AFRICAN ART. AFRICANS AND THEIR ART INTRODUCTIONDEFINITION ROLE OF THE ARTIST TRADITIONAL ART AFRICAN SCULPTURE AND MASKS ARTISTIC DRESSING & BODY ART.

AFRICAN ARTAFRICAN ART

AFRICANS AND THEIR ARTAFRICANS AND THEIR ART

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

DEFINITIONDEFINITION

ROLE OF THE ARTISTROLE OF THE ARTIST

TRADITIONAL ARTTRADITIONAL ART

AFRICAN SCULPTURE AND MASKSAFRICAN SCULPTURE AND MASKS

ARTISTIC DRESSING & BODY ARTARTISTIC DRESSING & BODY ART

CONTEMPORARY ARTCONTEMPORARY ART

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

African art was misunderstood African art was misunderstood by the Western world until by the Western world until 1900’s1900’s

Famous Western artists were Famous Western artists were influenced by African artinfluenced by African art

Picasso and MatissePicasso and Matisse

Mask of the Fang of Gabon Mask of the Fang of Gabon influenced their stylesinfluenced their styles

Ignored because of Ignored because of ethnocentrismethnocentrism

Viewed as inferiorViewed as inferior

Realism was view until modern Realism was view until modern art became popularart became popular

Pablo Picasso – Three figures under a tree 1907 Mask – Fang of Gabon

DEFINITIONDEFINITION

Art is a means of Art is a means of communicating one’s communicating one’s experiencesexperiences

Visual expression or account Visual expression or account of the culture and history of a of the culture and history of a people as seen by an people as seen by an individualindividual

Through engraving, painting Through engraving, painting and sculpture, societies and sculpture, societies relate their ideas, beliefs, relate their ideas, beliefs, values, norms, attitudes, values, norms, attitudes, traditions and feelings traditions and feelings

Family of Three Shona Sculpture (Zimbabwe)

THE AFRICAN ARTISTTHE AFRICAN ARTIST

Work of the artist Work of the artist can be can be

Functional (cups, Functional (cups, bowls, pipes)bowls, pipes)

Traditional Traditional (sculptures, masks)(sculptures, masks)

Contemporary Contemporary (paintings, (paintings, drawings, ceramics)drawings, ceramics)

DEFINITIONDEFINITION

People have different attitudes on artPeople have different attitudes on artArt in traditional Africa was mainly Art in traditional Africa was mainly functionalfunctional

Fulfills requirements of everyday lifeFulfills requirements of everyday lifeClothing, housing, rituals, economic and Clothing, housing, rituals, economic and political, war and entertainmentpolitical, war and entertainmentSecondary for aestheticsSecondary for aesthetics

Sculpture has symbolic valueSculpture has symbolic valueGlyptic art of the ancient EgyptiansGlyptic art of the ancient Egyptians

TRADITIONAL ARTTRADITIONAL ART

Art found in Africa Art found in Africa before the Europeansbefore the Europeans

Original art of the Original art of the continentcontinent

Rock drawingsRock drawingsRoughly carved human Roughly carved human headsheadsSculptureSculpture

Wood, terra cottaWood, terra cotta

BasketryBasketryMasksMasksMusical instrumentsMusical instrumentsPrinted textilesPrinted textiles

Bronze head from Benin - 1550

AFRICAN SCULPTURES AND AFRICAN SCULPTURES AND MASKSMASKS

SculptureSculpture Can be carved Can be carved engraved or engraved or molded and is molded and is three dimensionalthree dimensional

Generally Generally symmetrical but symmetrical but can be naturalistic can be naturalistic or conventionalor conventional

AFRICAN SCULPTURES AND AFRICAN SCULPTURES AND MASKSMASKS

MasksMasksVery important part Very important part of African cultureof African cultureClosely related to Closely related to life eventslife events

Secret societies, Secret societies, funerals, royal funerals, royal celebrationscelebrationsCan take the form Can take the form of spirits, humans of spirits, humans or animalsor animals

ARTISTIC DRESSINGARTISTIC DRESSING

Dress varies by geographic regions, Dress varies by geographic regions, lifestyle and culturelifestyle and culture

Communicates a message and Communicates a message and identifies the social status of the identifies the social status of the personperson

Dress for special occasionsDress for special occasions

AdulthoodAdulthood

AFRICAN DRESSAFRICAN DRESS

AFRICAN DRESSAFRICAN DRESS

JEWELRYJEWELRY

JewelryJewelryMetal jewelry worn Metal jewelry worn on the arms and on the arms and legs is thought to be legs is thought to be good for the bonesgood for the bones

Amulets worn in the Amulets worn in the hair or on the body hair or on the body is thought to bring is thought to bring good luckgood luck

JEWELRYJEWELRY

JewelryJewelryBeads are used Beads are used to enhance to enhance romantic romantic feelingsfeelings

JEWELRYJEWELRY

JEWELRYJEWELRY

BODY ARTBODY ART

African body art uses African body art uses the human body as a the human body as a way to express an way to express an individual's status, individual's status, spiritual beliefs, or spiritual beliefs, or ethnic affiliation. It can ethnic affiliation. It can be created on the body be created on the body itself in the form of itself in the form of tattoos, scarification, tattoos, scarification, body painting, body painting,

BODY PAINTING

BODY PAINTING

BODY SCARIFICATIONBODY SCARIFICATION

Body ScarificationBody ScarificationUsed to demonstrate Used to demonstrate family group and as family group and as decorationdecorationSign of beautySign of beautyUsed in rituals and Used in rituals and ceremonies to mark ceremonies to mark rank and social statusrank and social status

BODY SCARIFICATIONBODY SCARIFICATION

Body scarification is an Body scarification is an artistic expression and artistic expression and made in 4 common waysmade in 4 common ways

Skin can be punctured with Skin can be punctured with needles ritually purified in needles ritually purified in fire and rubbed with acidic fire and rubbed with acidic substance like a nut to raise substance like a nut to raise scarsscarsScar can be made by a knife Scar can be made by a knife rubbed in ashes to create a rubbed in ashes to create a relief patternrelief patternIrritating materials are Irritating materials are inserted under the skin by inserted under the skin by needles dusted in ashesneedles dusted in ashesRazor BladesRazor Blades

BODY SCARIFICATIONBODY SCARIFICATION

ARCHITECTUREARCHITECTURE

Architecture is also a Architecture is also a form of artistic form of artistic expressionexpression

Egyptian pyramidsEgyptian pyramids

Traditional stone Traditional stone houses of Zimbabwehouses of Zimbabwe

European and European and American architecture American architecture is also an influencing is also an influencing factorfactor

CONTEMPORARY ARTCONTEMPORARY ART

African art today includes African art today includes painting that can be hung painting that can be hung on the wallon the wallRecent development in Recent development in contemporary art is contemporary art is beadwork and bracelets beadwork and bracelets and glassworkand glassworkEvolution of African art a Evolution of African art a result of social and result of social and physical mobilityphysical mobility

Artistic styles are being Artistic styles are being diffuseddiffused

Zulu telephone wire basket