1/6/2024 0 Comments Africa shape collageIn a conversation with collage specialist Pavel Zoubok, we reflected on the common misconceptions that have been following collage art around for a long time.įor one, collage is often considered as intimate, scaled work. Contemporary collage artists continue to work with the medium in ways that offer us new notions of what it can be and how it reflects on the world around us. Since then, collage artists from countless different movements, from Surrealism to Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, have been exploring the technique. Cutting, ripping, pasting, overlaying different textures and materials, the two artists started examining and dissecting objects and life in a radically new way. Stillness, frontality, and expressionlessness are all elements that embody the ideals of dignity and permanence.The first examples of collage art were made over 100 years ago, when Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso, at the height of their artistic exchanges, burst into completely new territory with their avant-garde papiers collés. Since any movement implies work, African artists prefer to showcase a still figure therefore implying the qualities of elevated being. If a head of a figure is turned or tilted, it usually means that the person is a child or a person of lower status (for example, a member of an entourage).įavoring the ideal of stillness, African artists rarely portray people in action. Frontal portrayal symbolizes the formal status of a figure. When looking at African figures, you will notice that the spine and head are aligned and the position of the head is turned to the front and not tilted or turned. That’s why human subjects in African paintings and sculptures usually have a restrained expression lacking smiles or signs of frowning.Īnother way to evoke a high position within society is by depicting the individual frontally, without lateral movement. The ideal human representation is one of serenity, untainted by emotions. ![]() ![]() It is believed that those who are composed behave rationally and proudly. The ideal of self-composure is also prominent in African art. ![]() When it comes to full body representation of women, the ideas of large breasts or swollen belly are common as they highlight the fertility and the female role as nurturers. This is particularly visible in the representations of female beauty where instead of naturalistic figurative representations, African artists usually choose to highlight the concept of beauty dominant in their culture (by portraying, for example, small mouths, braided hair or, ringed neck). Quite the opposite, it is an artist conscious choice used to convey the message. A large head signifies an intelligent and wise person, which is why it is often used in depictions of kings and tribal leaders.Īfrican abstraction doesn’t derivate from the requirements of the medium or lack of the artist’s skills. For example, oversized heads on human figures are a common feature in African Art. Being deeply metaphorical, African art emanates deeper meanings and lessons that go far beyond the ideas of beauty and pure aesthetical appeal. Since most traditional African artworks have ethical or religious subtract, these abstract animal and human figures, often present various ideas such as spirits, mythical gods, their powers, moral values, superstitions, etc. Instead of depicting animals and humans realistically, African artists distort, reshape, and creatively interpret their figures. The African proclivity towards abstraction has its roots in the need of the artist to express an idea, rather than simply portray a subject. Most traditional African artworks are abstract. Visual abstraction is one of the most prominent characteristics of African art.
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