Art of African Americans

In African tribal society, an artists and writer holds a very respected position in their culture. They provide art and masks for many different occasions, including social and religious ceremonies. The history of African art goes way back into the earliest part of time. Even though Africa is home to over one thousand different ethnic groups, all African art has distinct similarities in their characteristics. There are seven major types of art produced in Africa with four common themes involved with most of them. The types of art are masks, statues or figurines, furniture, textiles, pottery, beadwork, baskets and metalwork. The themes are a couple, a women and a child, a male with a weapon or an animal, and an outside or "stranger".

The themes of African art say a lot about what that artists is trying to accomplish with his or her piece of art. A couple is commonly representative of ancestors, a married couple, twins, or community founders. This shows the importance placed on two as one. The most common theme of the male and female is not intimacy and love, but their strength and honor. A mother and child theme is representative of mother earth and the people as her children. But African mothers do tend to have a very strong desire for children also. The theme of a male with a weapon or animal, often times a horse, is significant in showing the honor to departed ancestors. Today in Africa, the ownership of a horse would be a greater status than the ownership of an automobile. Men sent to war must have physical, emotional and spiritual energy to survive and conquer. This is the reason for the emphasis on weapons and the spoils of war in many African works. They are often honored in warfare, as women achieve significance through their children. The final theme most common in African art is a stranger. In African, this means someone from an outside country or tribe. Usually a stranger would not be welcomed in Africa. The more distorted the image of the stranger, the more unwelcome they are. Sometimes strangers, especially white foreigners, are given a form of respect based on the relatively great weaponry and other powers.

All of the different types of art in Africa mean something different, but very important in some way. African music is an integral element of life, as well as musical instruments, used in most religious ceremonies. African pottery has a unique beauty and richness. The women are usually the ones who make such pottery out of moist clay. The intricate designs on the outside of these jars and bowls are significant to whichever tribe made it. Many statues and figurines of African art are made to celebrate chiefly prestige, as decoration or to control supernatural forces. Objects of personal use were especially prized as they served as symbols of their owner’s position in society. A characteristic about African art in furniture is the very elegant utilitarian objects of the wide variety of headrests, walking sticks, wooden vessels, stools, and beaded garments. For more than 2000 years metals have played an important role in African art. Gold, copper, iron and other metals have contributed to the rich unique variety of African art. Metal art is used as ornaments or symbols of wealth and authority. Beadwork is one of the more recent types of art coming from African, but the unique necklaces, headbands, bracelets, and leg ornaments serve to beautify, show the wearer’s wealth, rank and express ethnic identity. Basketry is an ancient, yet beautiful craft in African that is very similar to basketry in other parts of the world. However, baskets made in Africa contain many characteristics that make them unique. One is they make them with their natural skills, not only beautiful, but also useful. African prints on textiles often depict the lifestyles of people. Patterns also represent everyday tools, carvings, beadwork and give an idea of the artist’s own tribal history.

Masks in African American culture are representative in many different ways. Often times they are used in ceremonies used to depict deities, spirits of ancestors, mythological beings, good or evil spirits, the dead, animal spirits, and other beings believed to have power over humanity. Ancestry is a very important part to African people to show their honor to their ancestors. In order to show honor to their ancestors, they design their masks with elaborate hair and jewelry to show great wealth and to please their ancestors so that they will bring them well blessings. People are careful to honor their ancestors at all times, because if angered, they are feared greatly.

The style and form of African art usually depends on the beliefs of the artist’s culture. Since some of the art is an intermediary between the human and spiritual world, beauty is always really important. Most African art has a ritual significance, such as healing ceremonies or for attracting game animals or rain. African artists have a tradition of focusing on the physical aspects of their artwork, as well as the moral and religious aspects they express. These artists strive for originality, ingenuity, elegance, and imaginative effects, which I think is what makes African art so beautiful and enjoyable for everyone.