As art evolves through time and cultures, it often influences newer artists and eras. This influence in style evolution is apparent in the 19th century where African culture, art such as sculptures and painting, highly sway European and American art.
Following the British force attack on Africa in the late 1800’s, many artistic items such as sculptures and precious works in brass, ivory, terracotta and wood were taken from the Benin palace and shipped to Europe. (Getlein, 2016, pg. 419) In the aftermath of the colonial conquest and several exploratory expeditions, much of Africa precious décor was being exhibited in places such as Berlin, Munich and London. When African artifacts were first found, and exported to Europe no one really understood
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Since Picasso and Matisse had become such close friend they had traveled to the Congo together where they had witnessed the detailed sculptures created by African artist. One of these sculptures was “identified as a Vili figure from the Democratic Republic of Congo” (Murrell, 2008). Picasso once told curators that “the African sculptures, he said, had helped him to understand his purpose as a painter, which was not to entertain with decorative images, but to mediate between perceived reality and the creativity of the human mind—to be freed, or “exorcised” (Murrell, 2008). This in itself show how much African art had inspired and changed how European artist looked at art and the way that would create it. The influence of African art did not stop with Picasso and Matisse in Europe, it was soon seen by artist in …show more content…
This gave more American artist the ability to see these amazing creations of art that where not only made of visual influences but imaginary as well. New York artist Wilfredo Lam was another artist who was influenced by this created his African influence masterpiece “The Jungle” in 1943. It was said that Lam’s “The Jungle” echoed Picasso’s 1907 creation Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. This shows that even as time passes African art has been so influential that it has blended into art across America and Europe (Kanga,
In the first segment of his film series, Different but Equal, Basil Davidson sets out to disprove the fictitious and degrading assumptions about African civilization made by various Western scholars and explorers. Whether it is the notion that Africans are “savage and crude in nature” or the presumed inability of Africans to advance technologically, these stereotypes are damaging to the image and history of Africa. Although European Renaissance art depicts the races of white and black in equal dignity, there was a drastic shift of European attitudes toward Africa that placed Africans in a much lower standing than people of any other culture. The continent of Africa quickly became ravished by the inhuman slave trade and any traditional civilization
Initially there was a great deal of debate about Benin art and its display, as it did not equate with the perceptions then held about Africa. Until the British conquest of Benin in 1897, little was known about Benin and its culture apart from brief interaction with other Europeans in the sixteenth century. The perception of Africa was of a primitive, savage and uncivilised land, full of ‘abuses and fetishes and idolatries’, (Hodgkin, 1975, p33). Therefore, when the British invaded Benin they treated any artefacts they found as ‘war booty’ (Woods, 2008, p30) and sold anything of any value to pay for the expedition. They removed artefacts and artwork without recording any contextual evidence of form or function. These ideas are evident in the photographs in figures 1.10 on page 31, 2.2 on page 50 in Cultural Encounters (AA100, Book 3) and Plate 3.1.14 in the Illustration Book: Plates for Book 3 and 4 where artefacts are bundled into piles with centralised white figures suggesting only British triumph (Loftus, 2008). The ‘clever workmanship’ (Gallewey, 1893b, p37) and ‘delicacy of detail’ (Bacon, 1897, p39) attest to the quality of the artwork and the subsequent bidding by rival museums and galleries for the pieces did not prevent the perception that Africa, and thus Benin, as being barbaric and primitive.
The exhibition is not too large as it only contains around eighty artworks. These works all have African Americans as the main subject since Marshall believes that African Americans deserve more attention in art because they are almost “invisible” in a way. Mastry is arranged chronologically, starting with Marshall’s earlier works and then leading to galleries with themes such as beauty or the civil-rights struggle. Mastry should be visited because it allows a person to learn about African American art which is underrepresented and underappreciated. The general idea or thesis of this exhibition is that African Americans have been looked down on throughout history and viewed as subhumans, or even invisible. Marshall’s exhibition is about appreciating African Americans and viewing them as what they are: humans.
“A picture is a poem without words” – Horace, the purpose of art is to reveal the sensations of life but also allows humans to express their emotions and views on certain aspects. Jean-Michel Basquiat was a Neo-Expressionist painter throughout the 1980’s who was known for his style. He was African American artist and musician that was part of the SAMO. The SAMO was a graffiti group that wrote epigrams. While growing up, one of Basquiat inspirations that encouraged him to paint was his diverse cultural heritage. Basquiat was a creative self-taught artist who thought outside of the box when it came to painting. Most of the pieces he made were a collaboration of different ideas and constructed them together into a collage. During the 1980’s Basquiat’s art used the human figure to portray Minimalism and Conceptualism. His target market that were in many of his pieces was on suggestive dichotomies that focused on the lower class versus the higher class. Even though Basquiat work was remarkable, he was criticized and faced some challenges among his journey because of the symbols and words that were used his paintings. Despite the criticism,
As his fame continued to grow, his art work developed a sort of sophistication and prestige. Basquiat began to expand his work by attending art festivals and events in other states and countries than just New York. One of his favorite places to visit was Africa.“This expansive work of the 1980’s compresses together the relationship of Egypt to Africa, with reference to more local centers of African-American music within southern culture (www.theartstory.org). Instead of displaying his work with the streets of New York, He exhibited his artwork in various places throughout the world, especially at the Kestner-Gesellschaft Gallery in Hanover, Germany.“His work and style received critical acclaim for the fusion of words, symbols, stick figures, and animals. His painting came to be adored by an art loving public…”(biography.com). The expansion of Basquiat work had become world wide topic that gained many art observers and critics
Pablo Picasso is one of the most famous and well-documented artists of the twentieth century. Picasso, unlike most painters, is even more special because he did not confine himself to canvas, but also produced sculpture, poetry, and ceramics in profusion. Although much is known about this genius, there is still a lust after more knowledge concerning Picasso, his life and the creative forces that motivated him. This information can be obtained only through a careful study of the events that played out during his lifetime and the ways in which they manifested themselves in his creations (Penrose).
This essay deals with the nature of a cross cultural encounter between the Benin people and Portuguese traders in the 15th and 16th centuries, which resulted in the depiction of Portuguese figures in Benin brass plaques. It will propose that this contact between people with different cultures was on the basis of 'mutual regard' (Woods, K. 2008, p. 16), and although the Portuguese had qualms about idolatry in Benin it will show that assumptions by Europeans up to the 20th century of the primitive nature of tribal African societies was inaccurate with regard to the Benin people, who had a society based on the succession of the King or 'Oba', a Royal Family and Nobility. The essay will finally suggest that Benin’s increase in wealth following the arrival of the Portuguese led to a resurgence in bronze sculptures and the introduction of a new form, the rectilinear plaque.
South University Online. (2013). HUM 1002: History of Art from the Middle Ages to Modern Times: Week 4: Art of the Americas: 14th Century to the Present. Retrieved from myeclassonline.com
Western attitudes to African people and culture have always affected how their art was appreciated and this has also coloured the response to the art from Benin.
“For Englishmen, the most arresting characteristic of the newly discovered African was his color. Travelers rarely failed to comment upon it; indeed when describing Africans they frequently began with complexion and then moved on to dress (or, as they saw, lack of it) and manners (Jordan 1).”
Picasso ignored the traditional aesthetic canons governing the representation of the female nude. The bodies are deformed. The woman sitting presents both his back and his face. The influence of African art, which replaces that of Orientalism of the nineteenth century, is very clear in the
There is no art, music, and literature like here in sub-Saharan Africa. What is important to Westerners, such as the artist, label, and static-like wall hanging, means nothing to us. African art is living, spiritual, and meant to go back to the Earth once the soul of the item has run out. As the Bamana of Mali say, the art are “things that can be looked at without limit”. Our artwork has changed, emerged, and survived eras of turmoil and inversely, hope. I have found passing through the global gateway into Africa has made me appreciate this culture more, and appealed to me on a level that made me choose being a part of it.
Benin is a country in west Africa from 15th century until now. Benin has been renowned for brass sculpture production and there is a sort of encounter did happen between the Europeans and Benin .there were many of the positive and negatives to this type of encounter between Benin and European ,such as ,their encounter had artistic consequences in terms of the supply of raw materials for sculpture ,and Benin craftsmen developed their forms and subject matter to suit their new clients ,this was one of the positive aspect ,also there was the British occupation of Benin , so I will talk about five elements in this essay ,firstly what is the concept of cultural encounter , particularly of Benin art , how the art is encountered shapes how understood,
Kasfir, S. L. (2007) African Art and the Colonial Encounter: Inventing a Global Commodity, Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
The Europeans saw Africa as being a great place to obtain all types of resources from labor to natural materials. Items such as cotton, coal, rubber, copper, tin, gold, and other metals were considered very valuable and readily available in Africa (Nardo). The industrial revolution had already become a strong influence on the countries that attended the Conference. They had spent the past...