Result of the research : 'fetishes'
The Authenticity of African Sculptures
by Henri Kamer
The issue of authenticity of African art has been central to collectors for decades. Henri Kamer, who was president of the International Arts Experts Association at the time, published an outstanding account of the state of the matter in Artes d'Afrique Noire, No. 12 (1974). The text that follows is extracted from an English translation of that article, and has been edited further. The original includes a number of illustrations. They are not included here because I believe the text suffices without them.
The original version, including the illustrations, in French and with the English translation, is
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African Art on the Internet
15th Triennial Symposium on African Art, Arts Council of the African Studies Association, 2011, Wednesday, March 23 - Saturday, March 26, 2011, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
http://www.acasaonline.org/conf_next.htm
Addis Art - Ethiopian Art and Artists Page
Contemporary Ethiopian art and artists - paintings, sculptures and digital art work by students and professionals from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. University instructor, Getahun Assefa's paintings, drawings, sculpture, digital art. Also work by his brother, Tesfaye Assefa. Based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. [KF] http://www.addisart.com/
Addis Art - Nouveau Art from Ethiopia
Artists include Shiferaw Girma and Lulseged Retta. Photographs of each artist's work, a biography, and video. Founded by Mesai Haileleul. [KF] http://www.addis-art.com/
Adire African Textiles - Duncan Clarke
History, background, and photographs of adire, adinkra, kente, bogolan, Yoruba aso-oke, akwete, ewe, kuba, and nupe textiles. The symbolism of images is often provided. One can purchase textiles as well. Clarke's Ph.D. dissertation (School of Oriental and African Studies) is on Yoruba men's weaving. See also the Adire African Textiles blog. Based in London. http://www.adireafricantextiles.com/
Afewerk Tekle
"Ethiopia’s leading artist." Biography, his paintings, sculptures, mosaics, murals, art in the artist's home. Afewerk created the stained-glass windows at the entrance of Africa Hall, headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. "In 1964, he became the first winner of the Haile Selassie I prize for Fine Arts." "In 2000, he was one of the few chosen World Laureates by the council of the ABI on the occasion of the 27th
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Tribal Art - Jean-Baptiste BacquaSee the continuation... ]
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Kongo Nail Fetishes from the Chiloango River Area
By Ezio Bassani
Originally published in African Arts - April 1977, Volume X, Number 3
In the nineteenth century, ethnologists who collected and catalogued objects of art from Africa were not concerned with
discovering the names of the artists or even their ethnic identities; usually, broad indications of geographic origins, such as
"the Lower Congo," "the region of the White Nile," or the "River Uelle" were deemed sufficient identification. In addition,
because these objects were regarded merely as documents of a mode of life inferior to that of Western societies, no effort
was made to categorize them stylistically. Although during the first ten years of this century, French and German artists
revealed the artistic independence and importance of African sculpture, scholars persisted in considering the works of
African carvers as popular,
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"Art plays an essential role in the lives of the African people and their communities. It serves a much more vital purpose than merely to beautify the human environment, as art is usually employed in contemporary Western societies.
The beauty of African art is simply an element of its function, for these objects would not be effective if they were not aesthetically pleasing. Its beauty and its content thus combine to make art the vehicle that ensures the survival of traditions, protects the community and the individual, and tells much of the person or persons who use it."
Tribal Art is rapidly growing in popularity. An even broader audience has been able to enjoy ‘Tribal Art’ thanks to major exhibitions in recent years in London, Paris, Berlin, Munich and Düsseldorf.
At the start of the 20th century, however, Tribal Art was already arousing great excitement among artists and art collectors. At a time when “Negro Art” was still looked upon as the innocent product of primitive peoples, cubists such as Picasso, Braque or Gris were already drawing inspiration from the strikingly new qualities of form; expressionists such as Kirchner, Nolde or Schmidt-Rottluff were captivated by the elementary power of this native art and Gauguin was painting scenes from his travels to countries of the South Pacific. Non-European art greatly influenced the work of these great artists as it continues to influence modern art of the present day.
Over the course of the decades, great art lovers such as von der Heydt (Rietberg Museum, Zurich) or Mueller (Barbier-Mueller Museum, Geneva) have established significant art collections, which alongside the “colonial legacy” provide the mainstay of the museums’ inventories all over the world. Today it is artists and art enthusiasts such as Baselitz, Arman or Fritz
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Linguistically, the Songye form part of the Luba, world, itself part of the Bantu group. Indeed there is a century old inter relation between the Songye and Luba, and they therefore share many cultural traits. Some art forms are part of this, shared heritage, according to the oral tradition the founding chieftains of the first luba kingdom, were of songye origins, and it is the Songye who introduced the idea of social stratification to the Luba and consequently the first luba chieftains are said to be of Songye Ancestry.
ENVIRONMENT
The Songye used to live in a forest environment till the end of the first half of the second millennium. Slowly their habitat became more savannah-like. We can still find traces of this former forest habitat in some of the art they produce. For example the costume worn with the Kifwebe mask must be entirely made from products originating in the forest from such as bark, pelts fibers etc. Today the Songye mainly live in the savannah but pockets of forest remain in their territory.
The Songye occupy a very large area in the north of the southeastern quadrant of the republic democratic of Congo.
Due to the vastness of the songye territory, it is obvious that regional stylistic, iconic and typological, exist in the ritual art produced. Some of these are the result of cross influences with their immediate neighbors.
NEIGHBORS
To the North of the Songye territory, live the Sungu, Tetela, the western Kusu. In the northwest we will find a few luba chiefdoms. To the west the Luntu, Luba – kassaï Kete and Binji peoples resides; one can even find pockets of Chokwe people in the southwest of Songye territory. To the south of the Songye we find a variety of luba speacking, polities, the same is true, for eastern frontier where in addition to the eastern kusu, we find Luba, Hemba, Kunda, Lumbu and Buyu people. Judging from their
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This is a copy of the catalogue of the exhibition of 1923 in Brooklyn Museum, In 1903 Stewart Culin became the founding curator of the department of ethnology at the museum of the Brooklyn institute of arts and sciences, now the Brooklyn museum Culin a self taught ethnologist built the foundation of four curatorial collections for the museum, acquiring objects representing African Asian native American and estaern European culture Culin was among the first curator to recognize museum installation as an art form, he was also among the first to display ethnological as art objects, not as ethnographic specimens. This approach is evidenced in his exhibition “primitive negro art” The exhibition opened in april 1923 and displayed African objects he had acquired in Europe from dealers. Along with his colleagues Culin set the parameters for cultural representation in museum through his collection decisions and innovative installations.
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This is a copy of the catalogue of the exhibition of 1923 in Brooklyn Museum, In 1903 Stewart Culin became the founding curator of the department of ethnology at the museum of the Brooklyn institute of arts and sciences, now the Brooklyn museum Culin a self taught ethnologist built the foundation of four curatorial collections for the museum, acquiring objects representing African Asian native American and estaern European culture Culin was among the first curator to recognize museum installation as an art form, he was also among the first to display ethnological as art objects, not as ethnographic specimens. This approach is evidenced in his exhibition “primitive negro art” The exhibition opened in april 1923 and displayed African objects he had acquired in Europe from dealers. Along with his colleagues Culin set the parameters for cultural representation in museum through his collection decisions and innovative installations. See the continuation... ]
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The works are presented in a geographical journey of productions ranging from West to East, both from Gabon to Congo:
* The Fang peoples and related
* The Kwele
* The Mbede-Kota
* The Tsogho, Galwa, Aduma, Vuvi and Teke (Tsaayi)
* The Ngbaka, and Ngbandi Ngombe
* The Mbole, Yela, Metoko, Komo, Jong, Lengola and Kela
* The Lega and Bembe
THE FANG:
THE KWELE: they live on the northern border of the Republic of Congo, and have used a type of mask called Ekuk, they are flat masks, which have incised eyes, often a white face in a heart-shaped nose triangle-shaped eyes and coffee bean. these masks were hung in homes rarely worn during ceremonies, initiation Bwetes worship, their function was to conduct a village to enable forces are beneficial Bwetes capita.
THE KOTA: Living in the eastern part of Gabon, on the border with the Republic of Congo, Kota, include a number of tribes, such as Mahongwe the Sango, the Obamba, and Shamay, who practice the same rituals and shared cultural traits. They probably migrated southward during the 18th, and now live in the valley of the river, Ogonoué in a forest environment. from their economic resources, sutout hunting and agriculture. Kota the past, had the habit of leaving their dead exposed to the elements in the forest. Under the influence of neighboring tribes, they began to bury their cefs and keep their bones (mainly the skull) to place them with
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STRENGTH AND MEASUREMENT
The discovery of "primitive art": an art of strength
Shapes and shape functions
Deities and ancestors
The living wood
Force and Measurement
Develop an aesthetic of black Africa is seen as a risky business in many ways. Is it legitimate to isolate these objects, that today we call art, the general framework of their relations and their cultural constraints? Can we submit to a test that has never existed in the minds of their creators? And can we finally see in this art - if we 'take on this term - a uniform phenomenon, despite the wide variety of both regional and local styles we offer this huge continent, following lengthy Historical developments often poorly understood? Finally, remember that this approach excludes large regions, including Africa white, that is to say the Mediterranean area with its ancient history, the eastern and southern Africa whose pastoral peoples have given rise to cultures almost without images, and finally these hunting societies, which, even in our time have not passed the stage of evolution of prehistoric rock paintings which are the main evidence of an artistic production that appears at various points the continent. Similarly, we must exclude from our contribution to the aesthetics of black African art the old feudal societies, including Benin. Our discussion is therefore limited to large areas farmers, the true cradle of
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Primitive arts: political nomenclature or singular art?
Eugene Berg
Diplomat, former ambassador to Namibia, Botswana and Fiji. Author of 'Non-alignment and
New World Order '(PUF, 1980),' The International Politics since 1955 '(Economica, 1990) and' Chronology
internati''o''nale: 1945-1997 '(PUF, "Que sais-je?", 4th ed, 1997). Works since No. 19-20 to review work
made in the journal 'The Banquet'.
The inauguration of the Musée du Quai Branly, just as the opening
second France-Oceania summit, was a highlight of the cultural
quinquennium of Jacques Chirac. He will no doubt what would have been the Centre
Beaubourg Georges Pompidou, Musée d'Orsay for Valery Giscard
d'Estaing and Francois Mitterand National Library for. Expresses this
place that has done since its opening subject to real and sustained enthusiasm
People and challenges no less significant part of the community
scientific and museum? As written immediately Berenice
Geoffroy-Schneiter, this is "no accident that our west in search of
Spirituality landmarks and turns to these desperate travelers
the invisible. "
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At a glance the Other
History of European eyes on Africa, America and Oceania
At a glance, and one devoted to successive visions brought by Europeans on the cultures of Africa, the Americas and Oceania. This program is a pretext to put into perspective by thematic series, the relativity of our eyes on the threshold of a new museum. Rather than return to the past, this catalog (and exhibition which is the source) marks a starting point.
From the Renaissance to today, the "idols of the Indians", "instruments of the natives," "primitive fetishes," "Negro Sculpture" or "first arts" were the witnesses of likes and dislikes, revealing reflections on otherness. The originality of this publication reflects historical depth that allows to include these objects in a broader history of art.
The Musée du Quai Branly appealed not only to works of other cultures, reflecting the first contacts with Europe, but also to European works within the midst of which they were placed. The catalog shows as well, in a strange series of chapters, how European eyes have gradually allowed other creations from, for example, curiosity amazed rankings systematic evolutionary wanderings of the images of the Universal.
Throughout the pages, the reader travels with the Nave of Charles V., Écouen treasure museum, portraits of Indians of Brazil painted in 1637 for the palace of the Prince of Nassau, rhinoceros horn cups Habsburg Pre-Columbian
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Tangle of ropes, accumulation of disparate elements, small heaps unspeakable, are the objects of divination in Africa in this book. These figures of the formless, sometimes perceived as loathsome and strange, are much more familiar we suppose at first, and do not speak of anything but life and countless son's existence, which continue to establish and discard. It is not that of any tribute to Africa and mysterious fetish, but to honor human creativity and variety of forms it knows borrow.
Exposure. Musée du Quai Branly (2009) Recipes of the Gods: the fetish aesthetic Actes Sud € 19.90
Group under the leadership of Jacques Kerchache African Art & Citadels Mazenod € 199.00
Faik-Nzuji, Clementine M. African Arts: signs and symbols boeck From € 42.00
Collective Imprints of Africa: African Art, Modern Art Workshop € 9.91
Basson, Mbog Aesthetics of African Art: The Symbolic and complexity Harmattan € 21.00
Diagne, Souleymane Bachir Leopold Sedar Senghor, African art as philosophy: an essay Riveneuve € 15.00
Exposure. Afrikamuseum (2007-2008) Ubangi, art and culture in the heart of South Africa Acts € 99.95
Alain Lecomte art, magic and medicine in Black Africa Gallery Alain Lecomte € 35.00
Exposure. Dapper Foundation (2007-2008) Musée Dapper Pet € 45.00
Exposure.
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A little history ...
In 1981, during the opening of the gallery Amber, that arises the idea of gathering around the opening five to six colleagues antique arts primary and thus offer the public the first "Open House on non-European art "at the Sablon.
The project is successful, the key to success ... The idea was encrusted to the point of other galleries, Belgian and foreign.
In 1988, a pamphlet modest rally materializes this antique constantly growing, and three years later, the first edition of a catalog reflects the success of this consortium of antique dealers mobilized to the same object: to promote the exceptional richness of the arts which they are the first ambassadors.
Since 1996, antique Brussels even invited into their local foreign colleagues. Today, galleries French, Italian, Spanish, English, Dutch and American joined the event, giving an international dimension.
The Brussels Non European Art Fair has become one of the most important manifestations of non-European art, covering sectors as diverse as African art, Oceanic art, Indonesian art, pre-Columbian art or the Asian art and the art of Australian Aborigines.
Sculptures, masks, fetishes, guns, jewelry, coins, textiles, traditional objects carried by people for their use, wood, metal, gold, silver, bronze, ivory and terra cotta, the exhibits are ritual or domestic alliance shape and ornament.
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Even presented beyond their ethnographic context, the female representations produced by African artists remain strong, both aesthetic choices remain compelling. The Eye Gallery and the Main has a selection of works whose wife is the central subject: maternity, reliquaries, dolls, locks, seats, fetishes, puppets, masks ... all traditional works produced for different purposes, often very utilitarian and share the lack of realism. Yet, the authority that comes from a Dogon figure, is the opposite of the impression that emanates submission in general models of feminine beauty, like the masks of pwo Tchokwe, which are worn by men, but also for the elaborate hairstyles of Mende, who are nevertheless confined exclusively female company. It can be found most touching a small doll of a woman Mossi biga fertility has focused on her and treated as his own child. It is just a simple piece of wood without arms or legs whose femininity is limited to a few signs - hair, eyes, breasts, ports - but just how easy and how success in abstraction.
"FEMINAFRICA" of Wednesday, May 17 to Friday, June 30, 2006.
African Art / African Art / primitive art / primitive art / primitive arts / art gallery / art Tribal / Tribal Art / Africa / Africa / eye and hand / first art gallery / buy / sell / expertise / expert / exposure / exhibition / collection / collectors / Paris / work / Verneuil / antiques / antique / museum / museum / mask / mask / statue / sculpture / Agalom / Armand Auxiètre / www.african-paris.com /
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