Traditional African Art

Traditional African Art
Image: Ape Mask from the Dark Africa Collection
Size in cm: 14 x 30 x 20
Weight: 100 gr.

Traditional art describes the most popular and studied forms of African art which are typically found in museum collections.

Wooden masks, which might either be human or animal or of mythical creatures, are one of the most commonly found forms of art in western Africa. In their original contexts, ceremonial masks are used for celebrations, initiations, crop harvesting, and war preparation. The masks are worn by a chosen or initiated dancer. During the mask ceremony the dancer goes into deep trance, and during this state of mind he "communicates" with his ancestors. The masks can be worn in three different ways: vertically covering the face: as helmets, encasing the entire head, and as crest, resting upon the head, which was commonly covered by material as part of the disguise. African masks often represent a spirit and it is strongly believed that the spirit of the ancestors possesses the wearer. Most African masks are made with wood, and can be decorated with: Ivory, animal hair, plant fibers (such as raffia), pigments (like kaolin), stones, and semi-precious gems also are included in the masks.

Statues, usually of wood or ivory, are often inlaid with cowrie shells, metal studs and nails. Decorative clothing is also commonplace and comprises another large part of African art. Among the most complex of African textiles is the colorful, strip-woven Kente cloth of Ghana. Boldly patterned mudcloth is another well known technique.

Getting hold of African American Art

Getting hold of African American Art

Image source: North Carolina Central University Art Museum

If you’re looking add African American art to your home, you need to know where to find it.While it might seem like an easy task, finding prints or paintings that are authentic and high quality isn’t always simple. There are three main venues that you can use to find African American art, however, but each has its advantages and disadvantages. Here is what you need to know.

Galleries are the first place to go when you’re looking for authentic pieces that are displayed by the artists themselves. You can also find an assortment of up and coming artists that are showing their work, enabling you to find an African American art piece while it’s still new and not as valuable as it will become. You can find these galleries by looking in your local phone book or simply talk to the curator of your local modern art museum. By talking to the museum, you can get an inside scoop as to where this art can be found. The only downside to galleries is that they can be difficult to find at first, and the pieces of art can be very expensive. Sometimes, these pieces of art will not grow in value, so you are taking a risk when buying newer pieces.

With online stores, you can gain access to a number of great prints, paintings, and sculptures that are hand created or reproduced pieces of African American art. These pieces are sometimes easier to locate online as they can be found in mass numbers as well as through a number of retailers. You can also find a wide variety of styles and prices to fit your home and your budget. The main concern with buying art online is that some of the pieces may not be produced by who the seller says they are produced by – in other words, you can find some that are fakes. However, if you take the time to investigate the seller and determine whether or not they are reputable, you should have no problems with your purchase.

Another option that the internet provides for buying African American art is online auction sites. These sites tend to offer an easy way to find specific time periods of art as well as numerous pieces that are for sale at any given time. By allowing you to bid on the works, you will be able to set your price and your limitations on that price. These sites also offer safe payment options as well as options for larger ticket items. The main concern with these sites is also the authenticity of the pieces of art. Since you’re not always able to investigate the background of the seller, you may be spending a lot of money for something that isn’t the real thing.

Finding African American art has become easier in today’s age of the internet and many local galleries, but when you’re shopping, you need to be careful that what you’ve paid for is what you’re actually getting in return.