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mardi 12 janvier 2016

An Overview Of African Sculptures

By Jerry Graham


Africa has a diverse culture due to the existence of various language speaking groups together in the 56 nations. Each nation has its own separate identifiable cultural value. The need to store such kind of information for future generations lead to developments of African Sculptures. They are used to store information of the various ritual functions. Made by talented individuals with sufficient knowledge about the cultures, they paint a clear picture of the culture in Africa.

There are several types of these sculptures. They could either be in mask form, figures or other forms of art. They are made from several raw materials such as bronze, brass, stones, wood and porcelain materials among others. These items usually take the human form and activities. Activities reflected include hunting, family scenes and a variety of activities which were common in the African customs.

As said earlier, the different type of cultures had their own way of representing their interests. This was partly due to the location of the various groups. Different groups would, therefore, represent their own culture in specific ways. With this, the African continent was subdivided to four different regions. The main cultures and activities of the regions are represented artistically.

To begin with is West Africa. Their artistic representation of the human form took the shape of an elongated, angular and serene faced individuals. They mainly used woods to carve their products. Religious rituals are the main theme of their carvings. East Africa is the second region. Though it has less known sculptures, their arts are unique. Their statues are in pole form of human beings or other commonly known objects.

Carvings can be used in ceremonies and rituals that are related to the death or funeral of a person. Communities in Kenya like the Maasai still practice this kind of rituals that use carvings. In classification the central regions fall third. They have dotted patterns that are shaped into shapes that resemble hearts and are mostly carved out of metals, ivory, bone and stones.

Lastly is the southern African region. This region is rich in various forms of arts shaped from wood, clay figures and other common materials. Caring of the various forms of figures varies depending on the type of material used to make them. If the statute is made from combinations of various materials, always consider caring for the different material differently.

Wooden materials which are the most commonly used kind of material is taken care of using a damp piece of cloth that is used to dust off the surfaces of the wood. For bronze, a ventilated room or place is required and also it should have a minimum amount of heat and humidity. Considering the fact that terracotta statutes are porous and usually unfinished, they should be cared using a light cloth. Heavy cleaning can be done using paint bushes

Before purchasing any sculpture, there are various factors to put into consideration. With the presence of internet, research on these items has been made easier. Do the research, therefore, consider the price, feedbacks from several people and your own likes towards specific carving.




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