African Art Research Paper

African Art Research Paper
African life has a big impact on African art. Many art pieces are inspired by a story of a culture and
how they lived and what inspired them to create some of the works. These art pieces can come in
many forms such as painting, sculpture, and dancing and they each convey the cycle of life with the
importance of pregnancies, beauty and youth and afterlife. These three things are represented in so
many African art pieces.
Before I begin talking about these three ways that African art forms convey the cycle of life I should
talk a little about African Art and the life cycle. African art comes in many different forms and sizes
throughout Africa. These artworks usually symbolize something bigger, they tell us a story. Not
everyone can create a meaningful African art piece with a story behind it, those that can usually put
in a lot ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Women get pregnant to they are able to reproduce and keep the cycle going. When it comes to
pregnancy in Africa, it might be treated differently as you move around the countries in Africa. A lot
of African artworks usually show a mother and her child, however, there are some that show just the
woman but we are still able to tell that the piece refers to pregnancy. When a sculpture of women is
made, they do not usually cover the boobs, if a female status books are more pulled down it means
that they have given birth before. Another way we can tell that a piece of art symbolizes pregnancy
is that some woman may have a scar on their stomach.
Youth and beauty, everyone wants to stay young and beautiful forever. The words youth and beauty
changes as you go around the world. Some cultures may find flawless skin beautiful and women
under a certain age to be younger. In some African culture scars symbolize beauty, the more you
have the more beautiful you are. There are so many pieces of art/sculpture that we have looked at in
class and outside of class that has a lot of scars carved on
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

The Characteristics Of The African Art Of The 20th Century
African Art of the 20th century portrays historic paintings, sculptures, visual arts from African
natives or the people who live on the African continent itself. Visual culture has been the major part
of the African Art. Many of the African sculptures of many people have been portrayed in wooden
masks. African art takes many structures and created using a wide range of materials such as wood,
ceramic, stone, mud, etc. The African art are from many different parts of Africa that include
Muslim art from the north, Christian art of Ethiopia from the west, sub–Saharan Africa, etc. Eastern
Africans has their own style art known as "Tinga Tinga" paintings and set an example of
craftsmanship by making textile art. The Zimbabwe culture focused more on creating sculptures and
had been in focus internationally. The southern part of Africa has its unique style of art which
focuses more on human characteristics.
This art is known as Mambila figure that portrays the male ancestor with a heart–faced shaped. It is
made of wood and later painted with black color. The Mambila are a tribe of farmers who lied on the
northern part of Nigeria.
The African art of the 20th century has influenced many European and Western painters such as
Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Henry Matisse, Modigliani. At first, these artists knew nothing of
African art forms, but suddenly recognized the aspect of the art. In the 20th century, when the
French Empire was growing, the African arts were brought to Paris museums which made
Europeans recognize the work of African artists. The art represented the many forms of art and made
other painters felt the ability to use imaginations in their own works. Their artists saw the art as it
expresses power in form of emotion. The study on the African art gave a strong response making the
artists to show an interest in many forms of art because it demonstrated emotional and psychological
power. The African continent people showed a different and unique culture into their art because of
the materials they used to create the masks and sculptures. It was a very different type of culture
than the West as their art was rich in texture because of the resources they had. African continent did
not have this luxury and

African Rock Art
Africa is home to many interesting and historic artistic pieces. Some of the oldest forms of art
expressed by humans can be seen in paintings or engravings in rocks. These various rock arts are
found all around the continent. The Saharan desert provides many great sites which preserve and
archive these creations. Many rock art showcase numerous animals such as giraffes, elephants, and
hippos. These animals seem to have importance of African culture and their lives. African rock art
can sometimes be abstract in nature causing interpretation of said art to be challenging.
Africa can be seen as the birth place of mankind. Our ancestors originated there long ago in a world
of amazing art. It is rather hard to solve the age of creation of very early

African Art And Art
Another example of how culture influences art is the painting Spring Morning in the Han Palace by
Qui Ying. He was considered to be one of the Four Great Masters of the Ming Dynasty from 1368 to
1644. This painting depicted many everyday activities that would be done during the early spring
time. The work of art done by Qui Ying includes people tending to flowers and playing chess, which
are part of the Chinese culture during the spring. African art work and culture is geared towards the
religious aspects of life. Terracotta figures that did not interfere with human representation were the
first kind of African art. African art's main focus is expanding the world to decrease the fear of the
unknown. For example, a mask that was used for rituals and ceremonies created by Dual God Gulu.
The mask brings life and death. This is an example of African art that involves the religious aspect
of culture.
Fashion and clothing are most definitely a necessity in life, but also a work of art. What people wore
in the past to what we wear today is all inspired by culture. Taking a look at the past Native
Americans belonging to over five hundred groups with one of a kind traditions and ways of life
dressed according to their belief systems and culture. Some tribes had worshipped the sun and in
order for them to show their respects for the sun they wore very bright colored clothing. Whereas
other tribes did not worship the sun, instead they worshipped the mountains so they would wear
attire

African American Factual Art
Africans transported to the New World experienced brutal and inhuman treatments because of their
skin color, race and religious ideals. Such ideals especially those of ritual significance were integrate
and synchronize to those of the Western World in order to continue their "working models of
heaven" without fear. Such religious or sacred objects that Africans reassembled when they were
moved to the New World were the Minkisi (singular: Nkisi) which are powerful objects that educe
healing. For example, the Yombe peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo, "Medicine bag (Nkisi
Mbumba Mbondo)", early 20th century (Fig.1) and the Haitian, "Pacquet Kongo", 21st century
(fig.2) are both powerful objects combined with earth substances and medicinal ... Show more
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Robert Ferris Thompson also uses figure 1, "Mbumba Mbondo" to further elaborate the content and
significance that this artifact represented. For instance, in accordance to this artifact the Kongo
viewed this object as a sacred and powerful charm. In Thompson's article the term's etymology of
"mbumba" is another term for Nkisi, however, "mbumba" is of higher class, referring to a higher
connection to the dead of Kongo. It also explains that the word "mbumba" is a reference to a jar or
basket. This jar as analyzed was decorated with materials as mentioned before and had also great
significance such as white buttons symbolizing mystery and the bird feathers symbolizing "power
that flies" that was meant and believed to be the connection to heaven. Furthermore, Figure 2 a more
recent Nkisi is more vibrant and luminous or as referred to the illumination to call upon the Iwa.
Now, according to Stephen D. Glazier's article, the term "Iwa" or "Ioa" served in reference to spirits
or deities, and this comes way back from African origins. To explain, in Africa the Kongo
community would have the priest sanctify the Iwa to allow practice of devotion as a fellowship.
However, in Haiti the relationship

African Influence In Modern Art History Denise Murrell
From a collection of writings published in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Heilbrunn Timeline of
Art History Denise Murrell's essay, African Influence in Modern Art (2000) deliberates that
European and American artist's exposure to traditional African sculpture during the early nineteen
hundreds significantly impacted the qualities of representation for form in their artwork. By
analyzing how different developing artistic movements, namely in France and Germany, and their
associated artists, took the aesthetics and composition from sub–Saharan sculptures, she highlights
globalization and the shift away from naturalism and into the rigid abstraction of the human figure
in the artistic community. As the separation between Western and non–Western

African Art Essay
1. The pottery Seated Male Figure from Mali is an example of a non– frontal figure. This Sculpture
displays a man sitting with his right leg bent and his left leg pulled up into his chest. He has his right
arm over his heart and his left arm across his shoulder. There are many raised bumps on his body.
His face id shifted slightly to the left and he appears to be concentrating. The caption explains that
he is communicating with the gods.
2. The Orangun Eps Headdress from the Yoraba is a great example of a human figure with an
entourage and a good display of hieratic scale. The ruler is sitting on a horse. Both he and th ehorse
are greatly decorated in bright color clothing and the ruler is wearing a ... Show more content on
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It displays regular male features such as the broad shoulders, regularly proportion between facial
features and limbs. It also displays a normal body shape.
5. The biteki figure from Zaire is a good example of work with visible medicine. The figure is
shown with lizard skin on his chest. A shoulder bag object with leaves. A colorful face with a turned
up nose and face eplits or framed at the jaw bone.
6. The guro mask which protrays a crossbredd of an elephant and human is titled the Elephant Mask.
This is a very abstract piece. The elephant features are brought out with the nose and the tusk which
are down played alot because both are extremely small. The ears are also another feature of the
elephant ears are upright in contrast with the floppy ears of the elephant. The mask also contains
many raised spikes around the pertruding forehead which is a display of human features. One the
forhead is a design like some kind of headdress and an area of spike which make up a diamond. (
which I believe is a sign of a priest or priestess) The mask also has a smooth surface and split eyes.
7. The Senufo mother and child has many similarities and differences to the Kungo mother and
child.
Similarities
Both of the pieces are made of wood. They are displayed with their children on their laps. Thay are
both of hiercharcy because thay are seated. In

African Art
In order to feel what the African descents in this art piece felt go to the desert in Africa's ninety plus
weather, walk barefoot everywhere you go, go to the forest to hunt for food, wrap yourself around in
a thin–like linen cloth if you are a woman and wrap the cloth at an angle around you if you are a
man, drink water that is not so clean, expect to get sick regularly because hospitals are few and if
you go to the hospital you most likely would not be able to afford it and lastly deal with the fact that
Africa does not have the technological advancements that us Americans have today. In life, we tend
to take things for granted especially living in a country where you have everything compared to let
us say a third world country. The purpose ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I chose this piece because looking at my fellow Black people having to carry their groceries on top
of their heads and walking with their work materials everywhere they go it sort of broke me down to
think that this is what they had to go through before a lot of the technological advancements were
created such as trucks or even something simple as socks and shoes. On top of that, I felt connected
in a way to this piece because of just one word alone – struggle. Throughout my life, I never had an
easy pathway or someone to tell me that I should learn to crawl before I walk. From financial
hardships to a single–parent household, emotional distress, and the lack of a support system.
Struggles are a part of the journey that is life, some people might be prepared to face challenges
while others may not, but it is the person that is inside you that will dictate how you overcome those
trials and

What Is African Art?
African Art does not have a particular date to which it evolved due to most early African Art was
carved in wood, which perished rapidly (Gascoigne, 2009). This is one of the main reason most art
dates starts from the nineteenth and mid twentieth century. Numerous twentieth century artists
respected and gathered pieces of African Art because they appreciated the bold color, expression,
and structure that created a fresh start in arts history. African Art was generally committed to life,
confirming activities, such as, recovering, joy, assurance, and change. The primary African Art piece
that had an every lasting effect on Europe, happened with the bronze packaging and ivory seized in
1897 by the British Royal Army. It was then that African

Willett On African Art
When viewing any type of art it is vital to look at the piece as a whole. Though enjoyment can be
had by just looking at physical appearance, the true significance of the piece cannot be reached
without gaining knowledge of its origins. African art, specifically, to be fully savored must be
further investigated to recognize its importance. Willett talks about how to fully interpret African art
and how westerns are improperly viewing African art. Viewing African art without prior depth of
knowledge on the piece means you are only viewing for the outside appearance, instead of its
implications, African sculptures can be enjoyed for their beauty without previous familiarity, "but
one is not necessarily sharing in the sculptor's experience or

African American Black Arts Poetry
This chapter undertakes to explicate the way that distinction operates at a key moment in African
American cultural history. Black art is the aesthetic and spiritual sister of the Black power. The
Black arts and the Black power concept both relate to the African Americans for self–determination
and nationhood. It has been widely held that the fundamental characteristic of Black arts poetry is its
virulent antiwhite rhetoric. Houston Baker stated, the influential black critic J. Saunders Redding
disparaged the Black Aesthetic as representative of a discourse of "hate", a "native racism in
reverse". The personality of African–American culture is established in the authentic experience of
the African–American individuals, including the Middle ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
From this air, they treated their condition with careful care. They additionally for the most part
trusted that a profound life source existed after death, and that progenitors in this otherworldly
domain could then intercede between the incomparable maker and the living. The Black Power
development of the 1970s followed in the wake of the peaceful Civil Rights Movement. The
development advanced racial pride and ethnic union rather than the emphasis on reconciliation of
the Civil Rights Movement and embraced a more activist stance even with prejudice. It likewise
roused another renaissance in African–American scholarly and aesthetic articulation for the most
part alluded to as the African–American or "Dark Arts Movement. The inheritance of the African–
American oral convention shows in differing frames. African–American evangelists tend to perform
instead of essentially talk. The feeling of the subject is brought through the speaker's tone, volume,
and rhythm, which tend to reflect the rising activity, peak, and sliding activity of the sermon.
Frequently melody, move, verse, and organized delays are put all through the

African Art Essay
For me, African art has played a substantial role in shaping the culture and history of the world. The
belief that Africa is the frame of the history of mankind is nearly unshakeable. The origins of
African art history lie long before recorded history, preserved in the incomprehensibility of time.
Rock Art is centuries old, while shell beads fashioned for a necklace have been recovered in a cave
in the furthest reach of the southern peninsula of South Africa that are 75 000 years old.
One of the most earliest known sculptures are the extraordinary mud clay heads, most of them
remains of figures, from the Nok culture of Nigeria and are dated around 500 BC through to 200
AD.
They are made from grog and iron rich clay but none of them have been ... Show more content on
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Many of the pieces some replica's, can be viewed in museums and art galleries in many parts of the
world. Masking ceremonies in Africa have great cultural and traditional significance. Latest
developments and understanding of Aesthetic principles, religious and ceremonial values, have
brought about a greater insight into the ideas and moral values that African artists express in their
art.
In the festivities, commencements, crop harvesting, war preparation, peace and trouble times,
African masks are worn by a chosen or initiated dancer. It can be worn in three different ways:
vertically covering the face: as helmets, encasing the entire head, and as crest, resting upon the head,
which was commonly covered by material as part of the disguise. African masks often represent a
spirit and it is strongly believed that the spirit of the ancestors possesses the wearer.
Procedural rituals normally represent goddesses, spirits of ancestors, mythical beings, good and or
evil, the dead, animal spirits, and other beings believed to have power over humanity. Masks of
human ancestors or totem ancestors (beings or animals to which a clan or family traces its ancestry)
are often objects of family pride; when they are regarded as the dwelling of the spirit they represent,
the masks may be honored with ceremonies and

Beatriz Milhazes African American Art Style
In this overview, I will be comparing Beatriz Milhazes art to African art. Beatriz Milhazes is from
Brazil; she was born in 1960. She does paintings, prints, and architectural installations
(Guggenheim). Her artwork is mainly geometric figures sort of like kaleidoscope. Most of her work
is based on European and Brazilian art. Henri Matisse, Piet Mondrian, and Talsila do Amaral are
three artists that influenced her to do art (Guggenheim). In the 90's, Milhaze started doing a method
of collaging art and this became her technique; most of paintings had geometric shapes, floral
patterns, and used very bright colors(Widewalls). African patterns are very different from Milhaze's
artwork. African patterns came from architecture, artifacts, masks and textiles (Contemporary
African Art). Most of the patterns are repetitive, for instance, chevron and zigzag patterns are
examples but geometric shapes are also repetitive. The geometric shapes are used in paintings, print,
and many more. The geometric shapes pattern can be arranged horizontally or vertical. Some
African patterns are also found in crafts and artifacts such as: baskets, jewelry, cravings, blankets,
etc. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Milhazes uses Latin America and European in her art work. The way Milhazes represents her art is
by mixing both Latin America and European style by using geometric, fashion, and decorative art
(Widewalls). Most of her art pieces are colorful, all geometric shapes and the shape of lines are
close together and the patterns are not repetitive while African patterns, are in assorted colors and
pattern are arranged orderly. Symbols represents African patterns. Some of symbols that the
Africans use to represent a symbol flowers, seeds, stars etc (Contemporary African Art). There is
one similarity between African patterns and Milhazes art; the single similarity is that the use of
geometric shapes in

Imperialism : The African Art And Its Impact Of African Art
For centuries, African art has been thought of as a valuable piece of history, but as time continues to
pass African art is gradually losing is value while other pieces are gaining value. This occurs
because as more people of todays society owns pieces of African art, these same people are also
losing, breaking, or damaging these priceless pieces of artwork. The problem lies with how people
are able to get their hands on these priceless artifacts and what actions the economy is taking in
order to protect and preserve African art. To understand how precious African was distributed, we
mush first under stand what imperialism is and how it directly correlates with African culture and
history. According to dictionary.com imperialism is the, "acquisition by a government of other
governments or territories, or of economic or cultural power over other nations or territories, often
used by force" ("Imperialism"). A good example of imperialism is when a large country is broken
down into small pieces and people from other nations try to grab as many pieces as possible. By
splitting up a country this way, it allows all of the people of different nations the ability to own a
small piece of one large country. The downfall of dividing a country up and having to that country
go through imperialism, is that the divided country will begin to lose its valuables in the brutal fights
against imperialism. According to Virgilio Dias, "Imperialism comes from where the concentration
of capital is

The, National Museum Of African Art
On October 9, 2015 I went to the Smithsonian, National Museum of African Art along with
attending the Million Man March down in Washington D.C. The experiences were wonderful and I
was very excited to be at both events. While at the museum I took two tours one at 10 am that was
led by a woman named Nkechi Obi. She talked about docent African Arts. The next one was shortly
after at11 am that was led by a teen ambassador named Nicholas Stewart, who was very intelligent.
He talked about numerous pieces throughout the museum that had some significance to younger
minds so I found that very helpful. After the tour I spent some time down at the mall in DC in which
faced the Capitol. This was the Million Man March that was a very popular event that brought out
many people. I would describe both events as lectures that were powerful and time put to good use.
The reason I chose to go to the African Art Museum is because I have been there before and I enjoy
my time when I go. The tours at the museum consisted of talks about certain pieces in the museum
that fell in a category the tourist wanted to focus on. Nkechi Obi was my first tour guide and the title
of her tour was "Docent African Arts". Her goal throughout the tour was to show pieces of artwork
that showed what Africans may have gone through in the past in slavery. One piece that she focused
on that I want to highlight was "Southern Landscape" by Walter Williams Roots. In this piece there
various things going on in the photo.

African Arts Midterm
Midterm essay Lingyi Liu
After studying Arts of Africa for two weeks, I have learnt a lot of African arts. It is interesting that
most of them are used at funerals to honor the death of ancestors. People use sculptures, masks,
illustration and some other tools to memorize the dead and even people from different culture have
their unique ways to honor it. Death rituals in Africa are come from the cultural beliefs, they believe
that death and life are continuous. The dead people still "alive" in a spirit way. Rituals in Africa
ensures the ancestor will not be disturbed and his descendant will be protected. If they fail to do this,
the ghost will remain in the world and cause some problems. The descendant will lose the asylum
from their ancestor. So, it's really important for the African to honor the dead. According to the
images in the lecture, I found the most common purpose of these arts are wearing in performance
and placing in the shrine. The reason why people used these sculptures and masks is to represent a
spirit. Here are three ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It's one of the most common theme in Dogon art. It is made in Western Sudan in the 20th century. It
is a naturalistic sculpture and the use of it is to place on a shrine. It shows a man of honor. This
figure reminds me of the terracotta in the tomb of the Qin Shihunag in china. It also has the figure of
cavalryman. The material of them are different, the sculpture in Africa was made from wood, while
the one in China was made from clay. What's more, the Horse and rider" figure shows the honor of
man. It pays attention on the soldier himself. For the terracotta in the tomb, the function of them are
protecting the king. There are many soldiers and showed the power of army. Although they have the
similar appearance, the meaning of them are

African American Art
They are all African American Artist, although they are extremely similar to each other. Each one of
them trying to indicate art is art is nothing to do with black and white people. Art is for represented
you to the world. It's all about creating something new to the world. As an African American they
created different art from their own culture and won religion. They are very similar to each other
because they are all artists of their own thinking such as they use their own idea to create art. The
interesting part is that Artist thinks about the American history first and creates a photo or art or
video as well. Each one of them is famous African American artist who shared a history, culture, the
experience and struggles of their art work.

Art of the Egyptians and Africans
Art of the Egyptians and Africans
Art of the Egyptians and Africans express .............................In art, style is a characteristic, or a
number of characteristics that we can identify as constant, recurring, or coherent.(Art Terminology
1) Artists express their emotions through their art–making, their finished product will reflect that
emotion. They might also create a piece of art that makes the viewer create an emotional response.
Emotion is any strong agitation of the feelings actuated by experiencing love, hate, fear, etc.
(Dictionary 1)
Ancient Egyptian art is five thousand years old. It emerged and took shape in the ancient Egypt, the
civilization of the Nile Valley. Ancient Egyptian art was shown with emotion beautifully in painting
and sculpture, and was both highly symbolic and stylized. The exceptional traditions in Egypt is one
of the most important things in the history of art. The tombs and temples of the Egyptians have
expressed the grandeur of the kingdom of the Nile. Egyptian sculptors and painters began to
formulate patterns to represent figures and stories. Egyptians used the art to represent a continuation
of life after death, it was an important part of their culture. They believed that, in order for the spirit
to live on, the dead person's body had to be preserved, or mummified, and buried along with
supplies of food and drink, tools and utensils, valued possessions. (Scholastic) Egyptian art was
becoming more realistic, which moved away from the ways of

How Did Weber Influence African Art
THE INFLUENCE AFRICAN ART HAD ON EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN ARTISTS
This paper deliberates the strong influences African art had on famous artists and how African art
got the opportunity to be distinguished. African art is the manifestation of human artistic
imagination, as visual as a sculpture. I will be talking about the impacts that African craftsmanship
had on the European craftsman Pablo Picasso and the American specialist Max Weber and a few
others named in this paper. Picasso denied that he was ever affected by the African workmanships
and how he later admittance that he was motivated by African art. I will examine particular bits of
workmanship and presumptions that was made by Picasso and Weber in motivation of African
craftsmanship, and how African craftsmanship had impacted these expert and different unmistakable
gifted laborers and workmanship today. African ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
His unbounded creative ability conveyed a few works of art, countless dazed and actuated, however
in this way changed Modern craftsmanship (Dominiczak.2012). In Paris, Picasso gained access to
watching antiques that were transported from Africa as they were shown in historical centers
(Murrell, 2008). The striking segments of these tribal covers and models taken from tribes, for
example, the Songye tribe of Congo and the Dan tribe of the Ivory Coast, pushed Picasso to make
the comprehended immaculate show–stopper "Les Demoiselles D'Avignon". This piece alone drove
the Cubism's movement headway, which was depicted by outlining the subject or question from a
broad assortment of edges instead of one perspective, the nonexclusive style before cubism
(Rewald, 2004). The conventions, traditions and services behind the veils and models were
moreover an excellent segment to the effect it had on Picasso's behavior and proposals behind his
work of art. To start with it was said that Picasso denies having been influenced by African

African American Art History During The 20th Century
African American class is one of my favorite classes. I have learned some new things about the
African American art history during the 20th century. Also, I have known some of the important
artist, and being able to discover their lives. However, one of those artists was George Washington
Carver, who was a American botanist and inventor. He was a Muslim scientist. He was born into
slavery in Missouri in 1864. He has a wild reputation because he had changed the way that poor
family lives on. In addition, Carver had made some recherché about promotion of alternative crops
to cotton, such as peanuts and sweet potatoes. He also had developed many products that made from
peanuts, and that were useful for the house and farm, including cosmetics,

How The Ghana Is Influenced By African Art
In this assignment we look at how the Benin is able to concept the uncivilised nature of African
societies. We will also look at the relationship between the Benin Bronzes, as African art, rather than
modern art in the west. We know that the Benin bronzes are known to be of 'aesthetic', 'spiritual' and
'sentimental' value due to its symbolic appraisal of civilisation. They are also one of the most
sophisticated pieces of art.
When looking into the African heritage, we can note it has a vast impact on the modern art world –
artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse sustain this. Artists in the 1920's and 30's were known to
be influenced by African arts, they would experiment with adjoin effects after witnessing original
African art in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(1971). Ruskin believes that the lexis 'art' is retained for European and Christian traditions. We
know that 'fine art' is a representation of pre recovery tradition within Europe as paintings were able
to give off the depiction illusion of objects/ people in reasoned environments. Although, the Benin
Bronze is able to become symbolic of idolised bodies, Western Societies did not see this as 'art', due
to its 'primitive' nature.
The Benin Bronze is seen to give off the illusion of life–like through the academic modelling of:
light and shadow gradations upon features around the eyes, mouth and ears, the smooth finishes
upon the softer areas such as the lips and rounded forms in spaces such as the chin and inner eyes.
Rather than depicting emotions, the Benin bronze is able to use distorted forms to express them
through emphasises on certain areas of the artefact such as the fine detail within the headpiece and
neck. The Benin bronze is also able to give the illusionistic imitation of feelings, such as: worship,
dread and concern – depending on how the viewer deceives it. It is known that the idea of forming
and feeling emotion within art, was central to the late nineteenth century – The historic impact of
this is indisputable.
The artwork of the Benin Bronzes were seen transported to anthropological museums in Germany,
France, England and other nations following the imperialism at the end of the nineteenth century.
The

African Art Essay
African Art African Art does not have specific date to which it evolved because most early African
Art was carved in wood, which perished quickly. This is why most art dates from the 19th and early
20th century. Many 20th century artists admired and collected pieces of African Art. They enjoyed
the bold color, expression, and form that produced a new beginning in art history. African Art was
mostly dedicated to life affirming activities such as healing, pleasure, protection, and
transformation. The first African Art that made a sustained impact on Europe occurred with the
bronze casing and ivory seized in 1897 by the British Royal Army. It was then that African Art
began to become in demand, and seen by all areas of the world. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
African masks were to establish a different identity for the wearer in order to amuse, teach, or
sacrifice. A great example of an African mask is Bayaka Mask. This mask is used for a form of rite.
When a boy reaches puberty he is circumcised. After this is done, the boy is removed from the
village for one year of seclusion from women. During this time, the boy is taught to hunt and protect
by fellow men from the village. To end the one year confinement, a ceremony is held when the boy
and his teachers return in the Bayaka Masks. Sculptures are another form of African Art that is very
important to its history. Sculptures came in a variety of shapes and sizes. They were often made of
wood, metal, cloth, or clay. These sculptures served as personal protection figures, symbols for
supernatural powers, and representation of ancestors. Most sculptures were made to represent the
human body, but some cultures never carve human faces so it resembled any individual in fear of
accusations of witch craft. A great example of one such sculpture is Cango and Zaire. This sculpture
is of a women breast feeding her child. The face of the two people is elongated, as well as the
breasts of the mother. This is common to all African Art because they wanted representation of what
is being expressed. In this particular sculpture, a supernatural power is being called upon. The power
has been asked to protect the mother and child, and to

African American Heroism : Art By Kehinde Wiley
African American Heroism: Art by Kehinde Wiley Throughout history there have been countless
demonstrations of non–violent protests against injustice. Nonviolent protests are known for being
extremely successful in bringing about positive change. Nonviolent resistance is when people
achieve goals through symbolic protests, civil disobedience, economic noncooperation, and other
forms of protests without the use of violence. A rather interesting form of nonviolent resistance is
protest art. Protest art has been used since the early 1900s and can be described as creative works
that are produced by activists and social movements as part of demonstrations or acts of civil
disobedience. It has been extremely successful because it is not limited to one region or country, but
is used to convey messages to everyone around the world. Kehinde Wiley is an artist who has truly
made a noticeable statement with his bold, groundbreaking, and innovative work. Through his
paintings, he advocates black empowerment and heroism throughout the African American
community. He eliminates the negative connotations of African Americans and replaces them with
uplifting images of black beauty.
Kehinde Wiley is an innovative painter who has been around since 2006. His vision is so powerful
and the statement that he makes attracts the attention of countless individuals. Immediately the
vibrant, luminous colors that he uses attracted me to his artwork. His portraits are so radiant that
they can be

African Art, Religion And Rituals
Even though historians still struggle today to identify the true meaning of some African art; art,
religion and rituals relate in many ways because religion and rituals have been part of Africans
everyday life for centuries and art has been used as a communication path for religion and ritual
histories for future African generations.
From the earliest in time, Africans have used religion and rituals for many things. Many African
tribes or civilizations share many common core beliefs. The farmers used ceremonies to pray and
dance for rain, so crops would grow. Family members prayed for health and rituals to heal the sick
as well as funeral ceremonies to pray for safe passage to the afterlife. "Nevertheless, scholars have
suggested that a

Yoruba Ladle: The Power Of Women In African Art
African art is of great uniqueness not just in comparison to what we have studied up until now, but
the way they interpret both art and the leadership roles that posses their people is of great
fascination. Although sharing some similarities to previous topics we have covered this semester,
African leaders are often viewed as having a spiritual relationship with the land and their people, but
the power of women in particular is the centerpiece to African art and spiritual power. A uniqueness
that is only found only within the African culture. The object I chose was a 20th century Yoruba
Ladle, although a item that would have been used on a regular basis, and very "bland" object at first
glance. This ladle caught my attention for not ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This ladle is that object, it is going to be the centerpiece for serving the community at today's
gathering. As all gather in their tribal dresses, braided hair and color beaded dresses the use of this
ladle is to serve those gathered. This ladle cannot be used by anyone ordinary; a person of power can
only use such an object this. This person is a woman. The power of feeding the people is of great
honor and one only done by women because of their status as creator god. He has put all women in
charge of all good things on earth and feeding their people is a top priority. This ladle is used on a
regular occurrence, being used for gatherings, and serving those around them for years previously
and years to come on a consistent basis. This ladle is not only seen as a symbol of serving put
embodies much of what the Yoruba people believe in from a cultural standpoint in the detail of the
ladle itself. The motif of connecting life with household implements. The role of the ladle being
used by women as a nurturer and caregiver shows the stretch that this once ordinary piece of wood
significance to the

Modern Art And African Art
There is a clear connection between modern art and African art. African symbols, shapes, and
ideologies influence paintings, textiles, and sculptures. However, not many discuss comics within
the traditional definition of art. The medium of comics boomed after the Great Depression with
Superman. A time of hardship, the Depression left people needing something to believe in. Since the
beginning of time people have used storytelling and mythology to explain the world around them.
After the Depression with the birth of Superman, superheros were no different. Superheros are
modern mythologies, a phrase coined by Richard Reynolds. In his book, Super Heroes: A Modern
Mythologies, he refers to Roland Barters essay Myth Today, which points out that mythology
represents culture as nature to explain the political and social anatomy of societies. Superheroes
contribute to this concept by using science and magic to create a sense of mythical wonder.
Reynolds uses the example of Thor, who is a god trapped on earth in the body of a scientist with a
walking stick as punishment from his father Odin. Throughout the comic book universe there are
heroes that not only draw from Norse mythology, but Native American, Hindu, and Greco–Roman
mythology as well. One has to wonder if there is a connection between superheroes and African
mythology. The Yoruban orishas of Nigeria, which parallel the mythologies listed previously
contains different deities each representing an aspect of nature can be

African Art Essay
African Art
The painting is made by an african artist. You can tell by the colours used in the painting and the
style of clothes that are worn that it comes from an african background. The painting is quite
abstract because of the shapes. The shapes have curved lines but the way the shapes are used are like
'block shapes', as if the shapes are making up the painting. The painting is more about the colours
used. Each random shape has got tonal colour. The colours used are bright ranging from blue and
red, mixed with dark tones. The painting doesn't depict a realistic image because it doesn't seem like
a proffesional painting. It doesn't show any great detail and only shows more emphasis on the ...
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The tonal balance is a medium contrast and uses more dark tones than lighter tones. It uses tone
through blending and shading the colours. On the actual figures it uses more darker shading and a
few colour blendings. The background blends various numbers of colours together. The darker
shadings on the figures doesn't give the painting seem gloomy as most paintings will when they
have darker shades to it, or even dark as there is more colour blended into it. Still with the toning, it
makes the picture look flat.
The main types of colours that are used are primary colours and the combined primary colours
mixed with the black or white. It doesn't use any other mixed colours. There are cold colours such as
green and blue but it still makes the painting look warm as it is mixed with either a warm colour. It
uses bright colours but in general it doesn't seem as bright as you would expect it to be as the artist
has used the colour in a subtle way. The way the artist has used the colour is started in one section of
a shape and either smuged outwards into the rest of the shape, or blended in to another colour.
The main object of the painting, is the two figures and that is the main focus, however the colours
used in the background doesn't really make the figures stand out even though it is in the centre of the
painting.

African Art
The artistic expression found on the African mainland are almost as differing from the individuals
themselves. Gathering from throughout the landmass, a variety of tribes added to Africa's
craftsmanship history with interesting gems of art. African art differentiated an added accentuation
on dynamic art over naturalistic art. In African sculptures, artist tended to recreate on three–
dimensions. I firmly believe that African art history has assumed a noteworthy part in molding the
way of life and history of the world today. Throughout my travels through The Nelson–Atkins
Museum of Art, I landed myself in Gallery L9, the African art museum. I connected closely to the
African masks, such as the Helmet mask, Guere mask, and the portrait masks. Through class
readings in chapter 20: Africa, I was able to enhance my experience of the exhibit. I was able to
learn about ceremonial masks. Throughout the chapter, the textbook kept exemplifying that African
art did not create attempts to be seen for joy, yet rather to satisfy a capacity of society and religion.
This was portrayed through the Portrait masks. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
My experience from The Nelson–Atkins Museum of Art, was favorable based on one initial
discovery. That being, the Water Deity Headdress. Not only did I get a viewing of the Headdress in
the fixture, but they were displaying a video on the screen of an African dance, they were wearing
water deity headdresses, and Bwadi bwa Kifwebe. The water deity headdress is also called the Etim
Abassi Ekpenyong in Nigerian. These headdresses were constructed of a variety of materials such
as: "wood, goatskin, and pigment". This headdress shows the winding hairdo of an Efut women. The
headdresses facial section replicated the look of a crocodile, and appeared rather heavy. Through
this exhibit, I expanded my knowledge and learned that this mask speaks to a stream soul who
accepted the style of a

African Art Collector Essay
Tribal Art BBC Documentary vs. The Great African Art Collector The Tribal Art BBC Documentary
and The Great African Art Collector Interview have very different perspectives. The Tribal Art
documentary BBC Documentary revolves around a White– European man, Griff Rhys, trying to
understand African Art and why certain pieces are used, their meanings, etc. Griff Rhys is an
outsider looking into the world of African art and culture. The second film, The Great African Art
Collector, is a Black man speaking about African art, his collection, the history, and his experiences
as a collector. As a Black man his perspective about African art is about self–love, appreciating his
culture, and wanting other Black people as a whole to be knowledgeable about their culture/history
and to love being Black. There is a huge difference between a black person appreciating their own
history and art form than another race being obsessed with African art. Most people that are not
Black that claim to be appreciative of African art, African– American culture, anything African
come from a place of fetishtion and a false " deep connection" with African culture, in this case
African art. Eric Edward also explains in his interview that a lot of African art collectors are racists
and see it as a way of having power over black people. Each perspective talks about ... Show more
Both videos discuss the history of African art, the purpose of sculptures, and the culture behind it. In
the Tribal Art BBC documentary, Griff Rhys, mentions that the sculptures and masks have spiritual
purposes. All of Eric Edward's sculptures in his collection were for protection. Rhys goes to Africa
to understand more about the culture behind the art and Edward's states that he learned about each
sculpture through reading books and immersed himself in his culture. These videos had more
differences than similarities. Each video consists of the same concepts but presented in different

Royal Arts Of African Art
Royal Arts of Africa show traditional work from the most historic tribal civilizations. Throughout
centuries, African Art has enriched royal stature, authenticated noble influence, and honored past
and present rulers. The Kom of northwest Cameroon, included in these historic tribal civilizations,
molded statues symbolizing their very own royal families and prestige attendants of their kings'. The
"Royal Figure" is a prime example of this kind of artwork that has lived through the Kom
Kingdom's history. This piece is constructed out of multiple mediums including wood, Indigo beads,
raffia cloth, and iron, but beneath these materials lies a much deeper meaning. Symbolism, daily
functions, history, and culture were all brought forward when ... Show more content on
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Simply a smooth round surface lies within the eye socket. They are in the shape of footballs with a
distinct eyelid surrounding them entirely, and a rigid eye brow structure is placed directly over the
top. The forehead gracefully goes upward from the brow without a single crease, and it slightly
rounds outward. The nose is perpendicular to the eyes, beginning where they meet in the middle. It
is overly thin on the brim, protruding greatly from the face. Two half circles flare out at the lower tip
of the nose with openings at the bottom to resemble nostrils. Directly below this, two almost
rectangular shaped characters emerge from the face, exactly where a pair of lips would sit. There is a
deep gap between the two to give it the image of a mouth.
Directly below the face, a long, slender neck flows into the man's body, which is entirely covered in
beads. His neck has three horizontal stripes of altering bead colors: brass, gold, brass. The neck sits
at the center of his straight across, broad shoulders, where a triangular neck piece drapes down,
covering his chest. The center area, below the neck, is covered with gold beads, while the area
surrounding it is covered in indigo beads that follow the triangular shape of the neck piece. His arms
are shaped like cylinders extending straight down from the outer edge of his shoulders. Here, the
beads flow in a vertical direction. The two arms bend at the side of the figure's waist, and

The Harlem Renaissance : The Rebirth Of African American Arts
Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural, social, and artistic movement that took
place in Harlem, New York. This mainly took place starting from the end of the First World War
until the mid–1930s. Harlem, at this time, was the center of the African–American culture, and
Harlem appealed lot of black artists, writers, scholars, musicians, poets, and photographers. Lots of
these artists had fled from the South because they needed to get away from their oppressive caste
system so that they could express themselves freely, and display their talents. The Harlem
Renaissance was considered to be the "rebirth of African–American arts". This movement mainly
started around 1918 and ended during the mid–1930s. Some of the major writers during this time of
the Harlem Renaissance were Langston Hughes, W.E.B. Du Bois, Countee Cullen, Zoe Neale
Hurston, and Marcus Gravey. Lots of these themes that these writers wrote about are themes that to
this day artists try to make a point of emphasis, including the American Dream, effects of racism on
the black population, black identity, and human rights (Wormser). Langston Hughes seemed to be
the "Father of the Harlem Renaissance". Some of the poems that he wrote were some of the most
famous of the movement. He was the first poet to capture what was going on in his poems. He had
the capability of colorfully portraying black life during this time period through his poetry. Hughes
would not differentiate between his experience, and

African American Artistic Expression: 1920s To Present Day...
It is hard to believe that I knew of Black Lives Matter (BLM), however, I never actually bother to
learn what it is–I knew a succinct premise of what the movement is about, but never cared to inquire
further on the subject. Nevertheless, attending events like the Brandeis' Black Lives Matter's
Symposium allowed me to inform myself on different angles about the movement and understand it
through a brief historical context and through different mediums and points of view.
In fact, there are many things that I took away from the symposium, such as how activism can be
expressed in many different forms. It depends on the person's skills, whether the person wants to
combine her/is passion with a cause close to her/is heart, anything can be done. ... Show more
People were solely talking about how black men were being assassinated by the police without a
justify cause, but there was little talk about the black women also being killed. Of course, it has
changed and BLM has broaden their focus, since in Ferguson, where it all started, there were even
more women involved. And, as a matter of fact, I believe it is one of the common routes in which
movements often times go through, that of focusing particularly in one identity, which may affect
them, but it may also affect other people with other identities or an intersection of several identities,
an example of what we have seen in class is the Women's Rights movement, which at the beginning
of its second wave it focused on white women and it marginalized women of color, such as black
and Chicana

How Did West African Art Influence Latin American Culture
Culture is changing because of the arts in different regions of the world. African art is visual and
includes different types such as sculptures, painting,and pottery. Latin American art is traditionally
developed in Mesoamerica, Central America, and South America. European art took a turn from
inspiration because of the Roman Greek Empire. Art and Culture is changing throughout the world
all the time. African Art styles and techniques are so vast and diverse that it is difficult to describe
them all as a whole. "Types and techniques of African art are also subject to specific regional
influences found throughout the continent"(Picton). For instance, the West African region includes
Sudan, the Guinea Coast, and Nigeria. The West African region produces a lot of sculptural art while
also being heavily influenced by the presence of Islam, creating a strict standard of what is
acceptable art, This is an example of how artistic styles are influenced by religion, tribes, cities,
economics, and society. Providing a picture on how art fits into a sculpts ... Show more content on
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When the Europeans were starting to arrive mostly were from Spain and Portugal. "Came with
painting and sculpture traditions dating back to antiquity" (Scott). Another important aspect of this
region was the African slaves then led to the presence of the African visual arts that were going on
around in this region. Over the course of time Latin America went under with political and cultural
changes that then lead Latin America to what was called the Independence movement during the
19th and then into the 20th century. The visual arts has been affected due to these changes. "Latin
American artists have often superficially accepted styles from Europe and the United States,
modifying them to reflect their local cultures and experiences" (Scott). Artists look into the past of
Latin American Art to help create a distinct

Early African Art
Throughout history, artists have depicted the intimate and domestic scenes of maternal love in
various styles that reflected upon the historical, political, religious and artistic progression of the
time period. A striking example of Early African art is a Terracotta statue ca. 1000–1500 depicting a
Mother with children(?), from the Inland Niger Delta, Mali. The piece was discovered among many
other modeled terracotta sculptures in the walled town of Jenne–Jeno. Archeological evidence from
this region suggests the presence of several diverse ethnic groups due to the several pieces found, all
differentiating in style. The mother within this statue is depicted in a seated position with 3 smaller
figures clasping onto the her figure. The figures are idealized, like many of the naturalistic ... Show
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The painting, a wedding gift from Raphael to his friend Lorenzo Nasi, features the Madonna, the
Christ Child, and the infant Saint John in a serene landscape. The book in Mary's hand reads Sedes
Sapientiae or "The Throne of Wisdom." This term usually is applied to images in which Mary is
seated upon a throne with The Christ child on her lap, but in this case, the inscription implies the
rock on which Mary sits is her natural throne. Mary is seen keeping her page in her book as she is
interrupted by the children who stand in her protective embrace. Raphael accepts the approach of the
pyramidal composition, the gentle effects of the soft light and the emotional dialog between the
characters. Such an interlock of gestures and glances within the painting conveys a profound
intimacy between the figures within the scene. The Christ Child is lovingly stroking a goldfinch that
John holds out to him. A symbol of the Passion (the goldfinch, because it feeds among thorns) is
thus combined in a scene that can at a first level of meaning be seen simply as children at

Exploring The African American Woman 's Identity Through...
Exploring the African American Woman's Identity through the Arts
In the Africa American culture, there has been a longstanding discussion of the black woman's
physical appearance and how they identify themselves in society. Though there are many themes of
the Black experience in the media that discuss the standard of beauty Black women should have.
However, theatre has a creative and tactful way of exploring these topics that are considered taboo
in the African American culture. During the Black Arts Movement, topics such as black
empowerment and self–identity were the blue print for what the movement stood for. In reference
to, A Brief Guide to the Black Arts Movement Writers, "African American artists within the
movement sought to create politically engaged work that explored the African American cultural
and historical experience" (A Brief Guide to the Black Arts Movement Writers.1). Prolific writers
such as, Ntozake Shange 's, Amari Baraka, and Nikki Giovanni, just to name a few, were
revolutionary in a creative and political movement, which allowed for writers and poets to
demonstrate the pains and qualms of what African Americans faced in Western society. Two African
American playwrights, Lorraine Hansberry and Adrienne Kennedy, expounded on these topics in
their plays A Raisin in the Sun and Funny House Negro. In the further exploration of stigmas of
African American female hair and self–identification through theatre, these plays will be used as a
platform to

African American Art Of African Americans In The 19th Century
African Americans always had a great influence in the United States throughout time from the
beginning of slavery. African Americans, since the start of slavery, always expressed themselves
artistically, where it was through music or art. From making patchwork quilts, slaves used their
artistic expression to help conduct the Underground Railroad and escape slavery. To be defined as
"illiterate savages" African Americas proved many wrong with their exceptional skills presented in
many different styles of artwork. From slavery throughout the 19th century, there were a great
number of African Americans whom contributed to the United States through artistic expression,
with creating artwork that would either be judged or discredited. For example, Robert S. Duncanson,
Edward M. Bannister, Mary Edmonia Lewis, and Henry Ossawa Tanner were all 19th century
African American artists who each faced their own individual challenges to achieve acclaim as
artists.
Many African American artists of the 19th century were very talented, prominent and successful
during their careers. Through their artwork and artistic style some artist followed very similar but
yet very different techniques during their time. For example, looking at the artworks of Robert
Duncanson and Edward Bannister, the two shared the same interest in their artistic style and subject
matter while also remaining to stay original. Both, Robert Duncanson and Edward Bannister, were
well–known landscape artist able to capture

Analyzing The African Art Galleries On The Metropolitan...
This paper will be describing and analyzing the African Art Galleries in the Metropolitan Museum
of Art. The galleries that will be critiqued in this paper are 350, 351, and 352. Gallery 350 (Samuel
H. and Linda M. Lindenbaum Gallery) is an averaged size rectangular room that spans about the
length of a sidewalk. The gallery contains several carved wooden sculptures, primarily located in the
center of the gallery that immediately take over upon entering. While most objects are not enclosed
in cases and are instead freestanding, some works such as the Senufo Face Mask are not
freestanding and are supported by a wall in a case allowing for frontal viewing. The Bozo door has a
slight relief and can be viewed frontally as it hangs on the wall. Some freestanding works are
displayed in cases that are built into the walls of the gallery, which limits the individual's ability to
view the work all the way around. Though external lights bring some brightness into the gallery,
they seem to add a muted sepia tone to the room. In the cases against the walls, the lights are
installed in the panels above the pieces in order to provide an even distribution of light amongst all
of the work. In the entire gallery, the lights are scattered on the ceiling and angled in a way to
provide light on each sculpture. The sculptures are arranged in a geographical manner since most of
the items are from the people of Mali and Côte D 'ivoire . In this gallery, the pieces are also grouped
in a

The Reflection Of Social Status In African Art
The Reflection of Social Status in African Art The attachment of labels to particular groups of
people is something society just can't stop doing. Categorizing brings comfort in a world that can
often be very brutal and chaotic. Most people's first thoughts when looking at or meeting someone
are along the lines of trying to guess what kind of person they are based on how they look, to get a
better understanding of their social status. This idea is reflected within the arts as well, such as in the
use of distinguishing factors to discern a leader or deity from mere mortals. In African culture,
people of higher status often employed the fine arts in combination with other methods, to embed
their absolute power into the minds of their normal counterparts. Hierarchical scale is a favorite
among ancient artists when creating works featuring a high ranking member of society, be it a god
or a mortal king. People in power want to remain relevant to the people they serve, and this
relevance is often reiterated through forms of political propaganda that make them appear more
menacing or divine. One of the more blatant examples of art indicating and reinforcing social status
is the "Altar to the Hand and Arm" (Kleiner 402–403). Upon first glance, the most important figure
can be picked out of the other figures being depicted in this piece. Ancient African artists had a solid
grasp on proportion, but they often honored their leaders by giving them larger heads to represent
the endless

African Art Research Paper

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