Does African Art Have a History?

Art history is said to be the study of the past, particularly how it relates to humans. The term is universally applied to past events of individuals, cultures and associations. It unravels the genesis or etymology of the things in existence today. The term 'history' is from the Greek word, 'historia' meaning "inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation" (Munslow, 2001). Thus, it is the thorough investigation and search of our past which results in the acquisition of the knowledge of the past or the origin of things. The learning of our history is very important. Learning of the past has the potential of improving the life of man today and in the future.

However, it is sad to know that a poor documentation usually result in ambiguity and even loss of the wonderful storehouse of knowledge of the past. Prior to the advent of writing, history was preserved orally and passed on from parents to their wards resulting in oral historical tradition. The age of writing has witnessed the recordings of our past oral historical tradition. Long before the recording of events the colorful African art history has already been growing, reshaping itself with the passing of time. Depicting the various and elaborate societies and empires, the history of African art illustrates the vibrant cultures and traditions each group has nurtured with each successive generation.

There have been several distortions in the written histories. Such is the largely the case of the documentation of African art history. This is making some people even those in the academia to assert that African art has no history. But can this assertion be true? Certainly that cannot be. African art has a history since every human endeavor has its Genesis. African art is mostly used to refer to the Sub-Saharan arts excluding the arts of the North African areas along the Mediterranean coast. The arts of the North Africans are normally classified along with Islamic art by some scholars. This is very unfortunate and wrong because a critical analysis of the arts of Northern Africa such as Egypt and others reveals different formal values and principles which are not characteristics of the Islamic art forms. The author opines and redefines African Art as the ingenuity and creative innovations of Africans in the various forms of arts which mostly have African traditional cultural elements and values.

The origins of African art can be traced in a longer time span even before recorded history. African rock art in the Sahara in Niger alone preserves wood carvings that are more than six thousand (6000) years. Also, the paintings and artifacts of the Egyptians, and indigenous southern crafts which have greatly contributed to African art find their places in the ancient times. Artworks in Africa were often depicted in abstract forms of animals, plant life, or natural designs and shapes.

In West Africa, the earliest known sculptures are from the Nok culture which thrived between 500 BC and 500 AD in modern Nigeria, with clay terracotta figures typically with elongated bodies and angular shapes. It is known today that very complex production techniques of art were developed in sub-Saharan Africa around the 10th century. This includes the mastery productions of bronze works of the Igbo Ukwu as well as the terracottas and metal works of Ile-Ife which was ornamented with ivory and precious stones are examples of the proud artistic heritage of Africans.

We cannot dissuade these wonderful historic accounts of which we have visual proofs of the works and blatantly say that African Art has no history. It has not just a history but a rich, colourful and long standing artistic cultural history.

The study of art history is largely divided into two by art historians. These include studying the history in thematic fashion or in timelines. The thematic elements approach to the study of African art includes looking at the history in the light of some themes or topics. Some of the themes as sculpture of Africa, Adinkra cloth production by Ghanaians etc. Others include materials for production, countries, etc. The author want to take affirm that there are histories of some of the visual artforms such as Adinkra cloth, Kente, wood carvings and goldweights produced among the Asante ethnic society in Ghana.

African art has a long standing history which must be acknowledged. As Art historians, art critics and authors, we have to write and record the wonderful creations of Africa. There is the urgent need now for art critics and historians in Africa and Ghana especially to record the extraordinary works of art of today's contemporary African artists to make them available for our forebears. Adulteration of our historical traditions would gradually mar our identity as a people. African art has a history and we have to preserve, promote and transmit this historical heritage. If art educators, curriculum planners etc. make the teaching of our rich cultural African art tradition a priority, we will be able to propagate our rich African art tradition and lavishly paint it on the world's largest canvas of art history.

10 Things You Never Guessed About 

African Art

 

African Art - not always Black art: The past few years have changed the way African art and handicrafts are perceived. Until recently, art from the African continent was not considered African art unless it originated with Black Africans.

In fact, it comes from all over Africa: Well you might think you guessed that. But most of us in the West (and indeed the art world) traditionally ignored the fact that non-Black North African art, Egyptian art and art from the horn area were also being produced on the continent.

South and Southern African art is also increasingly in popularity as it becomes cheaper to ship. So, historians and art experts are now trying to put African art in a different light. African art has now been re-defined as any art made on the African continent to reflect the diversity of the people of Africa.

African Art: Not Art for Art's Sake - African art and handicrafts are looked at by non-Africans solely as wonderful works of art. However, Africans traditionally did not set out to create a piece of art but rather they created an item for a purpose. The purpose could be anything including utilitarian, religious, symbolic or celebratory. Today, African artists not only create for traditional reasons but for the world market.

Picasso's real inspiration: Now get ready for some real surprises. When the Europeans first encountered African art, they termed it primitive.

Little did the Europeans understand that African masks were very important to African culture and tradition; even as late as the mid-1900s art critics berated African artists for mimicking Picasso and other modern artists. Later it became known that quite to the contrary, it was Picasso who was inspired by African art. African art has simply not been given the respect and credit it was due to it!

"The Mask": it's Real! Most prized of all African art treasures are African masks. These wonderful masks were made by cultures all over Africa.

Today, they continue to be made for both ceremonial reasons and for the market. Many masks hang in museums around the world. Here we can see masks that portray spirits of animals and departed ancestors. Masks were believed to endow the wearer with special powers. The mask was only a part of the costume worn by the trained performer for ceremonies that would have been elaborately choreographed to vibrant music and stylized dances. Mask ceremonies were one way the tribe passed on religious, moral and social values for the community.

Female Fertility: It's for Men too - The Nimba Mask: One of most fascinating, ironic masks is the Baga tribal Nimba mask of female fertility. This is a truly massive mask representing life giving fertility with the pendulous flat breasts represent nurturing motherhood that has suckled many children. The Nimba represents the Baga idea of the perfect woman with braided hair and decorative scarification on her face. The Nimba mask is worn at rice planting and harvest time when ironically, MEN compete to wear the mask.

The Supernatural power to pull a good joke! The Goli Kplekple Mask: Masks are not all serious, some represent jokester spirits. The Goli Kplekple mask is worn by male dancers of junior rank in the Goli spirit dance. As junior dancers are of low status compared to those who wear important masks, this mask is a simple disc shape with little or no ornamentation. The wearer of the Goli Kplekple mask is allowed to chase the young village women around in play.

Art diverse as the world around us: African handicrafts run the gamut from textiles, woven baskets and terra cotta sculpture to wood carvings and wood sculpture plus a wide array of items for everyday use. Africans in general have had to "make do" with whatever was available to them and they have excelled at making what they need with these available materials. Long considered by Africans to be functional or ceremonial, the rest of the world hails their work purely as art.

Africa's Art: modern and made today African art isn't just about tribal ceremony. In fact, as in all art, there are artists producing poignant political critiques on current events, and there are artists producing gorgeous functional accessories. In the realm of handicrafts, a personal favorite is an African entry into bathroom decor. Two elephants stand facing each other with trunks extended to hold the roll of paper.

Made of recycled metal, these particular handicraft are particularly symbolic of Africa's reinvigoration and vitality in taking its cultures into the modern age.