From Songye artefact to Modernist Art (Art no4) by sandra46
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Description
In this collage I put together the same artefact, the central piece from an African ceremonial shied made by the Songye, to explore how a piece usually considered an item of 'anthropological interest' , once de-contextualized and re-interpreted through Western eyes, may become a 'real' work of art to be exposed in a Fine Arts' Museum as in the photo-manipulation I made on the right in a modernist style. The shield was bought by an Italian collector from Padova, a friend of anthropologist David Rockefeller's and artist Henry Moore's. It's preserved at The Museum of Regards (Museo degli sguardi) at Covignano, Rimini, Italy.
Throughout the history of art, African art has inspired artists working in various styles and media. The most evident examples of Africa's impact on fine art relate to modern art in Europe and America. African art forms inspired the work of many modern masters, from Pablo Picasso to Henri Matisse, among the others. These artists looked to Africa for solutions to formal and aesthetic problems. As Picasso addressed geometry and form, Henri Matisse drew upon African art to unite bold color and ceremonial patterns. While the pioneers of early 20th century European modernism connected African art to painting, sculptors across the Atlantic surveyed the history of Africa's carvings. All these artists, as well as museum curators and gallery owners,however, hadn't the least interest in the African peoples from whom they looted ideas. As a matter of fact, it was an act of artistic appropriation which, by de-contextualizing the object and concealing how the object had been appropriated (in this case the shield comes from the very Heart of Darkness of former Belgian Congo)it was also an act of colonialism.
The Songye people are a tribal group based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire). There are around 150,000 Songye divided into sub-groupings that are under the governorship of a central chief known as the Yakitenge. Their economy is based upon agriculture and pastoralism.
The artistic wares of the Songye were traded extensively with their neighbors, since they were recognized as superior craftsmen. Large-scale and important pieces are still created for use by members of the Bwadi Bwa secret society; these include masks known as kifwebe, with highly distinctive faces covered in curvilinear decorations. The image shows a wooden shield that sports a male kifwebe mask (with black and red colors added to white, female masks are mostly white)at the centre.
Thank you for your kind comments.
Comments (40)
durleybeachbum
Most interesting piece of work and a great reminder of how those artists minds worked.
Faemike55
Wonderful image and great description of the peoples who created it! thanks
Richardphotos
outstanding art and your capture is superb
tennesseecowgirl
Nice work~~
claude19
Thank you for all this information and pictorial history, which gives me a better understanding non-originality of some side tables, which are only memories of past African visions. Do not know if it really is Art Brut, but me reconcile your data with a few artists like Picasso and Miro. Do some Calder are just dumps of African symbols? SPLENDID photographies !
renecyberdoc
great work and thanks for the little info about the tribe.
jmb007
superbe travail!!
lyron
Fantastic information and work!!
jayfar
Great work and info.
flora-crassella
this is fantastic, Sandra!!!!!!
mgtcs
WOW....Fantastic capture my dear and gorgeous information, thank you for sharing!
Madbat
These cultural pieces are every bit as worthy to be called art as any other piece.
beatoangelico
FANTASTIC THE CAPTURE AND BEAUTIFUL WORK MY FRIEND..!!!
bazza
Nice capture and collage Sandra, well done!!
M2A
Very informative and interesting.
brycek
Fantastic collage..well done!!
mariogiannecchini
Un bel lavoro quello che hai fatto ! Interessanti spiegazioni , come sempre ! Il caldo e' massacrante anche qui .Da non credere Sandra : oggi ,mentre ero sulla strada a Santa Luce per fotografare le piane , mi si e' avvicinata una farfalla Podalirius , mi si e' posata sul fiore davanti a un paio di metri, e' stata solo il tempo di due scatti e non l'ho piu' vista ( col 300mm ). Buonanotte
jeroni
Excellent shot, fantastic colors and details
MOSKETON
ME ENCANTA.
Minda
superb work and Great info sandra..
magnus073
Wonderful work on this one Sandra, it really was fascinating to read about their impact on fine art
jocko500
very lovely
wysiwig
Genesis 9:22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. Genesis 9:24-25 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers." Canaan’s skin was dark and so Europeans used these passages as justification for their enslavement of Africans. Africans had no culture, no art that required respect. As slaves they were little better than animals. If the White Man wanted something they could just take it, including the land. Many of Africa’s problems date back to the colonial era. Thank you Sandra for showing us an example of fine African art and giving us a history lesson as well.
carlx
Looks wonderful!!!
Miska7
Really nice work and information! Very well done.
BessieB
Great work and valuable information
Marinette
...anche questa è molto interessante,anche se non amo molto l'arte afriana. M'inquieta! ;) Ciao Sandra, alla prossima! 5*:)
MagikUnicorn
MAGNIFIQUE
rbowen
Very nice work!
Hendesse
Excellent and interesting collage of this fantastic artwork!