African Art - the rise of African art

The fascinating world of African art - a look behind the scenes the rapidly increased interest in works of art of the "black continent"

Discover the fascinating world of African art . Immerse yourself in the deep, cultural influences that have shaped this art form. Let us take a look behind the scenes of the sudden increased attention for this contemporary art world and explore the history of African art.

Why African art is fascinating

African art has a long and fascinating story that goes back to prehistoric time. mirrors 's African art of the rich cultural diversity of the continent and includes many different styles, techniques and materials.

From the impressive sculptures of the Dogon in Mali to the colorful textiles of the Ashanti in Ghana there is a wealth of works of art that creates creativity and the skills of African artists against mirrors n.

African art is not only beautiful to look at, but also an important expression of cultural identity and history. By considering African art, we can not only gain an insight into the past, but also develop a better understanding for the present.

What is contemporary African art? About African Art and Tribal Art

The concept of contemporary African art has always been difficult to define. And for good reason: the continent extends over 54 countries, each of which has its own unique culture, its traditions and its social structures.

In addition, the diaspora caused colonialism also complicates this definition. As a result, it is impossible to have a precise idea of ​​what African contemporary art is and what it looks like. There are some key factors that we can look at to understand what the African art scene has made what it is today.

From a European perspective, most works of the African continent are assigned to the “Anonymous Folk Art” . Although they are mostly manufactured in order to mark certain occasions, it is above all farmers and smithy that carve in the peasant societies in the part -time acquisition.

In many ethnic groups, the creation of magical objects is a male task. The artist's craft requires a multi -year apprenticeship and specialization and can be demonstrated above all in the kingdoms. bronze beans and ivory carvers in Benin organized themselves in professional groups and guilds. Museum stocks show that individual kingdoms specialized in certain art productions and there was also an exchange between the ethnic groups.

Négritness and postcolonialism - origins of contemporary African art

Négritness

The Négrnesse movement , led by the writers Aimé Césaire , Léon Damas and Léopold Sédar Senghor , was a literary movement that played an important role in the development of modern African art and contemporary African art (see Arsper ) .

It was founded in 1937 by a group of African art students in Paris, a city with a tolerant and diverse art scene, and spread worldwide. The aim of the movement was to criticize colonialism and to promote the appreciation for black and African culture .

Léopold Sédar Senghor emphasized that African art, to develop further, had to celebrate the modernity of the present against mirrors and at the same time traditional culture. The visual art of movement focuses on these principles and is inspired by other modernist movements such as Harlem Renaissance and surrealism .

Aubrey Williams , one of the most important visual artists of the movement, often used abstraction as a means of avoiding a western point of view of African art. In addition, in his works, he often criticized colonial regimes, such as in his painting "Death and the Konquistador" , which addresses the cruelty of the Spanish colonization of America.

Postcolonialism

decolonization process that extended over a period of five decades. Finally, in 1994 the country obtained its independence from a government that was dominated by White. During this time of fundamental change, African artists began to research new art styles and deal with new topics. This happened after the Negritude and colonial criticism. There was a departure from abstraction and turning towards conceptual art .

Fundpiece art , a remarkable style, still impresses with its creativity and sustainability. Artists create works of art using found and recycled materials and enjoy great popularity on the continent.

One of the leading representatives of this movement is the respected anti -war activist and sculptor Gonçalo Mabunda from Mozambique. His works consist of weapon parts that the Christian Association of Mozambique collected after the 20-year civil war.

With his art, Mabunda transforms death into new life and thus sets a powerful sign of peace and reconstruction.

Characteristics and characteristics

African art is characterized by its close connection to religious and social conditions. The question arises whether this represents a distinction to art from Europe, Asia or America.

Traditional African art mostly had cultural and functional importance and represented different ethnic groups and their world designs. However, the most important treasures of Africa collections are also documents of art.

Until the 1980s, all collections were divided into geographical and ethnic categories, which enabled an overview of the regional and historical differences in the traditional art of Africa.

This made differences between styles clear. At the same time, the works of art are sources on cultural history and manifestations of cultural knowledge. Only a comparison of many works of an ethnicity reveals the design qualities and skills of individual artists as part of the aesthetic criteria of the respective culture (comparisons of artinwords ).

History of African art: from the beginning to today

Beginnings and archaic manifestations

It is undeniable that the oldest origins of humanity are in Africa. In addition, this continent has also made a decisive contribution to the development of the figurative arts. African art, the origins of which go back to prehistoric times, has significantly shaped the culture of the world with its characteristic style features.

The history of African art is a fascinating journey through the centuries.

The beginnings of African art are in the cave paintings , which are up to 30,000 years old. These early works of art showed animals and people and probably served religious or ritual purposes.

In African art history, rock art the oldest form of creative expression. These are paintings or engravings that were carried out on rock walls and mostly represent stylized hunting scenes. The oldest and scientifically dated examples of this kind date from around 24,000-27,000 years ago.

In the area of ​​the sculpture , the most archaic manifestations of this artistic expression can be found on around 500 BC. BC. Date. heads made of terracotta were mainly made in Nigeria. Over time, this tradition was enriched by the manufacture of more realistic sculptures made of bronze and brass.

These sculptures not only represented heads, but also masks and small entire figures. To date, wooden sculptures that were created in the 17th century and continue to map the subjects mentioned above.

It is important to emphasize that the data mentioned above can be subject to future changes. This is because African art was initially not adequately examined, protected and estimated as an aesthetic performance symbol of a community and consequently not adequately examined (see Artmajeur )

Over time, African art developed and was shaped by various cultures, including the Kingdom of Benin, the Greater Reich Mali and the Kingdom of Congo. Each of these cultures brought their own aesthetics and techniques into art, which led to a large variety of styles and shapes.

Today African art all over the world is known and valued, from sculptures to masks to paintings and textiles.

African art during the start - the 20th century

spirit of optimism since independence , which is accompanied by an artistic modernity in the years between the 1930s and 1980s. During this time, new forms of artistic expression emerged that this change against mirrors n.

Modern and contemporary African art achieved international attention in particular through large art exhibitions and biennals such as Documenta11 and the Venice Biennals .

However, a comprehensive consideration of African modernism as post -colonial modernity that includes historical, personal and aesthetic encounters with Europe.

In view of the increasing presence of modern and contemporary art in Africa in Germany, however, it is essential to also examine the African modernism in German collections in detail. This is intended to help achieve a better understanding of the present and future of art from African and Western perspective.

For this reason, the educational institutions Iwalewahaus , University of Bayreuth , World Heritage Museum in Frankfurt and the more maker Art Gallery/Institute of Heritage Conservation and Restoration in Kampala have come together for a research project (the project lasted from 2015 - 2018, see Iwalewahaus ). The aim was to jointly research African modernity by analyzing its art collections in a trans- and interdisciplinary framework.

Penentation of modernity and inspiration for Picasso & Co.

As the Neue Zürcher Zeitung reported in an article in the feature section, the tribal art (so -called tribal art ) offered pioneering modern art pioneering suggestions far beyond formal impulses. resulted from dealing with the so -called primitive art

The article reports from June 1907 when the famous Cubist Pablo Picasso the Africa gallery of the Musée d'othnography in the Paris Trocadéro. The Catalane recognized in the African sculptures that he found there, not just good works of art, but magical objects, media, means of liberating danger and fear.

The famous painting by Picasso called "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" , which was completed immediately after visiting the trocadéro, shows two of the five female figures whose faces resemble scary African masks. Interestingly, none of the masks previously mentioned by art historians were seen as possible models before completing the painting in Paris. As a result, the threatening facial features of the two "demoiselles" not mere quotes, but prove to Picasso's profound understanding of forming principles of African art.

When Picasso began to be interested in tribal art, a general fascination was noticeable. Masks and figures from the colonies, which were previously only issued as exotic curiosities or ethnographic study material in European ethnic museums, were suddenly recognized as works of art by modern artists, dealers and collectors.

It is often said that Picasso's encounter with the reduced forms of African plastic has made him the founder of Cubism. landscapes in 1908 , and Cubism mainly has its roots in Cézannes painting.

Apart from the "demoiselles", there are numerous other examples that modern artists have made direct bonds of African plastic. Such an example is Fernand Léger was inspired by illustrations from the two books on African plastic at the time for the costumes and stage design of the Ballet "La Création du Monde"

Sculptors such as Constantin Brancusi , Alberto Giacometti and Henry Moore benefited directly from the formal repertoire of African artists. Giacometti's famous “spoon woman” from 1926, for example, is reminiscent of anthropomorphic grain shovels from the Ivory Coast.

Border shift of intellectual horizons

What basically combines both the tribal art of Africa as well as oceania and modern art are several factors.

On the one hand, it is the ingenuity and the expressiveness that can be clearly seen in both art forms.

On the other hand, modern art and tribal art are characterized by a brilliant simplification of the forms .

Another common denominator is the conceptual approach and the prominent role that elementary visual signs play in both tribal art and the European avant -garde.

However, the most important was the fundamental shift of mental horizons, which resulted from dealing with the cultures of the natives and their primitive art at the time.

Increasing recognition for art objects from the African continent

In the course of the 20th century, objects from South Sahara gained increasingly recognition as works of art. understanding of Africa's art history developed in parallel .

In the early 20th century, African art showed a hybrid character that fascinated artists in Paris and Dresden in particular. The change in meaning from the cult object to the artwork has been manifested in exhibition practice, especially since the 1970s and 1980s.

A well -known example of this is the move of African art from the collection of Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller from the Museum of Primitive Art to the Metropolitan Museum in 1974. In recent times, presentation has also prevailed according to topics and content in order to provide the viewers new insights into African art traditions.

The term "tribal art" was replaced in modern ethnology by naming workshops and schools, as well as by naming artists. In most cases, however, the creators remained anonymous.

Global exchange and networking since the 1960s

The transnational interdependencies that have developed between Africa and Europe are a phenomenon that started in the 1960s-including in the art world.

At that time, many African states achieved independence. In the two decades after the Second World War, not only the "Nouvelle École de Paris" , but also that in Senegal.

This art school and movement promoted African contemporary positions and criticized the ideological systems and exclusive time concepts of the colonial West.

In her exhibition text, curator Angela Stercken Okwui Enwezor's exhibition "Short Century" (2001) and Documenta11 in 2002, whose artistic director was the Nigerian curator (see "Deutsche Welle shows contemporary African art" by Christine Lehn).

The artistic exchange between Africa and Europe is based on a long tradition that goes back to the 1960s. , art festivals in Lagos and Algiers offered the opportunity to exhibit works by African and diasporic contemporary artists alongside positions from Europe. This was unusual before.

The German wave had created a small collection of contemporary art in the 1960s, which mainly included works from Germany and Europe. Since 2016, this collection has been expanded to include 20 African artists. The aim was "Preview" opening on June 20, 2022 in Bonn during the "Preview" opening on June 20, 2022, and to open it to a common, global future through African contemporary positions.

In the late 20th century, various other exhibitions in the west contributed significantly to the general public. A particularly important show took place in 1989 in the renowned Parisian Center Pompidou .

The exhibition entitled "Magiciens de la Terre" devoted itself to the different forms of art from countries that cannot be assigned to the western culture. This exhibition was the prelude for numerous other important events that set themselves the goal of promoting and appreciating contemporary African art as well as their creators.

"Seven Stories About Modern Art in Africa" ​​organized by African curators in the Whitechapel Gallery . She presented works by 60 artists and thus offered an exciting overview of modern African art history ( hardback catalog of attitudes ).

African artists are optimistic about the future

During a panel discussion at the "Global Media Forum 2022", African creative people have announced their views on the contemporary art of Africa in the world. Angèle Etouundi Essmba , a photographer from Cameroon, who was trained in France and lives in Amsterdam, sees the situation of contemporary African art optimistic.

It is true that there has been a very lively art scene in Africa for over 20 years ”,

She said and referred to the increasing presence of African positions in Biennals as an example.

It is of great importance that the works of the artists travel to support this bubbling source of contemporary African art. ”

Artists with African roots in trend - the art trade for African art is booming

Contemporary artists with African roots

Artists with African roots have been enriching the contemporary art scene for about a decade and arousing great interest in the West. In particular, the international art center Paris and its art scene celebrates the exoticism and dark skin in the art world.

This is an example of the dark -skinned artist Julien Creuzet , who will be represented at the Kunstbiennale in Venice in 2024. The 36-year-old Frenchman with family roots on the Antillen Island Martinique is a professor at the Parisian Art Academy.

At the same time, online bidders at Christie’s 's born in 1983 in the contemporary auction : 151,200 and 138,600 euros-for taxes that were "only" at 30,000 euros.

The trend towards African artists results from solid gallery work and numerous exhibitions that started with the "magicians of the earth" in Paris in 1989. The Paris Fondation Cartier has also done pioneering work in terms of aesthetics from Africa in the 1990s, often under the initiating curatorhood of profound Africa peak André Magnin .

Magnin built the world's largest Africa collection for the Simca heir Jean Pigozzi and announced last summer that he was doing a huge gift for the planned Pigozzi Museum ( Handelsblatt reported).

Increased appreciation of the continent

In the course of the progressive development of the artistic climate, numerous new galleries on the African continent have opened their doors in order to meet the increasing demand for contemporary African art. An impressive example is the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art , which was opened in 2017 and is considered the world's largest museum for contemporary African art.

Nike Art Foundation and Fondation H recently joined the circle of the new art centers. While the Nike Art Foundation opened its gallery in Abuja, Nigeria in May 2023, Fondation H opened its doors in Madagascar in April 2023. In particular, the abundance of new galleries and art centers on the African continent is a clear indication of the growing importance and recognition of African art.

Global recognition grows

The growing importance of African art on the world stage of mirrors t in the development of the art scene in Africa. In the western hemisphere there are now several art exhibitions that are devoted to African art. The 1-54 Art Fair , which was launched in London in 2013, is now organizing three trade fairs in London, New York and Marrakech every year and a pop-up trade fair in Paris.

When the Venice's Biennale selected an African curator, Okwui Enwezor ensured that his exhibition had more African artists than ever before. The aim was to question the traditional Eurocentric narrative and to appreciate the significant role that African art plays in the design of the global art landscape.

Relativization and classification in numbers

The African art market is in the upswing, but it is still a comparatively small part worldwide compared to other art markets.

While the dealers on the American art market recorded growth of 6 % compared to the previous year between 2021 and 2023, the African art market was only able to increase an increase of 1 % (see Artsper )

Despite some challenges, however, there are also opportunities in this market. In order to continue to promote emerging artists and to promote growth and integration of the African art market into the global art scene, further investments in infrastructure as well as in art education and entrepreneurship are necessary.

The market with traditional African art is booming

In the film we are invited to a fascinating journey through museums and galleries of our neighboring continent to discover the impressive everyday and cult objects as well as the mysterious fetish and masks of African art.

We encounter the artistic objects from Africa in elegant showcases of galleries, kept in robust steel cupboards of ethnic museums and even in the full apartments of passionate collectors. Unfortunately, some collectors are tempted by the art market to transform their passion into speculative investment.

It is astonishing how traditional African art gains popularity as an investment object. Auctions achieve record prices and individual works are traded with millions. The film goes in search of the origins of these works of art, from the poor carving in West Africa to the chic gallery fairs in Brussels and Paris, where the art market prices are determined. At the same time, voices arise from African historical -conscious people who accuse museum directors of "predatory art".

Overall, this film is a fascinating journey through the world of African art, which not only brings us closer to beauty, but also the commercialization and problems of this art form.

The problem with the "predatory art"

The brutal looting of cultural assets in Africa by colonial masters is a topic that is not only discussed in Europe, but also in Africa itself. The presentation of art and cultural assets in European museums without taking into account their often bloody history of origin and without involving the descendants of the original owners is a real problem.

The question of the restitution of such objects is becoming increasingly important Humboldt Forum An estimated 1.5 million art objects from all over the world are stored in the custody accounts of the ethnological museums in Germany, including 60,000 objects from Africa. The question arises how many of them were acquired through use of violence and what consequences should be drawn from it.

In this film by Deutsche Welle Live TV, the authors shed light on the perspectives of German and African participants using the example of the Benin bronze from Nigeria , an artistic ship snabel from Cameroon and the so-called Witbooi Bible from Namibia.

With their research and discussions, the DW team wanted to find out how people in the African countries from which the objects come from, think about it and what expectations scientists, museum directors, artists and curators have. The emotions are also illuminated, which can come to light when processing an often painful past.

Meaning of African art: cultural and spiritual aspects

African art has a long history and is of great importance for many African communities. It not only serves as a cultural form of expression , but also as a spiritual practice .

African works of art such as masks, sculptures and textiles are often used in ritual ceremonies to strengthen the connection between humans and their ancestors or to seek protection against evil spirits.

The shapes, colors and symbols of these works of art often have a deeper meaning and can only be understood by the initiates. African art is therefore an important part of the cultural heritage of Africa and shows us how closely interwoven art, culture and spirituality can be.

Materials and techniques in African art: from wood to metal

In African art there are a variety of materials and techniques used to create breathtaking works of art.

One of the most common techniques is the carving of wooden sculptures , which are often decorated with complex patterns and symbols. Metal also often used in African art, especially for jewelry or weapons.

Other materials such as sound, leather and fabrics are also used to produce artistic figures, masks and textiles. The choice of material often depends on the purpose of the work of art, but also on the availability and tradition in the respective region.

It is fascinating to see how these different materials and techniques are used in African art to create unique works that have a deep meaning and history.

Famous artists and their works

In the world of African art there are a large number of talented artists who impress with their works. Some of them have managed to become internationally known and are considered important representatives of their art form.

These include, for example, El Anatsui from Ghana, whose monumental wall carpets made of recycled material are considered worldwide, or William Kentridge from South Africa, whose drawings and animated films take up political topics.

But older artists such as Ben Enwonwu from Nigeria, who was the first African artist to be international recognition in the 1950s, are still important today. His sculpture "Tutu" is considered one of the most famous works of art in Africa and was recently auctioned for a record price of over one million pounds.

The works of these and other African artists show the diversity and beauty of the African art scene and deserve to be discovered.

A selection of African art as well as African culture and nature inspired art from our online gallery:

African garden sculpture "hippopotamus", metal in rust optics

African wall object "The Mandrill" by Umasqu, handmade and paint

Digital portrait "Young Frida" (2024) by Jalita de Waal

Wall object "Owl Mask Black and Gold" by Lladró, African mask made of porcelain

“Strength and Conviction” (2023) by Nana Artamonova, oil on canvas

Abstract mosaic "Kissing Elephants" by Ukata Arua, limited reproduction on canvas

Pop Art "Bold" (2024) by Jalita de Waal, digital art on canvas

Garden sculpture / Wassers spier "Elefant", cast in bronze and finely patinated

African wall object "Chili Mask #P4" by Umasqu, handmade and paint

Wall object "Mandrill Mask Black and Gold" by Lladró, African mask made of porcelain

African mask “Modern African Mask #14”, handmade wall object from Umasqu

Pop Art Spray Paint "Keyah" (2020) by Valérian Lenud (Mexico)

Wall object "Tiger Mask Black and Gold" by Lladró, African mask made of porcelain

“Acoco” (2023) by Nana Artamonova, oil on canvas

“In the Arms of Warmth” (2023) by Nana Artamonova, oil on canvas

Semi-abstract animal sculpture “Elefant” by Sime, version in gray bronze

Bronze sculpture "Pard, standing", multicolored patina

African decorative object “Chilli Doll #4” by Umasqu, handmade

African mask “Modern African Mask #1”, handmade wall object from Umasqu

African wall object "The Monkey #1" by Umasqu, handmade and paint

Urban Art Spray Paint "The Weight Upon Them" (2022) by Valérian Lenud (Mexico)

Large -format oil painting "Toubou" (2022) by Reneta Isin

Semi-abstract animal sculpture “Elefant” by Sime, Art Marble

Garden sculpture "Mother Earth Dancing" by Beth Newman Maguire, unique in bronze

Semi-abstract bronze sculpture "Little Lion" by Sime

African art in the context of the global art scene

How the perception of African art has changed in recent years

In recent years, the perception of African art has changed significantly in the global art scene. While it was often "exotic" or "primitive" , it is increasingly recognized today as an independent and important part of the art world.

This mirrors also resembles the prices that are achieved auctions More and more museums and galleries are also devoting themselves to the topic and exhibiting African artists. These developments also strengthen awareness of the cultural diversity of the African continent and reduce possible stereotypicals.

Nevertheless, there is still a lot to do to achieve an equal presence of African art in the global art scene.

Challenges in preserving and spreading African art

How can you get the cultural treasures?

The preservation and distribution of African art is a special challenge. Many works of art have arisen over centuries and have a deeply rooted cultural meaning.

In order to receive these treasures, careful care and maintenance is required. But the spread of these works of art is also of great importance to preserve the cultural heritage of Africa and make it accessible to a broad audience.

It is important to master the balancing act between the preservation of originality and the mediation of the cultural heritage. Modern technologies such as digital archives an important role in making works of art accessible to future generations.

sensitive approach is also required in order not to falsify or disregard the cultural importance of the works of art. The preservation and distribution of African art thus requires a high degree of responsibility and sensitivity to the cultural importance of these treasures.

Why it is worth dealing with the fascinating world of African art

In conclusion, it can be said that it is definitely worthwhile to deal with the fascinating world of African art. The diversity and uniqueness of this art form is impressive and offers a rich source of inspiration and knowledge.

Through the study of African art, we can not only expand our cultural education, but also gain a deeper understanding of the history and culture of the continent. In addition, dealing with African art can help us improve our own artistic skills and to gain new perspectives born.

Whether as a collector, artist or simply as interested parties - dealing with African art is an enriching experience that can be recommended to everyone.

Joachim Rodriguez y Romero

Owner and managing director of Kunstplaza . Publicist, editor and passionate blogger in the field of art, design and creativity since 2011. Successful conclusion in web design as part of a university degree (2008). Further development of creativity techniques through courses in free drawing, expression painting and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market through many years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with actors/institutions from art and culture.

www. kunstplaza .de/