African Art

A male with a weapon or animal (commonly a horse) is produced to show honor to departed ancestors. Animals are rarely sculpted for the purpose of showing the inward or outward beauty of the animal, but to give status to the person. Even today, many in Africa would consider the ownership of a horse to be of greater status than the ownership of an automobile. Showing a person with a horse would then be giving great honor to them. Sometimes people are shown with animals that are not really used; possibly even mythical. The purpose is to show the power given to one who rides such an animal, and the wealth that they must have. 

As women achieve significance through their children, men will often be honored in warfare. The one who goes to battle must have physical, emotional and spiritual energy to survive and to conquer. Thus we have the emphasis on weapons and the spoils of war in many African works.  See some African Figurines.

Wednesday’s African Recipe

Candied Yams from West Africa

 INGREDIENTS:

• 6 Med. Yams
• 1 Tsp. Nutmeg
• 1 Tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 Cup Water
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 8 Tbsp. Margarine
• 2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Step #1 - Peel yams and slice lengthwise.

Step #2 - Place yams in a large pot , cover with water, and bring to a boil.

Step #3 - Drain half of the water and put yams and remaining water in a large pan or skillet.

Step #4 - Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg.

Step #5 - Bring to boil and cook approximately 3 minutes

Step #6 - Add the remainder of the nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, and the vanilla extract.

Step #7 - Spoon mixture all over the yams and let simmer for 15 minutes until the yams have absorbed all the syrup.

Step #8 - Remove from heat until ready to serve.

Ali Guindo is one of the weavers who weave cotton to make into mudcloth clothing and accessories. He weaves the fabric, and then it is taken to a painter, such as Mme. Kono (below), who paints the designs onto the fabric. Ali Guindo is from the Dogon ethnic group and works in a little village called Somo, in the Dogon area of Mali, West Africa. Because he lives in such a remote area (where many foreign buyers don’t venture to go), finding him to make some of the mudcloth fabric was a great way for him to increase his business. It also insures that we get the highest quality of fabric. See some Mudcloth African Wall Décor.

Friday’s Proverb

“The wealth of the greedy
ultimately goes to the community”.

Americanized Version:
If there are two brothers in a home,
both must work to feed the family.”

Which is the very meaning of this Brass- Two Headed Crocodile

A popular symbol in Africa,
where other people groups use it to
symbolize the futility of greed

If you enjoy playing chess you will enjoy seeing this African chess set with  Massai Warriors.

The Massai warriors are one of the most prominent and respected ethnic groups in Kenya. Massai men, in order to become warriors, must go out alone into the bush and kill a male lion with their bare hands. The warriors are so greatly feared, it is told that lions and cheetahs will run away or stop their pursuits of game animals if a Massai warrior is anywhere close by. As soon as a Massai warrior is initiated their spear and shield are decorated with red paint, which is symbolic of their status in society. The Massai statues sold at Africa Imports are all hand-carved and hand-made by the Massai people of Kenya. When you own these you are owning a true piece of African culture, pride, and strength.

African Proverb:

“it is better to walk than curse the road”  - Wolof proverb, Senegal

For anyone interested in interior decorating, one very interesting and unique style of decorating is to incorporate African trends and themes into your home. Especially if you’ve visited Africa or if you hail from there, it’s easy to feel spiritually connected to the area. If that’s the case, look into displaying traditional African masks in your office or other areas of your home. These masks and other types of African decor are rich with cultural history and traditions.

These masks are used in various religious ceremonies, and they are often viewed as conduits to contact either ancestors or other spirits. The details of the carved masks are usually extremely intricate, and the carvers go through a rigorous training process in order to carve those masks. This includes a rigorous apprenticeship under a master carver, and more often than not, the tradition of carving is passed through a family line. The masks are considered so culturally and spiritually important that the carvers even hold an honored position in the tribe.

Each color has meaning.  The most traditional coloring has been the black background with white designs.  This is typically used for story telling or the portrayal of a proverb.

Another color popular among hunters and the Fulani people is the rust.  This color is appreciated because doesn’t show dirt and represents strong supernatural powers that protect the hunter.  The rust color signifies blood either from the hunt, or from warfare.  Because mudcloth is made from the soils, it has been useful to both groups as a form of camouflage.

White mudcloth is perhaps the most difficult fabric, and it’s easy to stain with the dye. White is a color normally worn by women or girls at ceremonial events.  Another rare color is gray which is also worn by hunters. Cream is a natural color of the mudcloth before it has been dyed.

Recently many colors have been added to the traditional colors. Bright reds, purples, yellows, and oranges are constantly being developed by new artists.   Many people view these with disdain as they are not traditional, but they can be a beautiful part of your African Home décor.

The making of mudcloth is a time-consuming process, normally taking four days to a week to complete depending onweather.  Each piece is made of 100% cotton, and is completely and totally hand-made.  

The men start the process by weaving cotton thread on a loom.  The loom is normally hand-held and makes a strip of cloth 5″-6″ wide.  After they weave around 9 panels they sew them together and then traditionally the women paint and design the cloth.
A mudcloth artist deals in a specific field. Each concept is taught and learned over a long period of time.  A person wishing to work in the African Art of mudcloth has to be taught how to make each of the different dyes out of organic substances, as well as how each of the substances will react with the fabric and fixatives.  

The first step in making the cloth is to set it in a fixative solution made from tea. The mud designs are then hand-painted and the tea sets into the fabric. Mud used to make mudcloth is usually mixed with water and set aside for about a year.  

Using twigs or metal instruments the artist paints the designs with the mud, saturating the area so it will not wash out. After being washed the process is repeated and then dried and put in another solution to make patterns stand out more. On black and white fabric, a soda is painted on the areas with no patterns causing then to be white.

There is little question about the central place of art in our lives and of its importance to our well-being. Civilizations throughout the ages have venerated art whether for its form, its function or its spiritual significance.
Modern art movements have swept over the landscape, and the primary role of art in our lives has, in modern times, shifted away from being one of function. Yet the relevance of art and the richness that art brings to our existence is stronger today than it ever was. And so artists continue to create and the rest of us continue to seek out art.

Today we are faced with a breathtaking array of artistic expression - from literal, realistic renderings, to abstraction; from the legacies of early art movements to the highly personal and individualistic styles, subjects and techniques of contemporary and cutting edge artists. A feast and also quite a job for the viewer. Knowing about art now seems to be a skill requiring specially gained expertise, or at least a great deal of exposure. And if we add to this diversity of artistic expression, the existence of an organized “art market”, and the complexities of the modern marketplace, we can see why buying and collecting art can often be a daunting task.

The idea that collecting Black Art is an activity reserved for the wealthy is just not true today. Every one of us can participate in the pleasure, the beauty, the stimulation, the inspiration, and even the profit of viewing, buying and collecting art. For many of us, there is so much more to gain from mining the rich depths of an artistic tradition of Black Art that has for so long been overlooked - the art of Black America and the African Diaspora.

 I found this great article that I think blog readers would like to see that pertains to the origins of African art.

 The origins of African art lie long before recorded history. African rock art in the Sahara in Niger preserves 6000-year-old carvings. The earliest known sculptures are from the Nok culture of Nigeria , made around 500 BCE. Along with sub-Saharan Africa , the cultural arts of the western tribes, ancient Egyptian artifacts, and indigenous southern crafts also contributed greatly to African art. Often depicting the abundance of surrounding nature, the art was often abstract interpretations of animals, plant life, or natural designs and shapes.

 More complex methods of producing art were developed in sub-Saharan Africa around the 10th century, some of the most notable advancements include the bronze work of Igbo Ukwu and the terracottas and metalworks of Ile Ife Bronze and brass castings, often ornamented with ivory and precious stones, became highly prestigious in much of West Africa, sometimes being limited to the work of court artisans and identified with royalty, as with the Benin Bronzes.

 African art article from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This past year my partner and I have worked hard to renovate our classic Victorian-style home. We completely remodeled the kitchen and purchased new appliances. We also stripped the old carpet and installed new hardwood flooring throughout the main level of the house.

Now all we need is some new artwork to decorate our “new” home. The dining room is especially in need of something special. While shopping online, I came across a unique piece of African wall art. I think it will work perfectly with my decorating scheme.