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The Evergreen Traditional Features of African Art

By: kath

A unique and rich culture of art and art forms thrives in Africa, which in many ways is different from art traditions elsewhere in the world. And it has been found that the best way to experience the spirit and beauty of Africa is by understanding its unique art and culture.

Each and every region of the African continent has its own special culture that helps in establishing an identity of its own. Despite this diversity in nature, there are some common artistic themes that bind various African art traditions together.

Human figure

The beauty of human figure has always attracted the African artists over centuries. In fact, human figures have always been one of the prime subjects for most of the renowned African painters, just like the popular tradition of wildlife paintings. In the various rock paintings and engravings, one can still find the drawings of human figures.

Elegant human figures, richly hued animals, and figures combining human and animal features have been painted on a large scale all over Africa. It is mainly due to the influence of African art traditions, that the human body got a new place in the pottery craft of European culture.

Abstract art

While studying the erstwhile African traditions, it becomes quite evident that most of the artists used to favour visual abstraction as compared to naturalistic representation. In most of the earlier African art works, be it original paintings, masks or pottery, one can easily notice an unmatched stylistic touch that is simply above this materialistic world. Moreover, African artists give preference to the usage of highly abstracted and regimented colours in their paintings.

Performance art

African artworks are not just simply eye-catching pieces. In fact, most of the traditional craft works such as masks, vases or pottery products have originated due to some specific performance connected with some ritual or ceremony. There is no such artwork in Africa that can be referred to as static when it comes to its usage.

To date, masks are used in communal and ceremonial contexts where dancing is required. Interestingly, just like there are different forms of dances representing different regions of a country, there are societies in Africa who are known for their unique masks.

Sculpture

One more unique feature of African artwork is the emphasis given by the artists on three-dimensional works as compared to two-dimensional. From original African paintings to pottery and face masks, everything is in three-dimensional box frames. Due to these features, a viewer needs to walk around it in order to admire the real beauty of a piece.

These are some very common elements that can be noticed in various African art forms developed by the ancient tribes and handed down through generations and are even being followed today by contemporary artists. The beautiful art works throw light on the rich and unique culture of this magical land.

Looking at their increasing demand amongst buyers from across the globe, there are a number of reputed online art galleries, which offer an unbelievable range of original paintings right from wildlife paintings to abstract art. In fact, if you are a fan of abstract paintings, there are also some well-known online art galleries who deal in original African abstract art and paintings.

Article Source: http://www.articlekingpro.com

Tony Chalmers is a journalist and an art aficionado who has written several insightful articles on different art styles and paintings be it original paintings, or reproduced ones. He is a proud owner of some beautiful original wildlife paintings which he got from an online art galley.

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