[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Bwa Mask ] [ Weaving of Mali ] [ What is Art? ] [ Chi Wara Headdress of the Bamana ] [Senufo Masks] [ Discover Africa] 
[Art of Africa] [Artist of Africa] [Dogon Ancestral Figures] [Dogon Masks] [Senufo Ancestral Figures] [Maternal Ancestral Figures] [Cloth Examples] [Kurumba Headdress] [Discover Africa Lesson]

What criteria do we use to judge art of Africa?  Is it art because it replicates nature? Is it art because it is expressive?  Is it art because of the formal properties? Is it art because of the function it serves? (Aesthetic Judgment - use you Back arrow to return)

It is important to consider the context in how the objects are used.
Is the object itself art? Or is it the combination of dance, music and
costume?  All must be considered in judging the art of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Africa is a vast continent of many different ethnic groups.  It is unfair
to make generalizations about the art of Africa as it is quite diverse.
For the convenience of study, here are some basic generalizations:

• Abstraction (changed from nature, simplified)
• Exaggeration (features are emphasized)
• Distortion (features are elongated, enlarged)
• Pattern (designs are repeated)
• Geometric shapes (angular, circular, rectangular)
• Repetition (shapes and designs are repeated)
• Concentric shapes (shapes repeated with the same center point)
• Natural pigments (earth dyes and pigments from nature)
• Incised (designs and patterns are carved into the object)

Study some of the objects from these web pages.  How do these characteristics apply to the antelope headdresses and masks?

Study the drawing of the roan antelope.  How has each of the artists abstracted the features of the antelope?	Notice the incised patterns. How has the artist used positive and negative space?	How has the artist used concentric shapes?  Notice the contrasting colors.	Notice the pattern. What kind of shapes are repeated? What is exaggerated?

Many scholars of fine art argue that if the African art object has not been used for a ritual or religious ceremony, then it is not "art".  What do you think of this reasoning?  Several galleries and museums have found out in recent years that their prized objects are now "fakes".  The scholars refer to objects that were not made by the people for religious purposes (but were made simply for economic reasons - to export) as fakes.   Does the fact that the objects were not used for the dance make them any less a work of "art"?  To the African who made the mask or headdress, the object no longer has a purpose when it is no longer used for the ritualistic dance.  When it is no longer needed by the people, it is often discarded and has no value.  Why do we put such high value on objects that were "used"? Why is the object more valuable to us if is "older" (meaning an antique)?  These are questions for you to consider and come up with your own conclusions.  See the problems with preservation of African Art.

Another issue in sorting our whether an art object is indeed "art" is the view that crafts are not art.  Many art historians with a "western" view of art may categorize the sculptural pieces as "art" but not the fabrics or ceramics.  What do you think of this narrow view of what is "art"? Keep in mind that many African cultures do not even have a word for "art", just that which is beautiful.  These are just some of the issues art "aestheticians" deal with on a daily basis.

View the objects crafted below for economic reasons - to be sold in markets or for export.  Do you think they are works of art?   Would you consider them to be crafts?  What criteria did you use to place judgment?

		The masks on the far left are by the Baule and the Goro people of Cote d'Ivoire.  The painted mask to their right was also crafted by the Baule or Goro of Cote d'Ivoire, but was purchased from an import store.  What characteristics are similar to the museum quality pieces on the far left.  What makes the masks to far left "art"?
		The Senufo Kpelie mask on the far left was made for funerary rituals.  The Kpelie mask shown next to it was made for export and was purchased at a local import store.  Does it share similar characteristics to the museum piece.  How has the meaning and purpose changed?

Compare to other pottery see slide show AFRICAN CERAMICS

The clay vessel on the left is from Kenya. the one above is from Zimbabwe.  How are they similar to the pottery from Mali? SEE THIS POTTERY EXHIBIT

The plate shown above is from Kenya. How has this craftsman abstracted nature? (larger image)

See more examples of African Ceramics - Many culture represented

What have you learned about valuing African art?

Are you interested in more example of African masks?

See faces of spirits, images of ancestors, portraits of rulers and icons of power.

What characteristics of African art did you find in the examples on the University of Virginia site?

What animals were used for inspiration?  Why do you think those particular animals were selected?

WHAT SHOULD YOUR KNOW ABOUT AFRICA IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND ART?

DO YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW THE OBJECT IS USED?

WHY DOES THE OBJECT LOOK THE WAY IT DOES?

IS THE OBJECT TRADITIONAL OR MODERN?  
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY "TRADITIONAL"?  WHAT DO WE MEAN BY "MODERN"?

AFRICAN ART INTERNET LESSON: TABLE OF CONTENTS
Artists of Africa	African Art Images	Reasons for Art
Art of Mali	People of Mali	Masks of the Bwa
Where is Mali	The Bamana	Chiwara Headdresses
History of Mali	Carvers of Mali	Kurumba Headdresses
Songhai Empire	Weaving	Masking Societies
Songhai Empire	Earth Dyed Cloth	Masquerades Today
Maternal Figures	Art Preservation	Dogon Dama
Senufo Masks	Ancestral Figures	Dogon Equestrian
People of Africa	History of Africa	Misconceptions
Regions of Africa	What is Art?	Test Your Knowledge

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Bwa Mask ] [ Weaving of Mali ] [ What is Art? ] [ Chi Wara Headdress of the Bamana ][ Images of African Art ][Bibliography][Internet Lesson]