民间美术被真正列为艺术门类还是近几年的事,在我国由于人们长期受封建意识的影响,它的艺术价值一直没受到学术界的重视。传统的民间美术是封建社会手工业发展的产物,历史的原因没能使它留下系统的史料记载,更没有理论可谈。民间艺术家们被历代文人贬谓“没有文化的匠人”,作品被贬谓“雕虫小技”。在漫长的封建社会它同劳苦大众的命运一样遭受着耻辱。而人类进入现代文明的信息社会之后,艺术已积累到飞跃的历史阶段,在现代科技与文化艺术综合的今天,西方一些有远识的艺术家已将目光投向东方博广的民间美术,企图从中吸取走向未来艺术的启迪。当今国内艺术界也将注意力转向自己本土的艺术,极力与现代艺术融为一体。一些美术院校邀请民间艺人讲课,传授技艺,并举办不同门类的民间美术展览和现代农民画展览,将它作为东方艺术精神来竭力摹仿和学习。昔日“雕虫小技”,如今成为艺术家追求的对象,学习民间美术正在不断地掀起高潮。这种现象被人释为现代乡土意识、寻根意识和回归意识,当然不无道理;同时也反映出民间美术的文化心理及它生存发展的价值,不能不引起我们深刻的反思。民间美术的含义如同其它艺术门类的发展一样,也有传统与现代两个时代的作品之分。传统的民间美术是平民的文化之一,在封建社会主要与宫廷士大夫美术、文人绘画相对而言。在近现代,由于民间阶层的生活方式出现根本性的变化,导致了以农村为主体的 Folk art is really classified as a category of art or in recent years, in our country because of the long-term feudal consciousness, its artistic value has not been academic attention. The traditional folk art is the product of the development of handicraft industry in feudal society. The historical reason did not make it leave systematic historical records, but there is no theory to talk about. Folk artists have been demeanor of literati throughout the ages, “no trades of artisans”, the work is denigrated “carved small skills.” In the long feudal society, it was ashamed of the fate of the laboring masses. After the human being entered the information society of modern civilization, art has accumulated to a historic stage of leap forward. Today, with the integration of modern science and technology and culture and arts, some western well-known artists have turned their attention to folk art in the East, Enlightenment to the future of art. Today’s domestic art circles are also turning their attention to the art of their own homeland, trying hard to blend in with modern art. Some art schools invite folk artists to give lectures, teach skills, organize various kinds of folk art exhibitions and modern peasant art exhibitions, and try to imitate and study them as the oriental artistic spirit. In the past, “carving insects,” now become the object pursued by artists, learning folk art is constantly set off a climax. Of course, it is not unreasonable to release this phenomenon to modern local consciousness, root-seeking consciousness and return to consciousness. At the same time, it also reflects the cultural psychology of folk art and the value of its survival and development, which can not but arouse our deep reflection. The meaning of folk art is just like the development of other art genres, as well as the works of both traditional and modern times. Traditional folk art is one of civilians’ culture. In feudal society, it is mainly relative to the imperial court art and literati painting. In the modern era, due to the fundamental changes in the way of life of the private sector, which led to the rural as the main body