AP Art History: Africa

Theme for African Art

"Spirits and Ancestors"-- The majority of traditional African art focuses upon spirits embodied in nature and ancestor worship. These beliefs were powerful and motivated artistic production through the desire to positively affect the Africans' relationship to those spirits or ancestors

Conical tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe

artist:

culture: Shona peoples

medium: Coursed granite blocks

date: 1000-1400 CE

location: Southeastern Zimbabwe

size:

style: African

learning objective: African palace

themes: palace, politics, power, status, rulers, architecture

form of Conical tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe

-The name Zimbabwe means House of stone

-Perfectly describing of what we see

-The entire great enclosure was made of large natural stones that were coursed

-Coursed: stone that is cut and shaped to roughly be the same size; not exact

-In the construction of the great enclosure they were using the coursed granite blocks and they were stacked up from the ground

-The site has no straight lines or right angles in the entire complex

-Built entirely with curved walls and lines

-There is no use of mortar

-Tremendously tall complex structures- ashlar masonry

-All of the granite was quarried from the surrounding areas

function of Conical tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe

-Great Zimbabwe was built to be a city and royal resident for the king

-The city is much larger than the specific royal residence

-The royal residence is called the Great Enclosure

-This space is meant to be a display of power and status

-The size and immensity make it clear that a great and powerful ruler lived there

-Every time you have a political center you're also often going to have a space for political, ceremonial, or religious rituals

content of Conical tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe

-in the great enclosure there are 2 parts

-Conical tower

-See remnants of it today, but it could have been:

-Shape is unusual, could be a granary storing food, could be the queens rooms, could be an observatory because it is tall and comes up almost to the level of the walls to the exterior, could be a statement of the power of the king, and it could be a temple

-Unusual structure given the rest of what we see in the royal residence

-Exterior circular wall

-Wall is double layered

-Inner and outer wall

-About 36 feet tall, almost impossible to scale without the help of some other structure

-Ashlar masonry

-Built it by using the wall itself as the ladder of the structure

-The goal of the wall is to preserve the privacy of the royal family and show their status by setting them apart from the rest of great Zimbabwe

-And an element of protection

-Wall is not impenetrable

-Attention to giving decoration to the top of the wall as well

-Double wall brings up notion of defense

-The gap in between the walls were used for soldiers

context of Conical tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe

-Shona peoples

-Founded great Zimbabwe and brought agriculture with them to this region

-They were pastoralists- managed cattle

-Ruling elite mostly had their wealth through the management and control of cattle

-The Shona are also the largest ethnic group in Zimbabwe

-They also participated in trade

-Glass beads and porcelain that come from china and Persia and coins from the Arab world in middle east

-Great Zimbabwe participated in long distance trade

-Around 1500 their influence declines in the region but not sure why

-The site is ultimately abandoned

-In the 1800s English imperial colonizers find great Zimbabwe

-When the English found it they were stunned by its craftsmanship and size and complexity

-English believed that Muslims must have constructed this

-No evidence of Muslims in this region, but that teaches us that the historiography of Africa is that there is a long standing prejudice against African cultures and a social Darwinist belief that Africans were incapable mentally and culturally of producing complexes and structures and artwork like this

Great Mosque of Djenne

artist:

culture: Malian

medium: Adobe

date: 1200 CE; rebuilt 1906-1907

location: Djenne, mali

size:

style: African/Islamic

learning objective: African mosque

themes: religion, architecture, place of worship, community, cross-culture, propaganda, commercial

form of Great Mosque of Djenne

-This mosque is the larges brick mud mosque in the world

-2 cultural influences on the great mosque of djenne

-African (Malinke)

--Ostrich eggs as a symbol of fertility and purity

--Local materials (mud + straw brick = adobe; palm wood)

--Adobe: sunbaked clay and straw mix- common and resistant to temperature changes, adobe is not a good conductor of heat which is good in Africa

--Terracotta lids on the roofs to provide fresh air

--Torons: timber beams that act as the skeleton of the structure

--Annual replastering of the mosque with a melted butter and liquid clay mixture

--Every year the mosque is recovered with the plaster in order to provide the building with the defenses it needs from the rain

-Islamic:

--Hypostyle hall plan- one of the 3 common Islamic floor plans- process through the building and seek out the divine

--Large community courtyard- garden, metaphor for paradise

--Adjacent to marketplace- underscores connection between commerce and religion

--Minarets- usually towers used to call people to prayer- in this mosque they are decorative only

--Qiblah wall and mihrab- wall that orients the building towards mecca and Kaaba, pray towards the mihrab which is an empty arch on the Qiblah wall

function of Great Mosque of Djenne

-Place of Muslim worship and prayer

-Space for contemplation and tranquility

-Mosques act as community gathering spaces and have connections to economic centers because mosques act as a religious center

-There are marketplaces that have been set up beyond the walls of the mosque

-the mosque became the center of Islamic leaning in west Africa and was a site of pilgrimage for west African Muslims

-Original king constructed the mosque to show the power of the newly adopted religion in the region and also to associate himself with the great Muslim caliphs of the middle east

content of Great Mosque of Djenne

-Looking at the exterior at the 3 minarets, on the top are 3 ostrich eggs to top the three minarets as Malinke symbols of fertility and purity

-Cleansing, which is what happens to your spirit being connected to god

context of Great Mosque of Djenne

-Periods of Construction

-1. 1200 CE: Mosque constructed by King Koi Konboro

--A. By the early 19th century, the building had fallen into disrepair

-2. 1834-1836 CE: Original mosque demolished and a second mosque was constructed

--a. The decision was made to get rid of the original building because it was in such great disrepair but had also been deemed to be too lavish in its original design

--b. this second mosque fell into disrepair by 1900

-3. 1907 CE: A third version was constructed

--a. this building became a symbol to the people of Mali of their cultural and political resistance under French imperialism

--b. this is the mosque that we see today

Wall plaque from Oba's Palace

artist:

culture: Edo peoples

medium: Cast brass

date: 16th c.

location: Benin (Nigeria)

size: 20" by 16"

style: African

learning objective: African brass sculpture

themes: rulers, politics, power, cross-cultural, ideal man, propaganda, commemoration, stylized bodies

form of Wall plaque from Oba's Palace

-In total there are 900 cast brass panels which would have been nailed to wooden pillars on the exterior of the royal palace

-Holes where the nails would have gone through the brass

-High relief sculpture

-Hierarchy of scale

-Size of figures illustrates their importance and not necessarily their size

-Size displays importance

-Heraldic composition: a central larger figure is flanked on either side by lesser figures

-Gives us a sense of pride of place

-Most important space in the image is taken up with the most important person in the middle

-Not a portrait- for this culture, stylization and symbolism are much more important than achieving an exact likeness

-One of the examples of symbolism is the large stylized head of a ruler

-The head is the seat of intelligence

-The large stylized head was a way of illustrating the wisdom of the king

-Would have been made:

--European influence on the peoples because of the technique they used

--The people use the lost-wax casting process

Learned this as trade between Portuguese and Benin

1. make a Lifesize wax version

2. put wax clay model inside a clay case and cut hole in the top

3. turn sculpture upside down and heat up; the wax will drip out and a small space between the clay interior and clay casing will be left

4. flip the sculpture upright

5. pour in liquid bronze into the space where wax was originally

6. when dry, crack off clay case and the bronze sculpture is revealed

--Because this is relief, you don't need the first clay interior to hold the shape

function of Wall plaque from Oba's Palace

-the plaque is part of a set of 900 brass plaques

-Plaques were attached to the exterior of the royal palace in Benin

-Goal was to decorate and design the exterior of the palace with political propaganda

-Point is to ennoble the ruler, to illustrate the power and status and prestige of the ruler and to create a first impression

-Political propaganda describe to you what you can expect

content of Wall plaque from Oba's Palace

-Generic depiction of an oba- king

-Oba- talking about the king of the Edo peoples

-Not a portrait, just a generic image

-Oba is riding a horse and flanked by attendants

-Depicted in the manner of a warrior chief- political and physical strength and power

-Distinctive characteristic coral beads draped on his chest

-Rulers of the Edo peoples still wear these

-Attendants who flanked him are holding shields and sun shades to protect him from danger in the sun

-Use today

-Oba has this privilege amongst the edo peoples

-Common for oba to travel with large amounts of attendants and followers

-In most of the plaques that idea is displayed

-In the back there is a floral or cross like design that is being used

-Probably derived from Christian crosses brought to Benin by Christian Portuguese slave traders

-Through the diffusion of the shape through the people, the artist used it there

context of Wall plaque from Oba's Palace

-Obas- not just political kings and rulers, but also revered as spiritual and religious leaders-

-They were of utmost important in the community

-The edo peoples are most known for their cast brass works

-The cross cultural influence on this work- coming from increase in trade and connection between Benin and the Portuguese from the 1500s to the 1600s

-Potential Christian influence on the cross shape on the back

-In the lost wax technique

Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool)

artist:

culture: Ashanti peoples

medium: Gold over wood and cast-gold attachments

date: 1700 CE

location: South and central Ghana

size:

style: African

learning objective: African relic

themes: politics, power, status, interpretation of history, rulers, relic, utilitarian, propaganda, materials with significance

form of Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool)

-A wooden stool at its core that has gold hammered over it

-Gilded

-In addition to the gilded wooden stool there are cast gold attachments attached to the stool itself

function of Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool)

-This art piece is a relic

-Divine, miraculous, and sent to the gods to osei tutu

-Symbol of political power

-The modern king of the Ashanti doesn't sit on the throne but sits next to the stool because it is such a sacred object

-This relic is believed to literally embody the soul of the Ashanti people and seen as a symbol of the entire community

-The king doesn't rule over the community, he rules in conjunction with the people

content of Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool)

-The stool that supposedly fell from the sky and fell on the lap

-We still see that stool today

-The stool is actually laid flat on its side and the stool has its own throne or chair

-Gold stool with many gold attachments tied to it

-Gold is a sign of royalty and prestige

context of Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool)

-In the early 18th century, the area that we call Ghana today was politically divided with many rival kings

-One of these kings was Osei Tutu. one day, a golden stool fell from the sky and landed in his lap. this was interpretated as a miracle, sent to him from the gods. additionally, Osei tutu believed it was a sign from the gods that "he" was to unify all the other Ghanan kings under his leadership

-This created the Ashanti nation

-Part of Ghana today

-Story is politically and culturally significant

-Stools became iconic symbols in the Ashanti kingdom of divine power

-Today this golden stool is so important it is on the Ashanti ethnic flag

-Ashanti kingdom is an area that is naturally rich in gold but the gold is reserved for royal use

Ndop (Portrait figure) of King MIshe miShyaang maMbul

artist:

culture: Kuba peoples

medium: Wood

date: 1760-1780 CE

location: Democratic Republic of the Congo

size: 19" tall

style: African

learning objective: African royal portrait

themes: commemoration, rulers, ideal man, portrait, power, stylized bodies, ancestors

form of Ndop (Portrait figure) of King MIshe miShyaang maMbul

-Ndops are stylized and idealized portraits

-Very rare to be both stylized and idealized

-Not a portrait that captures an exact likeness

-Symbolism is just telling us that the particular one represents the king

-Cant be created from direct observation because the ruler is deceased

-Ndop figures are always stylized in the same way

-Regardless of the king they share basic characteristics

1. body is softened but rounded to create a plump but muscular body

2. ndop portrait figure heads are always exaggerated or enlarged, the head is a 1/3 of the body

3. the figure is seated cross-legged

4. they are sitting on a raised pedestal

-In total this body represents the generic body of an ideal ruler

-What makes this a portrait?

-Each ndop has an individual emblem in front of the seated king

-Seen in the front of King Mishe

-Individualizes each Ndop sculpture and allows us to call them portraits

-Figures are rubbed with oils to polish them so the wood will shine, be enriched and darken in color

function of Ndop (Portrait figure) of King MIshe miShyaang maMbul

-Ndop portrait represents and honors a now deceased ruler

-Always commemorative

-Can act as a totem

-Acts as a way for us to come into contact with and connect to the spirit of the king

-Ndops acted as records of kings reigns so that they would be recorded visually for posterity

content of Ndop (Portrait figure) of King MIshe miShyaang maMbul

-Ndops are images of individual stylized and idealized Kuba rulers

-Mishe is sitting cross-legged on a raised platform

-Face is calm and eyes are relaxed and closed—in the spiritual realm and above mortal affairs and nothing of our world will bother him

-Holding a dagger in his left hand but the handle is out- holding by the blade

-Shows non-aggression—choosing to pursue peace in this moment

-Has a large head—the larger the head the more wise and intelligent the figure is

-Wearing ornamental regalia with elaborate crown and elaborate armbands and bracelets

-On every ndop there is an emblem making that ndop unique from the rest—object in front of the kings crossed legs

-The symbol of King Mishe is the drum with the severed hand—symbol because he was known for expansion through conquest

context of Ndop (Portrait figure) of King MIshe miShyaang maMbul

-King Mishe was a real king who lived in 18th century who was king of the Kuba peoples

-At the height of his reign in 1710 he commissioned this statue to be created after he died—looking at the oldest surviving Ndop today

-Community are known for their amazing wooden artistic contributions

-Skilled at carving and polishing wood

-Ndops were considered to be the premiere and absolute highest art form of all of the kuba art forms

-Many of the kuba traditions are still in practice today

-Use of drums, elaborate regalia, kings raised platform, plank of crown on top of head

Power figure (Nkisi n'kondi)

artist:

culture: Kongo peoples

medium: wood and metal

date: late 19th c.

location: Democratic Republic of the Congo

size: 24" tall

style: African

learning objective: African ritual object

themes: oaths, offering, stylized bodies, utilitarian, religion, power, community, ancestors, ceremony, materials with significance, ritual

form of Power figure (Nkisi n'kondi)

-Nganga

-Specialists are also the artists

-Power figures are not viewed as art

-Not supposed to be artistic object

-Viewed as practical objects for spiritual ceremonies and rituals

-Carving: subtractive carving because it is carved out of a single piece of wood

-Additive sculpture because we are adding nails and objects to the figure

-Sculpture in the round

-Highly stylized and simplified

-the wood seems to be treated with various colors

-Yellow clay or red rusty clay

-Plant extracts are used to paint and design decorations on the figure

function of Power figure (Nkisi n'kondi)

-Who would use a power figure

--An Nganga

-Nganga: ritual specialist and artist of nkisi n'kondi figure

-Every Nganga will have their own power figure

-There is only 1 Nganga in every community in the congo

-How does the figure work?

--The power figure is a totem

-Totem: object or creature that connected to ancestral spirits

-Nganga knows how to activate the totem to connect to the ancestors

-How would they use it and how do you activate it?

--A. the figure would be punctured with metal nails and pieces- before use, sometimes you could lick the needles or metal pieces or cut yourself and bleed onto the metal pieces which ties your body to the activation of the figure

-Could tie different materials like plant fibers and fabrics onto the nails or metal pieces before they're inserted into the figure

-The more deeply inserted the pieces are the more serious the problem or issue that you need to activate your ancestors for help with

-By puncturing the totem you are awakening and activating it

-When you do that the ancestral spirits are summoned to work on behalf of you

-You have supplied the nails and have activated the figure with the help of the Nganga

--B. items can also be placed in the stomach of the figure

-The items would be connected to the outcome that you desire

-The more you use the item the more powerful the figure becomes

-When we look at the power figure we see how many times it has been used

-The figures show us the history of their usage

content of Power figure (Nkisi n'kondi)

-Power figures are figures looking powerful

-Male figures

-Posture:

-Power figures will often be depicted as leaning forward, physically strong, and aggressive and intimidating

-The partially open mouth, the hands on hips and the slight hinge forward of the neck and torso

-Figure is ready to act or do something on our behalf

-Also he is intimidating and aggressive to warn us

-If we broke an oath or wished something bad on someone else, bad luck will come on you because the figure will come after us and make things right

-The figures are standing on wooden blocks

-To illustrate their job as a totem

-Intermediary between heaven and earth

-Items could be placed within the belly of the figure

-Protruding and pronounced belly button

-Shell to seal the stomach to make sure the items stay inside

-There is cavity on the inside of the figure that items could be placed inside of

-Stomach:

-On a power figure their belly is a Mooya

-Mooya: Kongo term for belly; believed to be the focal point for the soul

-Axis point for spirits who might try to engage with your body

-You can place materials inside the stomach and seal it to prevent stuff from getting out

-Bilongo: medicinal materials added to the stomach of a niski n'kondi figure

-Items placed in the stomach are connected to the outcomes that you want

1. if you placed seeds in the belly you would be hoping for a good harvest

2. if you placed dirt from a cemetery- you would want contact with the dead

3. if you placed eggs in it you would want human fertility

4. if you placed mouse fur inside you would be hoping for speed and agility

5. if you placed herps or plants inside you would hope for medicinal or healing effect

6. if you placed claws or bones inside the spirits would be aggressive

7. if you placed stones in side it would activate the figure to attack an enemy

8. if you placed human body parts like hair or nails this would help us to take on the attributes of that person's body that you placed inside

context of Power figure (Nkisi n'kondi)

-The Kongo culture believed the Mooya was the focal point to the soul

-Axis point to our body and also how we connect to other realms

-They would have this belief because the belly button is where you are connected to your mother who is born

-Belly button symbolizes the connection between born and unborn

-Title of the work: Nkisi n'kondi

-Verb called konda- means to hunt

-In this culture hunters were revered for being powerful, clever and strong

-The power figures job is to be a hunter- hunts down and connects to ancestral spirits or hunts down wrongdoers who meant to do us harm

-Body position- aggressive, physically powerful and intimidating

-European attitudes towards the figures

-The first time the Europeans see these figures is through expeditions to the Kongo in the 1500s

-Europeans are fearful of these objects because it seems to be related to witchcraft

-By the time the Kongo is colonized in the 19th century, most power figures are destroyed because they were examples of witchcraft and sorcery

-Related to voodoo practices

-The people from the Kongo were the majority of the African slaves traded in the transatlantic slave trade

-The people from the Kongo were very likely in the 18th century to have ended up in the Caribbean

-These Kongo traditions migrated- people brought them across the sea to the Caribbean where they were repurposed and reformed as voodoo traditions

-New tradition created

Female (pwo) mask

artist:

culture: Chokwe peoples

medium: wood, fiber, pigment, metal

date: late 19th c. to early 20th c.

location: Democratic Republic of the Congo

size: 15" tall

style: African

learning objective: African mother mask

themes: mask, ideal woman, commemoration, ceremony, status, stylized bodies, fertility, male/female relationships

form of Female (pwo) mask

-the carver and artist of the mask was a man

-The artist is working with hard materials like wood which is a male material

-Heavy stylization of the face and beyond the basics of naturalism, naturalism and realism isn't the focus

-The wood comes in the basic shape and face of the mask

-Fiber is used as the hair

-Pigment is there for coloration of skin tone or spaces around eyes

-Metal are used for the earrings

-pigment is mix of red clay and oil

-White clay used around the eyes though its faded over time

function of Female (pwo) mask

-the female pwo mask honors and commemorates mothers

-Honors any female ancestor and any living woman who is young or has given birth or is going to become fertile

-What ties all the women together is the strength the women have exhibited in childbirth

-Community is going to find childbirth worthy of honor and respect

-Dances occur when men are being initiated into adulthood and going through puberty

-This is the case because:

--1. men could not be there without their mothers

--2. when men are being initiated into adulthood, this marks the end of a certain child like bond of intimacy between the mother and the son which is painful for the mothers

-How would the ceremony have gone?

--Women would not wear the mask

-The women's own son would perform this dance

-Man would wear tight fitted costume to look like a women

-Bushel like fringe over hips to widen them and also wear wooden breasts on his chest

-Honor the mother by being depicted as a mother

-The dance the male would perform would be graceful and gentle and honor the movements of women's bodies

-Outcome of the ceremony: goal is to honor mothers for their roles in childbirth and raising, and also to bring fertility to the entire community- grant fertility to the women in this culture

-Since women who go through child birth were so honored the community's hope was that all women would get to experience this

-The mask is not a gift to the woman

-Stays with the man or son as a constant reminder of how he must honor the women in his life

-When the dancer to whom the mask is dead, the mask is buried with him as a reminder of his female ancestors who he will take with him to the afterlife

content of Female (pwo) mask

what does pwo mean?

-Pwo: a female mas worn by men of the Chokwe people from the Congo to honor mothers

-Pwo is a woman who has given birth- a mother

-Pwo masks depict an image of an ideal beautiful mother

-This is not a portrait because it represents to us a generic ideal mother

-Symbolism

-The large head is an indication of the maternal wisdom and knowledge that women carry with them

-Dot marks and scars around eyebrows and down on cheekbones- that was typical of scarification patterns used by the Chokwe to illustrate the class or status

-Sometimes with the masks there are tear drops included on the cheeks

-Illustrates the mother's sadness over the children growing up and leaving her

-This female has her eyes closed

-She deserves our respect and deserves to rest because mother hood has been hard and difficult so she doesn't have to talk or impress anyone it is her time to rest

-White clay around the eyes connects a mother to the spiritual realm

-Mother's sixth sense- expansion of sight

-Female's hair is very thick, braided and long and is tossed up in big bun on head

-Womens hair was a sign of her fertility

the more and longer and thicker the hair was, the more it was taken of an indication of your fertility and health

context of Female (pwo) mask

-Chokwe culture was matrilineal- lineage is traced according to your mother's line

-Women's strength in all areas were honored

-People revered their strength in pregnancy, childbearing, child raising, and strength to say goodbye to the child when the child is grown up

-Even in the culture, female deities and spirits were important

-Culture is matrilineal

-But not matriarchal

-This culture was still patriarchal in the way

-Women had little power in governance and household

-Women were revered for role as mothers and child bearers

Portrait mask (mblo)

artist:

culture: Baule peoples

medium: wood, pigment

date: early 20th c

location: Cote d'Ivore

size: 14" tall

style: African

learning objective: African "MVP" mask

themes: portrait, mask, commemoration, status, ceremony, stylized bodies

form of Portrait mask (mblo)

-Every Mblo mask is unique despite following some basic guidelines

-Portrait masks all have oval faces, long thin noses, tiny puckered open mouths, downcast eyes, a big forehead, deep eye sockets, and quiet tranquility as the expression on the face

-Wooden mask carved of a single piece of wood and painted with various pigments

function of Portrait mask (mblo)

-Mblo portrait masks are commemorative portraits of the Baule peoples in Cote d'Ivoire

-These portraits are supposed to honor a communities most important person

-Mvp mask

-Mask is honoring and depicting Moyo Yanso

-Moyo Yanso was a prestigious dancer being honored by the community

-Looking at the portrait mask there is a clear disparity

-These portrait masks are not portraits in the realistic sense, but they are the artistic double of the individual

-Masks appear in a public dance in the Mblo performance

-The ceremony and dance culminates with a tribute to the communities' main person

-At the dance, Moyo Yanso would be honored

-Someone else would perform the dance for her and she would be watching the dance

-The performer of the dance is the one who wears the mask

-The recipient of the mask is not the person who wears it or dances with it

-When the ceremony is over the mask is given to the person being celebrated as a gift

content of Portrait mask (mblo)

-The masks are not supposed to be a true or literal portrait of the celebrated person

-Mask is the artistic double

-Idealized representation, but not portrait in realistic sense

-Symbolism in artwork:

-Half slit eyes downcast are symbolizing modesty

-High forehead and big head represent wisdom

-Heavy incised lines between nose and cheeks illustrate age

-Triangular patches on forehead and cheeks suggest life- healthy color in cheeks

-At the top there are protrusions symbolizing animal horns

-Often there was an animal incorporated in the mask to illustrate characteristics in the animal that the celebrated person was associated with

context of Portrait mask (mblo)

-The Baule people are known for rich mask carving tradition

-Most elaborate mask is the Mblo mask

-At the end of the ceremony the celebrated person was given the mask as a gift

-They had to keep the mask out of site

-Because it was a sign of humility

-The Mblo ceremony is no longer practiced

-Hasn't been practiced since 1980s

-Indication of indigenous and traditional African practices that are slowly dying out in the era of globalization

-(6)(174)(A) Moyo Yanso, her mblo mask, and the dancer of the mask

--On the left is Moyo Yanso- the woman being honored with mask - recipient of mask and performance

--Middle is the Mblo mask which is artistic and spiritual double

--On the right is her stepson- the one who wore the mask and performed the dance for her

-Common in the Mblo ceremony to have a family member commission the mask and perform it for you

Bundu mask

artist:

culture: Sande Society of the Mende peoples

medium: wood, cloth, fiber

date: 19th to 20th c.

location: West African forests of Sierra Leone and Liberia

size:

style: African

learning objective: African "girl" mask

themes: mask, ideal woman, ceremony, stylized bodies, fertility, sexuality

form of Bundu mask

-Helmet mask

-Goes completely over your head

-Even though this is the mask tradition for women, by women, etc.

-Men still wear this mask

-Male artform because It involves the carving of wood- which is a male elements

-Every mask is unique- each girl will have the general qualities but will all vary

-When a girl was going to go into seclusion, it is your family's job to notify the woodcarver to make the mask for her

-The wood carver has to wait for a dream inspired by the ancestral spirits before he can start making the mask

-Every mask is the result of a dream about you, who you are, and what the mask should look like before carving it

function of Bundu mask

-Looking at the only known mask in the world and in world history that is performed by women

-Performed by women but also performed for women- young girls are the primary audience, seeing what will happen to them in 4 years

-Every single mask is unique to the woman who wears it

-The masks are used at the celebratory ceremony after seclusion

-Celebrate the initiation of girls into adulthood

-At the ceremony, girls wear a costume that represents:

a. the ideal woman whose fertility must be protected

b. the water spirit, Sowei

Entire body of the women are covered up

-After seclusion was over, you exit the seclusion extremely fertile- so fearful about this because they believed that there were evil spirits lurking around that would take advantage of you and rape you

-Spirits could seep into your body and take advantage of your fertility

-Water spirit Sowei- key female model to the women and girls

-After seclusion, at the celebratory ceremony, girls show off the dances they have learned and they dance with older already-initiated women

-In seclusion girls were forced to practice the dances for multiple hours on end

-Forced to dance for 48 hours straight with no breaks or sitting down

-Extremely physically difficult

-Test of the girls strength- if you can withstand this for 48 hours you can have a child

-Dance that they performed contains movements that are supposed to illustrate the water spirit Sowei

-Dance captures the qualities of the movement of water

content of Bundu mask

-The mask is representing to us the ideal female

-Pointed and tall shape

-The tall pointed shape symbolizes the shape of a butterfly chrysalis = symbol of young women in transition between girlhood and womanhood

-On the side of the head is the repeated pattern off carved incised woodwork- elaborate thick braids = sign of fertility

-If a girl has a lot of hair, she is more fertile

-On the back of the head are 3 rolls- three rings around neck = 1. fat -> fertility; 2. rings in water caused by Sowei- sowei coming up out of the water

-Small ears = do not listen to gossip

-Small mouth = do not start or spread gossip

-Downcast eyes = humility and modesty

-Broad forehead = wisdom, intelligence, sharp mind- the larger the head, the more educated and wise and clever the individual is

-Black color = associated with water and Sowei- black goddess- blackness is the ideal

-Ideal woman has the qualities of womanhood and is also the embodiment of Sowei

context of Bundu mask

-Circumstances under which someone would want to use this mask

-Initiation into the Sande Society

-Sande Society: group for initiated women- girls getting their period for the first time

-Only for women

-When you get your period for the first time most girls are around 12-14 years old

-Brought by elders in community to the forest and the jungle on the outskirts of the community

-The forest symbolizes secrecy and fertility and abundance

-Parallel to the girls and their bodies

-While the girls are in the jungle they are going through an experience called seclusion

-Seclusion can last several weeks to several months

-In seclusion:

--Girls were painted with white clay to symbolize they are in transition. the clay will be washed off at the end of seclusion- intestinally done to make them look dry and unattractive

--In this culture, whiteness is not the ideal- light skin is not good

--The girls are taught the skills of being a woman-

1. taught to be a good wife

2. taught to be a good mother

3. taught domestic skills- cooking, cleaning

4. taught about their periods and sex

5. taught about farming- because of the agricultural community

6. taught herbal medicines to cure fever, infection

7. taught a specific dance and will perform this dance at the end of seclusion

-Female genital mutilation- the main ritual the girls undergo

-This ceremony has started to be very hidden by the community

-What happens:

-Removal of the labia and the clitoris

1. the community believed it would increase fertility

Removing the 2 parts had no bearing on fertility

2. they also believed that removing the body parts would instill proper sexual behavior in the girls

-The point of this is to tell the girls that sex is not about them, it is a physical duty to do for your partner

3. they believed on a physical and spiritual level that this ceremony would make women clean-

4. do this to test women's strength

Ceremony was undertaken without the use of pain medication or anesthetics at all

5. supposed to foreshadow the pain of child birth

-If women can handle this, then they can handle having a child

6. this creates a sense of bonding between these girls who had to undergo the same surgeries as each other

-The older women who performed this would not help the girls

-All the girls would go to each other for emotional support and help each other

-The community's focus is that it creates a bonding between the girls

-At the end of seclusion, the girls have healed from surgery and come back

-The white clay is washed off of the girls- not in transition anymore

-The girls return from the jungle with new names- they are all new people, not the child version, but a completely new woman

-The name, cleansing of skin, and dance show the emergence of girls into woman hood

Ikenga (shrine figure)

artist:

culture: Igbo peoples

medium: Wood

date: 19th to 20th c.

location: Nigeria

size:

style: African

learning objective: African shrine

themes: commemoration, status, power, ideal man, ancestors, hybrid, offering

form of Ikenga (shrine figure)

-Every Igbo male has a personal shrine

-Size is indicative of status

-The shrine figurines can have huge variance in size

-As big as 6 ft tall or as small as 3 in

-They are carved out of hard wood- masculine material

-Highly stylized hybrid figure

function of Ikenga (shrine figure)

-Ikenga: personal shrine figure symbolizing traditional male attributes of the Igbo people in Nigeria

-Honors a Nigerians mans right hand

-Broadly- honoring a man's power and skill- symbolized and associated with his right hand

-Right hand can grow food, protect and defend you, make sacrifices, build homes, right hand is source of strength as a male

-Every Igbo male had an Ikenga- personal shrine

-Status illustrated by size of Ikenga shrine figurine

-Each man individually commissioned their figurine

-How does this work?

-A man would give offerings and prayers to the figurine and it works because this is considered a totem

-Totem are objects that allow us to contact or commune with spirits or our ancestors

-The figure requires blessings before its use

-If a man was going to battle he could give an offering to the figure to activate and awaken his ancestors to bless him to have greater power

content of Ikenga (shrine figure)

-Ikenga: Strong right arm or right hand

-Personal shrines

-Little hybrid figure depicted on a stool and is seated

-Stools are signs of prestige and power

-Basic form of Ikenga figure is human figure with horns on the top

-Hybrid figure

-Horns are symbol of power- the longer the horns the greater the illustration of power

-Many figurines have scarification markings on their face

-Intentional cuts to illustrate status, position or clan

-Scars are illustration of some kind of status

context of Ikenga (shrine figure)

-The Igbo are a patriarchal culture- men at center of community in terms of power and symbolism

-As a man becomes more successful, he will have more money and means to commission larger statues

-Shows success to others and to continue honoring his ancestors who blessed him in the first place

-When you die, a shrine figure is destroyed

-Or the figure can be buried with you as a man

-Purpose of the figure becomes defunct if you are dead because you cannot ask your ancestors for help

Lukasa memory board

artist:

culture: Mbudye society of the Luba peoples

medium: Wood, beads, metal

date: 19th to 20th c. CE

location: Democratic Republic of the Congo

size:

style: African

learning objective: African record of history

themes: interpretation of history, status, utilitarian, animals

form of Lukasa memory board

-Additive sculpture

-Start with wood backing and then attach beads or shells or pieces of metal used

-Always adding to the original

-The patron and the artist are the same thing- the person who uses it is the person using it

function of Lukasa memory board

-if you are a member of this society you are going to help remember all this history with the memory board

-Hold it in left hand- and run right finger over it to read the board

-Only the members of the Mbudye society would know how to read these

-Every memory board is unique to the Mbudye society member

-Mnemonic device: a learning technique that helps to remember information using cues or tools (ex: PEMDAS)

-Commonalities:

-When you see a line of small beads: journey/migration/expansion

-When you see large beads surrounded by small beads: king and court

-When you see one colored bead: individual

-You have to remember all of history

-Like a hard drive for people to remember

content of Lukasa memory board

-If we were to flip these over, we would find that the back has been carved to look like there are scales on it

-Recall a crocodile

-Crocodiles are animals who can live in multiple worlds- water, land

-Resilience, and adaptable

-Those are qualities that the Luba would want to associate themselves with

-They will keep going no matter what obstacles they have

-Can be adaptable to whatever they face

-Sometimes they have heads carved on the top or pegs on the top

-There was oftentimes a head of an animal screwed on

-Head of a tortoise at the very top

-Tortoise because- symbol of the Luba- specifically Luba king

-Perseverance of the tortoise was a quality the kings wanted to associate with

-Boards can recall political events- king, expansion, war

-Oftentimes talk about Luba folktales- stories about community, culture

-Retell stories of Luba spirits and gods

context of Lukasa memory board

-Mbudye society is an elite, exclusive group of men and women

-This group is charged with the following:

-Their job to remember and interpret Luba history

-In order to be a member of the Mbudye society you must pass through many stages of memory tests

-The highest level you could reach is this society

-This community is pre-literate—your community has not created a writing system

-All history and traditions are oral and as a result you need to have a way of recalling it

Aka elephant mask

artist:

culture: Bamileke people

medium: wood, woven raffia, cloth, beads

date: 19th-20th

location: Cameroon (western grass fields region)

size: 4'9" long

style: African

learning objective: African royal mask

themes: Animals, politics, power, status, mask, cross-cultural, ceremony, propaganda, rulers, commemorate, man vs. nature

form of Aka elephant mask

-Highly stylized elephant mask

-Composed of a cloth foundation

-Cloth is navy blue

-On top of the cloth are various colored beads sewn onto it- primarily: pale blue, white, yellow, black, and red

-There are sometimes cowrie shells that were sewn around the eyes to give it interest

-Mask sits on the head like a hood

-There are eye slits for you to stare out of

-The ears are made of wooden frames covered with cloth

-That is what keeps the ear held out from the body

-The trunk is going to have one long flap in front of you and one in the back

function of Aka elephant mask

-The elephant masks are used in masquerade ceremonies

-The ceremonies are designed to honor the Bamileke king

-Everything that occurs there is a show of his political authority but also a show of support for him by the community

-Who gets to wear the mask?

-The people are part of the Kuosi society

-Kuosi society: Bamileke nobility and court officials- aristocrats

-Only these members can wear the mask

-Aristocrats and court officials are people that you as a king would want to have on your side

-Display of their support of you

-Because these masks are inspired by animals it shows that the king is in harmony with nature- if the king can control nature and is in harmony with it then he deserves to have power and control over men

content of Aka elephant mask

-The body of an elephant- ears and long trunk

-The mouth is above the trunk

-Elephants in the Bamileke community were symbols of calm, strength and wisdom and kings wanted to associate themselves with elephants for that reason

-Another animal representation- zig zag pattern is tribute to leopard

-The leopard zips and zags and moves quickly through the grass field

-Depicting speed

-Leopards were sacred to the Bamileke- leopards can shapeshift- can transform into humans and back

-the people who can transform into leopards are kings

-Leopards became symbols of kings and their divine rule because kings and leopards can shape shift and move between realms and worlds

-Variety of colored beads sewn into the cloth

-3 colors:

-Black beads- symbol of the relationship between the living and death- moving between realms

-White beads- symbol ancestry- moving between realms

-Red- symbol of life and royalty- since this is a mask celebrating royalty it makes sense

context of Aka elephant mask

-The elephant masks are just part of a very elaborate costume and performance ceremony for the king

-The Kuosi society would wear huge red feather headdresses or baskets on top of their heads

-Sometimes leopard pelts worn over the skin

-Full body costume

-Practices are still traditionally occurring in these communities

-Cross cultural influence:

-Glass beads- acquired through trade and contact with Europeans

-The Bamileke were one of the communities who traded slaves to Europeans- generally prisoners of wars from African wars and military conflicts but the people acquired these beads in exchange for slaves

-Europeans believed they were getting an amazing deal

-Beads are dyed, but not equal to the value of human life

-Bamileke had no way to create beads like this so in their mind the trade was equal

Reliquary figure (byeri)

artist:

culture: Fang peoples

medium: wood

date: 19th-20th

location: Southern Cameroon

size: 23" tall

style: African

learning objective: African reliquary

themes: reliquary, guardian, duality, ancestors, power, stylized bodies, funerary

form of Reliquary figure (byeri)

-Subtractive sculpture

-Wood

-Looking at his body he is highly stylized and simplified

-Exaggerated musculature

-Exaggerated stylized head

-Elongated torso and odd connection between hips and pubic area

-Figure is not naturalistic

-Slightly humanlike

-It is not a human figure

-Made of wood- oiled wooden surface

-Artists would rub it with palm oil to clean it which would also darken the wood and make it the rich color seen

function of Reliquary figure (byeri)

-Looking at a reliquary guardian figure

-as a reliquary this Byeri figure is going to sit on top of a basket of skulls and bones

-the skull basket is called Nsek-byeri

-Nsek-byeri: container or box that Fang ancestral remains were carried in; byeri protects the box

-The figure is acting as a guardian and protector of the bones and remains of ancestors

-Figure is a totem- object that helps to act as intermediary between living and dead

the figure also functions as a talisman

-Talisman: intended to ward off evil with supernatural properties, or bring good luck

-Figure is why he is seated, protective, and strong

-Supposed to be fearful of him that he might harm us if we harm the ancestral remains

-The figure also protects women and young children from the relics

-Bones had tremendous and powerfully strong that the power could be dangerous

content of Reliquary figure (byeri)

-Male ancestral guardian figure-

-Symbolism of body:

-Theme is one of duality or balancing of opposites

-Idea of duality is relevant because his job is to be a totem- intermediary bringing together living and dead

-Right hand side- face has a sense of calm- restful and relaxed and expressionless

-At the same time, seems at odd with the pent up energy and vitality of the body

-Sense of power in muscularity

-Function as a totem to bring together opposites

-Lefthand side- face of a child- big baby face with big cheeks and eyes- has tiny squat arms and legs like a child

at the same time, in the child's body is insane muscularity

-Simplicity and oversized quality of the child's body and strength and muscularity of the adults body

-Pronounced and obvious belly button in the figure

-Belly button is symbol of moving between realms

-As a fetus your umbilical cord connected to the belly button connected you to the womb

-The belly button is a symbol of being in the previous realm

context of Reliquary figure (byeri)

-Fang community practiced ancestor worship

-Explains to us why the community would need constant access to the bones of their ancestors

-Every family maintained their own box

-Their bones would be placed in the family box when someone died

-Bones are sacred and powerful

-If the bones are so sacred and powerful and you still need access to them then why not bury them?

-Community was migratory

-As a result, the only solution was to create Nsek- Byeris (bone boxes) that were maintained by each family and could be carried or transported from site to site

-Because the bones were extremely powerful relics, they needed to be protected—women and children needed to be protected from them

-That is why Byeri figures were created to sit on top of the Nsek-Byeris

Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga)

artist:

culture: Yoruba peoples

medium: wood and pigment

date: 1910-1914

location: Nigeria

size: 5' tall

style: African

learning objective: African royal sculpture

themes: male/female relationships, politics, power, propaganda, rulers, utilitarian

form of Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga)

-This is made by renowned sculpture- Olowe of Ise

-Famous for vertical columns with figurative carvings

-Veranda post: vertical column often with sculpture in a veranda or palace porch

-When we look at this work- pride of place

-Pride of place- most significant figure due to its placement

-Intentionally difficult to determine who is more important

-Female in the back is blue- could be because she is largest, more prominent and eye capturing

-Is it the seated figure?- could be because he is the furthest forward, most central and is seated (associated with power)

-Figures are highly stylized- only human-like

-Not looking at portraits of specific rulers

-Generic representations of royalty

function of Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga)

-This veranda post is just one of 4 sculpted veranda posts in the Yoruban palace

-What is the job of the posts?

1. utilitarian and structural- act as columns- addition that they are decorated

2. propaganda- supposed to display power and prestige of the king and wife

3. post is making a statement about the relationship between the Yoruban king and queen

-Both the figures are important

-Each figure needs the other figure to secure the power and significance

-The queen in the back is the one holding up the roof and standing behind husband supporting throne

-King is the king- throne, most center, most forward, and is seated in illustration of his power

content of Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga)

-Images of generic rulers- not portraits

-Opo Ogoga- king in Yoruban

-The queen is larger scale

-Blue color offsets her from the rest

-Pose is strong and tall

-And has hands literally around her husband in support of his position as king

-Underscores importance under those characteristics

-King is enthroned and leaning forward- engaging with us

-On the king crown there is a white bird with long orange beak- in Yoruban culture, that bird is symbol of female ancestors

-Another indication of female power

-Small figures at king's feet- suggested that those are minor wives, gods, spirits, or servants

context of Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga)

-While Yoruban kings are significant, powerful and important, Yoruban queens are critical

-Yoruban queens had the job of placing the crown on the kings head during coronation

-In Yoruba only the queen can crown her husband- cannot become king without that

-Senior or primary wives were allowed to assist the king in making decisions about Yoruban kingdom

-Kings are supported and made better rulers thanks to their queens

-That is why queen stands behind him being supportive and also helping to support husband in rulership

Adobe

clay and straw that is sun-baked

- Great Mosque of Djenne

Aka

an elephant mask of the Bamileke people in Cameroon

-Aka elephant mask

Bilongo

medicinal materials added to the stomach of a nkisi n'kondi figure

- Power figure (Nkisi n'kondi)

Bundu

masks used by the Sande Society of the Mende peoples to initiate girls into puberty

- Bundu mask

Byeri

a reliquary guardian figure of the Fang peoples in Cameroon

- Reliquary figure (byeri)

Heraldic composition

a central larger figure is flanked on either side by lesser figures

- Wall plaque from Oba's Palace

Ikenga

a shrine figure symbolizing traditional male attributes of the Igbo people of Nigeria

- Ikenga (shrine figure)

Kuosi society

Bamileke nobility and court officials

- Aka elephant mask

Lost-Wax Casting

cire perdue (French); a sculpture is carved out of wax with a clay interior; the sculpture is then put into a clay casing and heated, so that the wax will drip out; space is left between the clay casing and clay interior; molten metal is then poured into the space; the case is cracked so that the now-metal sculpture can be released

- Wall plaque from Oba's Palace

Lukasa

a memory board used by the Luba people of the Congo

- Lukasa memory board

Mblo

a commemorative portrait of the Baule peoples in Côte d'Ivoire

- portrait mask (mblo)

Mooya

Kongo term for belly; believed to be the focal point for the soul

- Power figure (Nkisi n'kondi)

Ndop

a Kuba commemorative portrait of a king in an ideal state from the Congo

- Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe MiShyaang maMbul

Nganga

ritual specialist and artist of nkisi n'kondi figure

- Power figure (Nkisi n'kondi)

Nkisi n'kondi

a Kongo power figure

- Power figure (Nkisi n'kondi)

Nsek-byeri

container or box that Fang ancestral remains were carried in; byeri protects this box

- Reliquary figure (byeri)

Pwo

a female mask worn by men of the Chokwe people from the Congo to honor mothers

- Female (pwo) mask

Talisman

intended to ward off evil with supernatural properties, or bring good luck

- Reliquary figure (byeri)

Torons

wooden beams projecting from walls of adobe buildings

- Great Mosque of Djenne

Veranda post

vertical sculpture originally intended to be among structural posts of a palace porch

- Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga)