Investigation Of American Deaf Art From The Perspective Of Art And Culture Studies

The American modern Deaf art was boomed with the rise of American Deaf culture movement in the 1970 s. Its essence is taking a cultural perspective instead of a pathological one to view Deaf people and their artistic creation. American Deaf people see themselves an ethnic minority rather than a group of disability or inefficiency. The capitalized letter “Deaf” generally reflects s a cultural symbol of all the language, attitudes, behaviors, beliefs and values of Deaf people. The Deaf art is a visualization of deaf culture, which carries distinctive history heritage, political demands, communication function and aesthetic values.Deaf art is closely related to Deaf culture. Firstly, the Deaf art is a part of Deaf culture that represents Deaf people's experience, language, and history. Deaf culture is endless source of the Deaf art. Secondly, Deaf artists is deaf people in the cultural sense. Only when the Deaf community of cultural identity is accepted, can deaf culture obtained its dignity. Thirdly, The Deaf art is an essential factor to maintain the existence of Deaf culture. Through showing creativity that deaf people can update their culture vitality. Fourthly, Deaf art promotes communication between Deaf and non-deaf people, which is exactly what an enlightened society pursues.Deaf art research has important reference value to discuss Chinese deaf people's art creation. This subject is taken the perspective of art and culture studies to do the following research works: 1. analyze the various characteristics of the Deaf art in every development stage, 2. discuss the relation between Deaf art culture and other culture sectors that existed in the same social and cultural fields, including identity and beliefs that serve as spiritual culture roles, medical technology and service that serve as material culture roles, and art education, social ethics, art institution that serve as system culture, 3. probe into the humanistic spirit reflected from the outstanding Deaf artists and their creation, giving that Deaf art is also a kind of culture.