African Art in the Modern Era (Unit 3)

not modernism and not all of Africa

Two issues with the term “modern African art”

“modern”

Meaningful art history term referring to a particular artistic movement exclusive to Euro American art

postcolonial artistic traditions in Sub Saharan Africa

A more accurate title than “Modern African Art”

damage to cultures, boundaries drawn by foreigners, and the primitive

Issues with understanding African art and culture stemming from colonialism

Benin Punitive Expedition

Example of the irreparable damage done to traditional cultures on the African continent by colonialism. Retaliation of the British army after local tribesmen killed British traders through eradication of their culture - destruction and selling off antiquities to museums

boundaries drawn by foreigners

Led to Westerners inaccurately viewing all of Africa as violent. Lines drawn by those with no knowledge of the social order pushed groups who were anathema to one another together

the primitive

How Westerners viewed African art after seeing looted antiquities, describing them as having a “childlike simplicity.” Would eventually appeal to 20th century modern artists. Based on the art being taken out of its context and analyzed through a Eurocentric lens

recent

What much of Sub-Saharan art is, since it is made of imperament materials

continuous creation

Objects in these traditional cultures were created with the intent of having to make them again, not made to last and comprised of materials that decayed and needed replacement

their recency and their connection to the social order

Two recurring things to pay attention to in Sub-Saharan art

maintenance of the social order

What art like the Nankani Compound aimed to do, delegating different genders to different buildings

circular buildings

In the Nankani Compound, these belonged to women

rectangular buildings

In the Nankani Compound, these belonged to men

Nankani Compound

Series of buildings in Ghana

physical divide

What the Nankani Compound enforced between men and women through different buildings and roles

decorate their homes

Role of women in the Nankani compound, where they would paint abstract, non-representational images

patterns

In the Nankani compound, these were painted on houses by women and would also be carried out in the other items owned by the person similarly to a personal signature

their position in society

Patterns are often intrinsic to the owner’s identity and denotes this - maintaining the social order

masks / masking

A major artistic form in Africa. Performance-based

African masks

All serve different purposes

Egungun masquerade

This particular Yoruba masquerade is about ancestral spirits meant for the entire community and expressed what one’s ancestors were like

way of children learning their history/identity

What the Yoruba Engungun masquerade also functioned as

Plank Masks

An example of a masquerade from Burkina Faso, where young men and women were ceremonially kidnapped and taught what’s expected of them within the community as they become adults

distinctive pattering

Each Burkina Faso Plank Mask that an initiate wears has this, which was almost like a signature

legible iconography

What the distinctive, abstract patterns denoting identity were to those inside the culture

Temne Nowo Mask

A Sonday (?) masquerade from Sierra Leone. Movement of a young girl from youth to adulthood

black costumes and glossy black helmet masks

What the elder women wear in the Temne Nowo Mask initiation ceremony while giving instructions to transition the girls into womanhood

abstract idea

What many African cultures interpreted ideas such as beauty as and, therefore, did not try to represent them naturalistically as seen in Western art like Venus

ideal female beauty

What the Temne Nowo Masks were meant to represent

Kanga and Rabbit masquerade figures at Dama

Used as part of a Mali funeral ceremony - transition from life to death and honoring the deceased

funeral masquerades

Often 6+ days, choreographed, and elaborate

group of deceased elders

Funeral masquerades were big events done to commemorate this rather than an individual person

Kanga and rabbit masks

Commonly danced during the funerary celebration

mock battles/fights

What men performed during funerary celebrations

smashed the deceased’s cooking vessels

What women ritualistically did during funerary celebrations - a symbol of those items having lost their value after their owners’ passing

through their use

How object are given meaning - key idea of African art. In the absence of a performance or ceremony, items lose their meaning, because they aren’t being used. If someone has died, their possessions are now meaningless, because they aren’t being used

inherent

The western view of artistic meaning - believed to be built into the work rather than coming from its use

expressing power and authority

What architecture was used to do in Sub-Saharan communities like every other society

kingship

A societal tradition among many African cultures

large-scale building projects

Undertaken in many African communities, especially those with kings, to denote political power and authority

royal compound

A building in the Democratic Republic of Congo belonging to the king, its patterns on the interior and exterior meant to identify who he is (items he used, clothing he wore)

context

Crucial to understanding the decoration and design choices of African art

named artists

A significant tradition in Yoruba society dating back to the early 20th century

Olowe of Ise

Yoruba artist who did a number of work for leaders such as doors and sculptures, creator of Veranda Posts

Veranda Posts

Yoruba royal art by Olowe of Ise. Meant to be stunning, playing up the lavishness of the palace it is attached to

sculptural arts

A critical way of manifesting things that cannot readily be seen in Africa, making an abstract concept physical

Finials

The top of ceremonial rods carried by linguists. Can represent activities linguists common partake in or fables they were expected to know

Ashanti culture of Ghana

Where finials of linguists originate from

linguist

Incredibly important position in Ashanti society - mouthpiece for the king

repository for the community’s history

The other important role of the linguist on top of being the king’s mouthpiece, knowledgeable of the traditional stories and what has happened in the past

political power as an egg

An Ashanti proverb warning one to find a balance in exerting power

kente cloth

Has been produced by the Ashanti since the 17th century. Done exclusively by men to underline its importance

members of the royal family

What kente cloth was originally exclusively made for, tightly controlled

patterns and colors

Of the kente cloth - have symbolic meaning that could be used to identify the wearer: who he is and what he does

production of textiles

Traditionally done by women in indigenous communities

twin births

The Yoruba have one of the highest rates of this in the entire world

high rates of twin birth and infant mortality

The combination of these two things meant many births only had one sibling survive or two non-viable infants

twin figures

Long tradition in Yoruba society. Depictions of deceased twins. Objects like these were cared for as if they were living children: bathed, fed, dressed

appease its spirit

What the twin figures were made to do, caring for them was a way of honoring them

spirit longing for spouse

In the Ivory coast, this was believed to be the problem if people were having trouble with their strict gender roles

Spirit Spouse Figures

Statues made in the Ivory Coast to appease one’s spirit if it is determined to be longing for its spouse

Power Figures

Thought to have tremendous spiritual force in the DRC and accumulated more the more they were used

nails

Driven into power figures to mark when they had been used and to amplify its spirit - its use meaning

medicinal rituals, good fortune, judicial purpose

Purposes of Democratic Republic of Congo Power Figures

divination

Widespread in many traditional African societies to give people an idea of what the gods were thinking or what the future held for them

Divination Board

From Yoruba, each with different carvings. Would be covered in white dust, casted with palm nuts, then be read

slavery

Caused Yoruba traditions to spread across North and South America, mixing with local customs. They were deep and lasting, becoming one of the most prominent cultures in art history

new world religions

A combination of traditions: indigenous, African, European Christianity. Made into something new