Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Modern interpretations of traditional design?

A. G. Maisey · 3rd September 2008, 11:09 PM

This is opinion and is being put up to be shot at.

I have tried to express my opinion clearly, but since I have no intention of attempting to change anybody else's opinion, I will not engage in debate on this subject.

In the world of the traditional keris there can be no acceptable evolution.

The forms and motifs have been set at a time in the past when these forms and motifs carried social and cultural meaning.

Modern makers are only permitted to express their ability within the bounds that have already been defined.

However, for those who view the keris as an artistic expression, rather than a cultural totem, there are probably no restrictions on either motif or form, provided there are still sufficient features present in the art work to permit identification of it as a keris-like object.

I have used the word "keris-like", because by definition, once a form moves outside the already defined parameters, it can no longer be a keris, it becomes an an artistic expression based upon the keris.

3rd September 2008, 11:09 PM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	This is opinion and is being put up to be shot at. I have tried to express my opinion clearly, but since I have no intention of attempting to change anybody else's opinion, I will not engage in debate on this subject. In the world of the traditional keris there can be no acceptable evolution. The forms and motifs have been set at a time in the past when these forms and motifs carried social and cultural meaning. Modern makers are only permitted to express their ability within the bounds that have already been defined. However, for those who view the keris as an artistic expression, rather than a cultural totem, there are probably no restrictions on either motif or form, provided there are still sufficient features present in the art work to permit identification of it as a keris-like object. I have used the word "keris-like", because by definition, once a form moves outside the already defined parameters, it can no longer be a keris, it becomes an an artistic expression based upon the keris.