The Functions of African Art

The Functions of African Art

Image: Male Nkigi Ghost Figure
Size in cm: 58 x 12 x 14
Weight: 200gr.
Origin: Ghana

For the most part works of art were created by several tribal artists working according to tradition. Yet, in spite of all his restrictions, the African artist managed to express his own imagination and technique. If new technique proved be good, it became part or ever growing tradition.

Much of the world's art is religious. So too is African art. Ancestor worship, spirits, magic, and other aspects of the religion of African tribes is reflected in the art. Art was also created for ceremonies of marriage, for funerals, and for the festive celebrations of people.

We in the West can value a work of art for its beauty alone. But in Africa every line, every form, and every arrangement of shapes on a work of art has a meaning. An African sculptor seldom creates art just for the pleasure of doing so, just for the purpose of creation something beautiful. Nearly everything has a function or purpose.

Statutes are carved to honor ancestors, kings, and gods. Masks are created for festive occasions. Jewelry, trinkets, and beads are sometimes used to indicate wealth, growing up, authority, or marriage. Guardian figures are fastened to coffins to invite good spirits to protect the dead and to chase away evil demons. Combs, spoons, bowls, stools, and other useful items are carved to make them decorative. But an object of art is always meant to be useful first and beautiful only second.

The use of masks was an important part of the spirit world that existed in the lives of the African people. They were used at initiations, for example, when a boy was accepted as an adult hunter. Their main purpose was to scare away evil intruders.

Among the masks most widely admired, at least by people in the Western world, are those of the Bambara of the Sudan region. They have graceful lines and a smooth finish, which show the craftsmanship of the artists. Sometimes they are covered with feathers or other decorations. Often worn on top of the head instead of over the face, the designs of the masks are usually based on the horns of an animal, reaching heavenward.