African Art is much different in use from its Western Art counterparts. Western Art, is used to decorate walls and can be studied for its perspective, lines, symmetry and many other artistic forms . African Art was used as an integral part of the societies rituals, dances and ceremonies.
What makes African art unique?
Though many casual observers tend to generalize “traditional” African art, the continent is actually full of a multitude of peoples, societies, and civilizations, each with a unique visual culture. ... Visual Abstraction – African artworks tend to favor visual abstraction over naturalistic representation .
How is African art different?
African art takes many forms and is made from many different materials . Most African artworks are wood sculptures, probably because wood is a very widespread material. Jewellery is a popular art form and is used to indicate rank, affiliation with a group, or purely for aesthetics.
What are the main characteristics of African art?
It should also be noted that a primary component of traditional African art is performance and assemblage . The combination of music, dance, dress, and bodily ornamentation—as well as sculpture and masks—is frequently what imparts both significance and dynamism to individual art objects.
Is African art non western?
Traditional African art served a purpose (and does still in some cultures) as an agent of religion, social stability, and social control. Art that has a purpose is not unique to African or other non-Western cultures but occurs in Western ones as well.
What are the 5 elements of African art?
- Resemblance to a human being: ...
- Luminosity: ...
- Self-composure: ...
- Youthfulness: ...
- Clarity of form and detail, complexity of composition, balance and symmetry, smoothness of finish:
What are the 4 main categories of art styles?
Traditional categories within the arts include literature (including poetry, drama, story, and so on), the visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.) , the graphic arts (painting, drawing, design, and other forms expressed on flat surfaces), the plastic arts (sculpture, modeling), the decorative arts (enamelwork, ...
What was the first African art to be found in Africa?
Rock art is the earliest art form in Africa.
What does the head symbolize in African art?
Among the Yoruba in southwestern Nigeria, the head is the wellspring of wisdom and seat of divine power (àse) . The head is divided into the external head (orí òde), emblem of individuality, and the interior or spiritual head (orí inú), the life source that controls the outer head.
What is African art made of?
Still other forms of African art include personal adornment (made from silver, gold, copper, brass, ivory, wood, clay, animal skin, textiles and beads ), as well as intricately carved and woven objects of a practical nature, with some made for everyday personal use and others for only on special occasions.
How would you describe African art?
African Art has many characteristics, some of which include creative expressionism over realism , the prevalence of images and sculpture of the human figure, larger focus on sculpture rather than painting, abstract themes and representations, melding visual and performance arts (such as in the case of masks), and non- ...
What themes of art are most frequently explored in African art?
Revealing the importance behind some of Africa’s most beautiful art and culture are four common themes. These themes represent ceremonial honor, mother earth and the people as her children, honor, and portrayal of a stranger .
What is the characteristic of traditional art?
The most distinctive characteristics of “folk art” concern the materials and creative techniques used . Thus, unlike in more sophisticated art, “folk art” tended to make use of natural substances like wood, straw, clay and so on. Tools tended to be fewer in number but invariably multi-purpose.
Why did African art enter Western art?
Increasing interest among artists and their patrons gradually brought African art to prominence in the Western art world. Along with this growing admiration for African art, the aesthetic preferences of collectors and dealers resulted in the development of distinctions between art and artifact.
What is African dancing called?
Western Africa
Assiko : a partner dance which originated with the Bassa people of Cameroon. Kpanlogo: a Ghanaian dance that originated with the Ga people around the 1940s, Kpanlogo is a free-flowing highlife dance form performed to conga-like drums.
What is the importance of Western art?
During the middle ages, western art reflected a lot of religious sentiments and symbols . Western art is great for becoming more knowledgeable about world history, important figures, technological advancements, and more.
