Much of Ethiopia had become Christian by that time, holding a long tradition of Coptic Christianity from the Egyptian areas in the very early Middle Ages. The colors presented, as well as the serene nature of the characters are as poignant and emotional as any Baroque European artist. One wonders, though, if there isn't some disassociation between the indigenous cultures and the subject matter in that all the holy characters are clearly Caucasian in a land in which most worshipers are dark skinned.
Exhibit 3 -- According to the museum, textiles are one of the most vivid and expressive means of artistry in Africa. The complexity and color of the garmet often reflects the person's status, and in many cases the designs on clothing are meant to have a spiritual significance and/or protect the wearer from negativity. Weaving, too, is non-gender based. Both men and women participate in the activity; from the choosing of dyes to weaving to final decoration of fabric. Due to the nature of the various climates in Africa, interesting colrations are available from a disparate sour of natural dyes made from soils, insects, animals, and vegetation. In fact, African textile art has become so advanced it...
Particularly popular are Ghana and Mali clothing, and blankets and wall covering from East Africa. Note (figure 4), both the complex nature of this woven flag and the juxtaposition of primitive Africa with a colonialist symbol.
Overall Impressions - the imagry of African Art is probably the most apparent component. Humans are portrayed in a variety of proportions, but there is a clear connection between flora, fauna, and humans. Nature is everywhere and there is a clear attempt at merging the natural and spiritual world. There were so many interesting objects, one could spend hours learning about the uses of art as toys, technology, and a path to the spritiual realm for many of these cultures.
REFERENCES & WORKS CONSULTED
"National Museum of Afrian Art," (2010). Smithsonian Institution. Cited in:
http://africa.si.edu/collections/index.htm
Visona, M., et.al. (2007). History of Art in Africa, 2nd Edition. New York:
Prentice Hall.
Ghana, Burkina Faso Pottery
Congo, Kuba Drinking Container
Ethiopia, Orthodox Painting on Wood
Ghana, Asafo Flag
REFERENCES & WORKS CONSULTED
"National Museum of Afrian Art," (2010). Smithsonian Institution. Cited in:
http://africa.si.edu/collections/index.htm
Visona, M., et.al. (2007). History of Art in Africa, 2nd Edition. New York:
Prentice Hall.
Artist Zwelethu Mthethwa Zwelethu Mithethwa says, "I chose color because it provides a greater emotional range. My aim is to show the pride of the people I photograph" (National pp). Born in 1960 in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Mithethwa holds diplomas from the Michaelis School of Fine Art from the University of Cape Town (National pp). As a recipient of a Fullbright Scholarship, he studied at the Rochester Institute of Technology and
Splashes of color like red and several shades of blue are added to the collage in a "dragonfly, wing-like" formation. A cutout photograph of a boy is pasted on the "wing" of a lighter shade of blue, perhaps to note a sense of calm to his surroundings. The Hawkins' exhibit will consist of 80 objects, a retrospective of his nearly a quarter of a century career. The work is described
He admonishes contemporary African-Americans to look into the teachings and culture of the ancient Egyptians for inspiration. Carruthers goes into "The Instructions of Ptahhotep" which contained maxims to instruct in the correct values, modes of behavior and attitudes appropriate to those who would become civil servants from Prime Minister on down. The pharaohs, he speculates, received this teaching alongside children from all walks of life to instruct them on how
Her works emerged from dreams and visions she had since childhood, as her hands were being guided by the wonders of God to show divine presence in the world. Giant birds, biblical figures, complex flowers, mysterious faces, and other spiritual images adorned her pages. Once she began drawing, nothing stopped her, not poverty, or the claim by family members and friends that she was "crazy," or her lack of
Economic, Political, and Social History African American culture arose out of the turmoil and despair of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. From West African port towns to plantations, African American culture is unique in that it was forged under the pressure of bondage. People with different cultures and languages formed new identities relative to their subordinate social, economic, and political status—their culture therefore being in part defined by the experience of oppression
Du Sable Museum A Reflection of African-American History The DuSable Museum of African-American History is the oldest major museum related to African-American legacy. Founded by Margaret Taylor in 1961, the museum runs on a self-governing model with focus on collection, interpretation and achievement of African-American history. Its location in Chicago provides it an edge over other museums entailing artifacts related to this subject as Chicago was one of the prime cities where