The Beauty of African Art

The beauty of African art

 

African art has existed for many centuries but it is only in the 20th-century artists that art lovers are beginning to appreciate the beauty of African art. People now see the free interpretations of nature, the raw and original talent that shines through African art and as such it is slowly out-footing some western art. But why now? Why is African art on the rise?

The answer is simple: original diversity.

Unlike Western art, African art is very diverse, each form of art is original in its own right and can be traced back to specific and unique origins. The many different materials used in the various forms of art add on to the beauty of African art. There is jewelry made from materials such as tiger’s eye stone, coconut shells, beads, sisal, and wood. Sculptures can be found in wood, ceramic or in stone. There are also decorated pottery and various forms of textiles from different tribes and backgrounds.

 

African sculpture takes the lead

One of the unique things about African artists is that they have a deep adoration for 3D art over 2D work that is mostly found in western art. This is why Sculpture is predominant in African art. Even some of the paintings and drawings by African artist are produced to be experienced 3-dimensionally.

Sculpturing originated from different tribes with the Shona being the most popular producers of stone carved sculptures.

Each sculpture usually tells a story, represents certain values, documents events or honors certain African heroes and personalities. Recent evolution has given rise to sculpturing as a form of expression, this is why there are now many centers that provide a sanctuary for artists and teach people the art of sculpturing.

 

Traditional art

Traditional African art is probably the most common and most studied form of African art. This is the type of African art that you are most likely to find in museums and exhibitions. From wooden masks to status and decorations, a beautiful story can be told and based down to generations to come. Wooden masks and statues often have a fascinating history and traditional beliefs.

Wooden masks originated from western Africa, they are the most common in African and Western museums. They often represent human figures, personalities, and animals. The history behind wooden masks dates back many centuries, they were often used in ceremonies and initiations like war preparation, harvestings, and marriage.

Some of the masks have very traditional beliefs. For example, there were some masks that were worn by specific dancers and leaders during a ceremony so they could enter a trance and communicate with the ancestors.

 

Visual abstraction

African artists tend to represent objects and ideas in their art, the oldest African artwork is mostly visual stories that have been preserved and passed on to other generations. When it comes to visual abstracts, Egyptian artwork takes the forefront. Visual abstraction has been adopted by today’s young generation that turned it into graffiti wall paintings. Some of the wall paintings found in the high-density suburbs of South Africa have become major attraction sights for westerners and major celebrities worldwide.

 

Performance art

The love for 3-dimensional art gave birth to performance art. Instead of continuous static art, African artists developed into dynamic performers, representing different traditions and cultures live on stage and in theaters. African performance arts are usually a reincarnation of some of the traditional dances and drama. There are many different artists from various countries that perform some of the most treasured African dances like the rain dance and other ceremonial adaptations.

The most intriguing thing about performance arts is the costumes that the artists wear. Depending on the performance, most artist will always look to bring back the costumes that relate to the traditional performance in question.

In addition to dancing and theater, performance art will often include traditional music and unique musical instruments.

 

In Closing

The beauty of African art is that it is unique. No one else can represent African art better than the Africans themselves and that is why many tourists travel from the furthest parts of the world just to experience the true African culture.