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Table of Contents
African Art or also generalized as “Traditional” African art, is one of the rich cultural heritage of Africa, particularly in the sub-Saharan part of the continent. It consists of several art forms, such as painting, masks, sculpture, rock art, jewelry, and others.
See the fact file below for more information on African Art, or you can download our 22-page African Art worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
- The culture of different native, indigenous Africans, even from another African continent, are described in the artworks such as sculptures, historical paintings, installations, etc.
- It includes arts that are from prehistoric, ancient, and Islamic, which are from West Africa, East Africa’s Christian art, and other regions.
- Evidence of using a complex process to create paints occurred about 100,000 years ago.
- About 320,000 years ago, the practice of using pigments took place.
- The earliest form of art in Africa is Rock art.
- During the 10th century period, more complex methods were established in sub-Saharan Africa. Those prominent developments contain the terracotta and metalworks of Ile Ife bronze and brass castings and the Igbo Ukwu’s bronze work.
- 6500 BCE ago, there is a rock art named “Giraffe engraving” that was found and preserved in Saharan Sands, Nigeria until present day. The carvings of it are recognized as petroglyphs which shows animals that no longer live there such as giraffes.
- Between 24 000 – 27, 000 years ago, rock art paintings which include the Round Headed figure and some art depicting animals and humans was found in the Apollo 11 caves in Namibia, Africa.
- They are thought to be one of the oldest rock pieces in the world.
- However, when Africa was controlled during the colonial period 19th century ago, there were objects such as artifacts and cultural treasures that were either auctioned and stolen and are now dispersed around the world.
- Around 500 BCE to 200 CE, a fantastic terracotta pottery head was found in the Nok culture of Nigeria and was known as the earliest sculpture identified.
- The terracotta pottery heads found in the Nok culture show the powerful abstract figural representation that has been present in Africa for more than 2500 years and are formed of grog and iron-rich clay. However, none of them have been discovered in their natural contexts.
CHARACTERISTICS
- Out of all other artworks, the arts of Africa are included in being the most diverse because of the variety of materials, elements, and representations that they are using.
- It was often stated as creepy or bizarre objects.
- Usually, some artwork does not demand an expert and can be made by anyone.
- Some of the art in Africa can be political, have a ritual context, entertainment, and aesthetic element.
- Surprisingly, in African art, being old or ill are depicted as an indicator of evil which is why artists never painted them, and human beings are often portrayed in their youthful form.
- An art piece with a sign of the maker is rare because most African arts were recognized as “anonymous”.
- Human figures in African art and sculptures typically feature constrained facial expressions devoid of smiles or frown lines.
- Sculpture art is most commonly created rather than paintings.
- It should be emphasized that performance and assemblage make up a significant portion of traditional African art.
- The combination of sculpture and masks, together with dancing, dress, and body ornament, often gives individual African works of art meaning.
- African arts are often made or created in three dimensions instead of two-dimensions skills.
- As a result of colonialism in Africa, the art style of African art was labeled as “tribal.”
- Some words that may describe African art pieces are moving, intellectually stimulating, and very colorful.
ART SYMBOLS
- Unique characteristics of animals such as crocodiles, snakes, antelopes, and leopards are used to represent a symbol, whether spiritual or political.
- To have more complex ideas in the art, different animal features are combined to create more or new forms.
- Various gestures are also a form of symbolism. Such a seated form indicates composure, reflection, and balance.
- The disproportionate head which is larger than the body is common in African art. As it symbolizes and believed that the head has a role in directing one’s success and destiny.
- Important people such as kings and tribal leaders are portrayed as having the largest figures, whereas less important people have smaller ones.
AFRICAN ART ELEMENTS
- African art emphasizes the human form or people as their primary subject. Either they are portraying an animal or a half person and half animal.
- In Western African art, artistic creativity or expressive individualism is commonly used. At the same time, there is a strong emphasis on expressive individualism while still acknowledging the impact of previous artists.
- Virtual abstraction is a word that can describe the most notable in African artworks. This is proven by the majority of African arts found which are most of the time in the abstract art form over naturalistic representation.
- The reason that since their art often has a religious or ethical meaning their abstract human figures and animals usually represent several ideas such as moral values, superstitions, mythical gods, spirits, etc.
- Additionally, self-control or self-composure are also a common theme in African art. Most of the time, the art shows a serene, emotion-free representation of a human.
- Emphasizing a smooth glossy surface on many sculptures is prominent and can be seen in African art which signifies luminosity. If a piece of work has a rough surface, it means that it was made intentionally and is implying moral flaws and ugliness.
- Generic Physiognomy which is reproducing a certain physical feature and making it the same feature for every work of art is used by the African artist rather than personalizing each face out of fear that the figures may be used in voodoo or witchcraft to harm someone.
AFRICAN ART MATERIALS
- Although wood is the most well-known material used in African sculpture, numerous other materials are also used, including iron, ivory, terracotta, unfired clay, and occasionally stone.
- Jewelry is also a popular African art because it is used to signify rank or shown as aesthetics, and is made from diverse materials such as gold, silver, copper, coconut shells, stone, ebony wood, and brass.
- Moreover, other arts such as accessories and traditional dresses that are worn in Africa can be crafted using beads that are made of bone to glass which is a part of African culture.
African Art Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about African Art across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about African Art, or the “Traditional” African art, which is one part of the rich cultural heritage of Africa, particularly in the sub-Saharan part of the continent.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- African Art Facts
- A.F.R.I.C.A.N. A.R.T.
- Art Exhibit
- Facts to Know
- Filling & Creating
- Fact or Bluff
- Picture Observation
- Decipher Me!
- Find that WORD
- Watch and Learn
- Poem it Down
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of art is Africa known for?
Textile design is one of the most important types of African art. Sculptures and masks are popular, but textiles have been an important part of art-making on the continent throughout history. One important part of traditional African art is performance. This often involves a lot of different objects or materials being put together. The combination of dance, music and bodily ornamentation can create a powerful effect on art objects. This is especially true when sculptures and masks are also included.
What makes African art different?
African art often uses bright colors, geometric designs, and a wide range of subjects. Creative expressionism is popular with an emphasis on sculpture rather than painting. Abstract themes and depictions are common in the art. Arts that mix visual and performing arts, like masks, are also good examples of African art.
What is the oldest art in Africa?
Two tiny pieces of engraved ochre have been found to be the oldest pieces of art ever discovered. Scientists say that these show that artists were awake and creating art in Africa at least 77,000 years ago.
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Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.