My African Canvas - MAC

18/03/2021

Africa's Finest!

Using Onyeka Onwenu's "One Love", Deborah Prest preaches love and unity on today's .©️2021. Clout NigeriaSubscribe to our channel to stay updated...

28/04/2013

To all our followers we are working on some new and exciting developments and will keep you posted. Thanks for your patience.

14/03/2013

There are 5 elements of African art that are used to describe the aesthetics. Yet African art is so simple and complex at the same time that the elements can't capture its real meaning and purpose. But people need a way to classify and define art and so have narrowed the basic elements of African art to the following:

1. Resemblance to a human figure for purpose of conveying ideas.
2. Luminosity representing shiny and unflawed skin.
3. Youthfulness representing vitality and fertility.
4. Reserved demeanor representing a person in control.
5. Balance and proportion through material choices.

11/03/2013

African Folk Art and Basic Household Functionality and beauty come together when creating even the basic utilitarian objects. Among the most common everyday items that are finely designed and decorated include: furniture; handmade pottery and baskets of different sizes, shapes and uses; eating utensils; and dishes

08/03/2013

Pencil drawing.....Amazing!

08/03/2013

African Art and Personal Adornment

Naturally, people beautify themselves in ways which commonly involve hairstyles, jewelry and clothing.

The different African tribal cultures establish some typical statement of beauty or indication of people's age, rank in the tribal political hierarchy, social status or affiliation in an exclusive ethnic group. These may be made evident through body adornments like scars; tattoos; body paint; reshaping of earlobes, lips or necks; and other accessories like staff, crowns or other headgear, and weapons.

07/03/2013

African folk art illustrates the traditions, political systems and spirituality of tribal villages through crafts created by people without any formal academic training. These skilled native craftsmen incorporate fine art even with the most primitive conditions that they are set in. Each culture creates its very own, distinct folk art depending on the materials available, and the intention of creating such objects.

06/03/2013

Sudanese art is representative of the art and culture of nearly 600 tribes that inhabit the great continent, and is as extreme and varied as its geography of lush tropical forests to sandy deserts.
Throughout the colorful African history, many empires have risen and fallen. These empires and other smaller ethnic groups have caused this type of art to flourish.

Though the earliest known civilization in this part of Africa was Ghana, it was the empire of Mali that contributed more to the art of the Sudan. The legendary magician, Sundjata, who had introduced cultivation and weaving of cotton into the region, historically founded the empire. An empire of vast territorial dominance, it comprises of smaller cultures that illustrate a distinct form of art.

The Bambara people are known for their carved antelope headdresses known as the Chi Wara. This type of art is made out of wood, crafted into an abstracted antelope form with its horns, and is adorned with twine and metal. The figure symbolizes the mythical creature, who is half antelope and half man, and who taught the Bambara people how to till the soil. Its ceremonial purposes range from asking the gods to bless the land for cultivation, celebrate bountiful harvest to investment of power in a king.

01/03/2013

What does Central African art represent ?
Central African art reflects the dominance of ancient powerful kingdoms and other forms of government that took over this part of the lands. The reinforcement of tribal leadership and ex*****on of important ritual, ceremonial and spiritual functions would not have been as vibrant without objects of Central African art.

Mukanda Masks
Stretching from the northern Angola, to northern Zambia and the southern DRC, are many groups that share a Central African art—the mukanda masks. In contrasts to most masks, these are crafted out of bark, extended over a set of sticks used as frame and coated with resin. This type of Central African art is made in great assortment and is primarily used during initiation rites of young boys into manhood.

28/02/2013

East African art is a reflection of the various
communities in the region.From the Mozambique in the south, through Sudan in the north, stretching over the island nation of Madagascar, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia, Kenya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Djibouti, objects of East African art flourish.

Art from East Africa is a reflection of the various communities dotting the region, and the diverse cultures and traditions that each holds. The ancient trade between the tribes situated at the eastern African coast and the Arabs brought forth strong foreign influences that made East African art more distinct.



A common East African art that most tribes in this region share is their elaborate and beautifully patterned beadwork. Colorful beads are vital components in the body adornment of the Masai, Turkana and other Eastern ethnic groups. These vibrantly hued materials are created into accessories, jewelries or used asornaments embroidered into their exotic clothing, and even tediously incorporated intocomplex hairstyles. The different styles and designs of this East African art symbolize differences in age, gender and social status between tribal members, feats in war for men and marital status and number of children for women.

27/02/2013

South African art is a stunning example of primitive peoples creating exceptional paintings and engravings depicting an inexplicable world. Like all African art, the aesthetic value of the pieces is where the true value lies.

The earliest form of art from this region are the rock paintings and engravings discovered in the eastern region. It's believed these stone pictures were used during religious or healing rituals. Other impressive art includes painted ostrich eggshells and stone ruins.
Amazingly, terracotta heads were found that date back to the 6th through 8th century A.D. The absolute purpose of these heads remains a mystery, but they clearly indicate the ceremonial aspect of some African art. Unlike traditional sculptures which can be destroyed by insects and decay, the terracotta heads survived because the famous African termites only eat wood.

South Africa, as most people know, experienced a colonial era that was followed by apartheid. The colonial invasion and apartheid had a profound influence on art from this region beginning in the 1800s. The traditional African art which was rooted in African aesthetics combined with European realism to form unique pieces admired around the world.

For many years, art from this region remained unrecognized as a serious individualistic genre, because it was too close to traditional European art. Over time though, colonial artists began to create paintings and sculptures that were clearly African based. The early colonial African artists were Thomas Baines, Jan Volschenk and Anton Van Wouw.

There is no one description that fits South African art. It is as primitive as the stone paintings and as complex as expressionism. During apartheid, the art expanded to include all forms of art ranging from traditional to abstract. Later artists include JH Pierneef, Maud Sumner and Jean Welz to name a few.

It's interesting to note that European residents in the region began to find traditional art to be somewhat stifling. The African continent is a diverse landscape of regions, peoples and ideas. It only makes sense that artists would want to encompass that that sense of vastness and diversity in their art through experimentation.
South African art cannot be defined by a single art style or form. It's reflective of a complicated and varied history that embraces both Africa and Europe. The art represents a collective memory and includes paintings, sculptures, resistance art, European art and many other kinds of art. It also shows the cultural beliefs and values of the people.

26/02/2013

West African Art creators spend most of their lives perfecting skills that are passed down from one generation to another.

Sophisticated West African Art is an exotic concoction of traditional customs and modern influences. From the Atlantic coasts of Senegal to Cameron and further inland to the Savanna, each society contributes its own interpretations and representations of art to create some interesting parallels.

One of the many things that make art from this region enchanting is their association with magic and witchcraft. Most things that are crafted are essentially meant for magical practices or symbolizes this powerful belief. Art work was created to decorate shrines, to control supernatural forces, for divination, and to celebrate an abundant harvest and other events within the tribe.

West African Art included ceramics and metalworking that date back as early as two thousand years ago. Tools made from iron enabled ancient people to efficiently till the soil, harvest crops, and clear forests faster. The creation of these tools have been a major contributor to the blossom of agricultural communities.

From clay pottery , that led to the production of cooking and storage vessels, evolved ceramic West African Art. The earliest known models of ornamental sculpture, that dates back from approximately 500 B.C. To 200 A.D. are the ceramic sculptures of the Nok Culture of Nigeria.

Iron tools have also simplified and furthered wood carving and sculpture. Among the first themes or scenes that have been captured in this art medium include: the series of chiefs and powerful kingdoms of the grasslands in Cameroon, the lavishly diverse artistic traditions of the Yoruba of Nigeria and the royal arts of the Akan people of Ghana. Within the tenth century, the practice of casting metal sculpture, in different compositions of copper alloys, started in the eastern area of Nigeria, known as the Igbo-Ukwu. This innovation was soon introduced and flourished in Benin.

The art of the various geographical regions were largely dictated by the natural resources that flourish within their territories. Having a huge amount of gold and bronze readily accessible, the major ethnic group of Ashanti, in Ghana abounds with artistry of these material. The Baule people are famous for their figurines sculpted from dark wood from the Ivory Coast, with heads made from terracotta.

The Western colonization, in the 19th and 20th centuries, have brought forth the commercialization and the trade of traditional African Art. This also led to the development of colleges that have exposed African artists to the designs of the west which they are slowly incorporating in their works. However, even with the influences of the European colonizers, this type of art still thrives and the tribes have retained and continue to live the rich tradition and culture they have inherited from their ancestors.