we usually encounter includes palace batik, farmer batik, kawung batik, pringgondani batik, sida luhur batik, sido asih batik, and others.

  1. Puppet

Wayang is  an original Indonesian performing art that has developed to this day, especially on the island of Java. This show is also popular in Sumatra and several areas on the Malay Peninsula with different versions but is still influenced by Hindu and Javanese culture.

Wayang depicts life in the world with all its problems. If we look at several wayang stories, for example the Mahabarata is a story that is very well known. A character who becomes evil and becomes good who essentially seizes a government. Examples of wayang include wayang kulit, wayang suket, wayang motekar, and wayang orang.

  1. Statue

Sculpture is a type of three-dimensional art that depicts certain shapes. A person who makes statues is called a sculptor. A statue is a work of art that can last a long time.

The function of statues was very diverse, during the era of animism and dynamism as worship. During the independence era, many statues were made to commemorate the services of heroes in various cities in Indonesia. Examples of famous statues are the Soekarno statue, the horse statue in Boyolali, the Sura and Baya statues in Surabaya, and others.

  1. Song

Song is an art that combines or combines several elements, namely music, lyrics, instruments, etc. This will produce a work that is pleasant to listen to and people who hear it can feel the message that is conveyed in a song.

We can see many examples of songs ranging from regional songs, national songs, national songs, pop songs of various types, and so on. All types of songs definitely have their own fans.

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  1. Craft

Craft is an art resulting from handicrafts made by humans using all the materials available in their environment. Craft making places more emphasis on hand skills in processing existing raw materials.

Apart from prioritizing aesthetic function, a craft also pays attention to use value in everyday life. Examples of crafts are carving, weaving, embroidery, plaiting, etc.

  1. Chisel

Chisel is a type of craft where it is made by carving objects such as wood, metal, stone, etc. During the manufacturing process, appropriate tools will be used so that they can be used in everyday life.

There are many techniques that can be used in sculpture. Examples of crafts by carving are masks, tables or chairs, wooden statues, and so on.

  1. Weaving

Weaving is a way of making cloth from threads that have various colors and then make them using special tools. Weaving crafts also have various types of motifs depending on where the weaving comes from.

There are many types of weaving from the western to eastern ends of Indonesia. Examples include Toraja weaving, various types of weaving from NTT and NTB, Jepara weaving, and so on. Each region has its own characteristic motifs with various colors.

Conclusion

Cultural arts in Indonesia usually have certain symbolic meanings in every aspect. Starting from dance, painting, theater, fine arts, music, and others. Each region also has its own unique characteristics that a person can recognize through this art.

That was the article that we can explain to all readers regarding the various types of arts and culture  that exist in the archipelago (Indonesia) and abroad along with examples that are easy to find in everyday life.