5 Elements of African Art

Any work of art, to be appreciated, has to be understood in context of its cultural origin and culturally cherished values. You cannot view a piece of art in isolation of its origin. In fact, it would be appropriate to say that sometimes the culture speaks through art, and art helps us in understanding a particular culture better, in whatever form it may be. Ancient traditional African art, considered for a long time by the western world, as a primitive and unevolved form of art, is now being hailed as aesthetic and meaningful. Part of the change in perception is due to the efforts of contemporary African artists and the diaspora, who have tried to blend the traditional with modern, using new creative mediums to express the ideas behind these antique works.

Traditional African art forms mainly include masks, sculptures, headdresses, carvings, dolls, cooking bowls and jewelry. Most of it was made out of wood, as wood was available in plenty (from trees in West and Central Africa) and used a lot in day to day life. Traditional African art, in general, was practical rather than ornamental, in the sense that the objects of art were meant to primarily serve practical purposes, not decorative. In addition, the arts were a means to reflect beliefs, workmanship and status (the more elaborate the work, the higher the status). For example, a mask (of an ancestor or a god) would be worn as part of a rite of passage, as in a young boy entering the stage of adulthood, or during a war, when the wearer could derive courage and strength from the mask. Similarly, bowls which were meant for cooking, were made artistically, to weave some cultural or social value into it. A lot of the meaning attached to the art was symbolic.

Earlier, the Westerners undervalued African art. However, once they comprehended that African art was not just a random art-form to adorn walls but had deeper meaning embedded within it, their perspective towards African art changed. Artists like Picasso, Matisse, etc were greatly influenced and inspired by the geometric and abstract qualities of the simple yet complex African art form. African art depicts the relationships between people and the unseen forces. This art strives to attain a greater understanding and knowledge of the world by combining the seen with the unseen.

The 5 Elements of African Art

African art is both simple and complex. It is based on 5 basic elements, which are like common strands running through different works of art throughout the different regions of the continent. African art aimed to help the people to understand their cultural, religious and social beliefs, through their unique designs. It reflected the belief systems, ideas and values held by various African communities, and encouraged the younger generations to adopt them, via various art forms. These elements include:

The Use of Human Figure

African art is an artwork, created not just to please the eye but also to uphold religious values and this is why the 'human figure' is given prime importance. African art deals with the spiritual and moral aspects of human lives. African artists considered the human figure to have high aesthetic and religious value and associated the human figure with true beauty. Through human figures, the artists didn't want to portray a specific set of people. They rather aimed at conveying ideas pertaining to the reality of life. The artists even used animal figurines to convey their ideas across. Spiritual beliefs, morals and principles of life were conveyed through the portrayal of human figures.

Luster or Luminosity

African figure sculptures have smooth finishes and glowing, well polished appearances. As per the African belief, rough and irregular surface indicates ill-favored, unattractive, hideous and morally tarnished images. Thus, the artists made sure that their sculptures were polished so well, with no irregularities on the surface so as to be luminous. The human sculptures are also laden with jewelry to enhance their beauty. Sometimes, intricate designs are also made on the artistic pieces. Interestingly, in many of the African languages, there is only one word to describe both 'beautiful' and 'good'! So, obviously, what is good is beautiful and the reverse is also true.

Composed Demeanor

The African sculptures generally have a calm, cool and composed look. They are designed in such a way that they appear to be in control of themselves. Dignity, self respect, elegance and self esteem radiate from these sculptures. These qualities tell us that the artists wanted their artistic creations to be well-mannered, rational and logical with straight and upright postures. Emotional outbursts and expressions were not entertained.

Youthfulness

Days of youth were considered to be the prime days of one's life and hence the artists included this aspect in their art. Since youth symbolized energy, strength, activity, fertility and tremendous vigor, the artists imbibed these attributes in their creations. They did not want to depict any negative vibes and endeavored solely to promote positive attitudes and attributes.

Symmetry and Balance

This element is the only one which has some similarity with the Western or other forms of art. This refers to the materials used in balance and proportion to create artistic pieces, while the previously mentioned elements focused on the culture, religion, morals and aesthetic values.

African art works include a wide range of items, namely, animal art, body art, masks, jewelry, pottery, textiles, weapons, sculptures, baskets, currency and bead work. These stunning objects of art are highly sought-after nowadays, and adorn the homes and offices of connoisseurs across the globe. So, the next time you come across any piece of African art, stop to think about the idea that went behind making it. Find out which reality of life the African artists were trying to depict through their artwork. Identify the elements involved in the unique piece of art and endeavor to appreciate its aesthetics.