Unlike their Western counterparts, only very little art bears the individual stamps of their artists. African artists were sometimes requested to create specific artworks for a king or a leader, but most of the time these were created by several tribal artists that had to work according to tradition. But in spite of these restrictions, many African artists still managed to express their own techniques and imagination. If a new technique was proven to be good or practical, it easily became part of the artistic tradition.
So much of African art was created for religious purposes. Spiritism, magic, ancestor worship and many other aspects of the religions of African tribes are commonly reflected in their art. Artworks were also created for celebrating marriage, funerals and other festive occasions. While most Western artists value art for its own beauty, African artists seem to place tremendous value and meaning to the forms, arrangement of shapes and lines on each work of art. It is very rare for an African sculptor to create art just for the sake of creating something beautiful. Nearly everything an African artist does has a function and a purpose.
Sculptures were made to honor ancestors, gods and kings. Elaborate masks were created to be worn on festive occasions. Beads, trinkets and jewelry were mostly used to indicate wealth, adolescence, marriage, or personal authority. Guardian figures made out of clay or metal were fastened to coffins to invite good spirits that would protect the dead and chase away evil demons. Stools, spoons, bowls, combs, as well as a variety of other useful items were carved to make them a little more decorative. But the object of African art is always meant to be useful first and beautiful only second.
Masks were an important piece of art in Africa. The use of masks had an important role in the spirit world that dominated the lives of the African people. They were used at initiation ceremonies, for example, when a boy was accepted as an adult in the tribe. Their main purpose however, was to scare away evil intruders and spirits. Among the most admired and prized masks are those from Sudan region. These have smooth finishes and very graceful lines that show off the intricate craftsmanship of their artists. Sometimes the masks were decorated with feathers and other trinkets. African masks were designed to be worn on top of the head instead of over the face. Their designs were usually based on the horns of an animal reaching heavenward.
Another important form of metal sculpture in Africa is the gold weight. These weights were also made in bronze, copper, or brass. These small cast figures were made in various sizes and weights to measure quantities of gold. Most of these weights were made in what is now known as the Ghana and they were essential to the gold trade. The Ashanti tribe, which produced more gold weights than any other tribe, patterned figures after medicine men, reptiles, trees, plants and geometric designs. Aside from weights, Africans have also made jewelry out of gold. African women of all ages wore gold trinkets for ornamentation in. Men on great occasions also wore long gold chains and pendants. The African goldsmith was a masterful craftsman and created intricate work with 18 karat gold.
Africans were also very good at making handicrafts. They wove their own textiles bags, robes and other decorative products. The artists who created fabrics were usually women while all other paintings were left to the men. The designs were generally geometrical in nature.
Pottery was also an important craft in Africa. Bowls and stools were usually very functional and simple in design. It is their simplicity that makes them so interesting. They also made baskets, shoes, fans and rugs made of a coarse cloth called samfos or a fiber like raffia.
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Arts
