Contemporary African Art

In Africa we don’t see only the antique but we also can see some contemporary art. We can also see that the artists used several of mediums which we can see that they used from the oils to the silk screening. We also can see that the methods varying from brass casting by the ancient which lost wax process to welding tin cans and other metals into the sculpture. Some of the traditionalists like Lamidi Fakeye have produced some sculptures and also wood carving which is based more on the classical African design.  We also can see some large groups that work most on the modern style of the cubism, expressionism and also surrealism while we see other seek a purely personal style. We can also see that the artist lots of them used to be trained in the European and also in the American schools. Although we see then some artist were trained some of them still felt that they can achieve that African expressions only in their native surroundings.

Ben Osawe,

African woman, bronze

Contemporary African Art. 2013. Contemporary African Art. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.archives.gov/research/african-art/.[Accessed 19 May 2013].

African sculpture. 2013. African sculpture. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.contemporary-african-art.com/african-sculpture.html#sthash.ITArc1l9.dpbs.[Accessed 19 May 2013].

African art Interior design/ Décor

We can even see some African art in the interior design which also is seen in textiles. We can see it on the Bakuba cloths which come from the Kuba people in Congo. The African textiles shapes look all great on the sofas, armchairs and also on cushions. You can also vary the material like you can use them as table mats, curtain tiebacks also you can make up bags.

We also can see that there are two forms that are traditionally and also antique African décor also furniture and accessories. The tribal decor was most used in the antique furniture where these were used from the indigenous people of Africa. Nowadays the designers and also homemakers are also being able to mix them up in an electric style which also combines this element into the traditional and also in the modern furnishing and lends itself to stunning dynamic space.

This interior shot opposite uses classic furniture fashioned in a kuba-inspired printed fabric and a dark wooden coffee table displaying a mix of accessories including a contemporary glass bottle holder and a sincere African decorative artifact to provide a certain level of authenticity to the pattern.

A Bakuba lampshade lighting up a female Maasai bronze bust sitting on a carved wooden caryatid stool from the Luba in the Congo.

Using a pair of wooden Marrionette dolls from the Nyamwezi tribe in the Tabora region of Tanzania as curtain tie-backs . Behind the curtains to the left is an original painting of zebras running.

Home Gallery - African Interior Design. 2013. Home Gallery - African Interior Design. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.african-tribal-arts.com/intdesign.htm.[Accessed 16 May 2013].

African decor. 2013. African decor. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.contemporary-african-art.com/african-decor.html#sthash.804sPtA1.dpbs.[Accessed 18 May 2013].

Arts and crafts

The arts and crafts movement was between 1850-1914 which was oriented in Britain during the late ninetieth century. It was also characterized by the style of the medieval times. We also can see that in this movement we can see that the primary artist associated it with William Morris where his work was reinforce but also it was with writings such as John Ruskin. This movement was also placed in the higher importance it is because of the craftsmanship while it was emphasized the importance of the art to contribute the economic reform.

We also can see in this movement that Morris was the founder of these artist, himself Morris, Marshall,Faulker and co which later they evolved into just the Morris and Co. the Morris and Co then they put their publishing division Kelmscott which the work was associated with the arts and crafts . This style is in several types of styles such as in the design including the architecture also in the typography and books, printing and also textiles and interior design. 

Cowper Rose, Sydney, Australia            

Standen House, Designed by Phillip Roth, 1891

William Morris, Tulip and Willow, 1873        

 The Nature of the Gothic, Printed    by William Morris, 1892

Arts & Crafts : Design Is History. 2013. Arts & Crafts : Design Is History. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.designishistory.com/1850/arts--crafts/.[Accessed 18 May 2013].

The Bauhaus

The Bauhaus was a school which was founded by Walter Gropius in Weimar in Germany in the year of the 1919. In this school it was being approached the design and also the combination of the fine arts and also arts and crafts which were major by the major of the influence on the development of the graphic design even in the twentieth century as the modern art. The school was also moved to Dessau in the 1924 but it was forced to close the doors from the Nazi political party in the 1933.

Along with the artist who his name is Gropius and many other artist and also teachers which are Lazlo Moholy-Nagy and Herbert Bayer which made significant contributes on the development of the graphic design. The Bauhaus thought that the typography is a part of the curriculum and also was an instrumental in the development of sans-serif typography. These were the favoured from all the simplified geometric forma and also alternative to the heavily ornate in German standard of the black letter typography. 

The Bauhaus Dessau  

Typography by Herbert Bayer

A stage in the Festsaal 

 The Mensa (dining room) 

 

Mechanically Operated Windows

The Bauhaus : Design Is History. 2013. The Bauhaus : Design Is History. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.designishistory.com/1920/the-bauhaus/.[Accessed 18 May 2013].

The Bauhaus, 1919–1933 | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2013. The Bauhaus, 1919–1933 | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bauh/hd_bauh.htm.[Accessed 18 May 2013].

De stijl

The De stijl was founded in the 1917 from the Dutch. The most artist that were recognized in this movement are Theo van Doesburg, this artist was also a critic and also a writer. We also can see another artist who is Piet Mondrain along with the architect Gerrit Reitveld.

We also can see that they were established through the reduction of the elements and also to the pure geometric forms and also the primary colors. The de stijl name was discussed by the group’s theories which were published by Van Doesburg. The de stijl publication represents the significant works such as the graphic design which was from the movement but we can see that the ideas and the form and colors are all influenced on the development of the graphic design.

 Piet Mondrian, Composition  with Yellow,

 Blue, and Red, 1937-42

 Gerrit Rietveld, Red and Blue Chair, 1917

The Rietveld Schröder House

De Stijl, Number 1, 1917

De Stijl : Design Is History. 2013. De Stijl : Design Is History. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.designishistory.com/1920/de-stijl/.[Accessed 18 May 2013].

Dada

The Dada movement was started in Zurich, Swaziland but also it was spread to these countries as well to France, Germany, Spain and also to the U.S. The Dada movement was started in around 1916 and continues until about the 1920. The artists of this movement were known through the World War I which it was a terrible thing. The Dadaists made also a protest through their art and the war and also the current culture. We also  can see that Raoul Hausmann’s the medical head shows a man who cannot think for himself but the thing is that  he can accepts everything he is told. We can see that he don’t have an expression which he has a wooden head with the tight lips and also eyes. This medical man will not argue and will also not share his opinion. According what the Dadaists said is that if the culture is stripped down it could be rebuilt.

 The Dadaist made a chaos because of the WWI culture by the instance of calling a urinal a fountain and putting it in the display which was shown by Marcel Duchamp. Also the Dadaist artists took the common objects and also created art with all these objects, they also brought out the beauty of the everyday world but they also ignored it. Marcel Duchamp was also poked fun at the masters which was by “reworking” Mona Lisa. The Dadaists also paved away from the other art movements which are as the Surrealism. Also the movements of the Dadaists were also changed with the responsibility of the rebuilding it is because the Dadaists stripped it away.

We also can see that the abstraction and the expressionism were the influence of the Dadaism which was followed by the cubism and also by futurism. 

Raoul Haussmann Mechanical Head, 1920 Wood, leather and aluminum, DADA

Fountain, photograph of sculpture by Marcel Duchamp, 1917

Marcel Duchamp, L.H.O.O.Q., 1919,

Dada - Art History Basics on the Dada Movement - 1916-1923. 2013. Dada - Art History Basics on the Dada Movement - 1916-1923. [ONLINE] Available at: http://arthistory.about.com/cs/arthistory10one/a/dada.htm.[Accessed 18 May 2013].

Art Smarts 4 Kids: Dadaism. 2013. Art Smarts 4 Kids: Dadaism. [ONLINE] Available at: http://artsmarts4kids.blogspot.com/2008/04/dadaism.html.[Accessed 18 May 2013].

ArtLex on Dada. 2013. ArtLex on Dada. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/d/dada.html.[Accessed 18 May 2013].

Alfred Stieglitz - Fountain - photograph of sculpture by Marcel Duchamp - 1917. 2013. Alfred Stieglitz - Fountain - photograph of sculpture by Marcel Duchamp - 1917. [ONLINE] Available at: http://arthistory.about.com/od/dada/ig/DadaatMoMANewYork/dada_newyork_07.htm. [Accessed 18 May 2013].

Printable Flashcard on 20th ART HISTORY FINAL: Free Flash cards. 2013. Printable Flashcard on 20th ART HISTORY FINAL: Free Flash cards. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=20th-art-history-final.[Accessed 18 May 2013].

The rose period of Pablo Picasso

Picasso we can see that  he didn’t  only had the  blue  period  even though  it was the  most  popular  but he also  had the period of the rose period. The rose period is the most period that it is greater art-historical importance. For the first time Picasso developed the stylistic means that it would become the part of his style which this made him the most important artist of the twentieth century. The rose period started during the 1904 this was a year where Picasso changed the style from the blue period where he used the dark  colors which  were  bluish and also downbeat the paintings that  he made  during the  rose period Picasso  used somewhat optimistic in the mood and also brighter colors where he used  a lot the color pink. The 1904 yeas  was  not  the year for the  blue  period and  also  it wasn’t the  year  for the rose  period. 

Garçon à la pipe, (Boy with a Pipe), 1905

Pablo Picasso's Rose Period . 2013. Pablo Picasso's Rose Period . [ONLINE] Available at: http://pablo-picasso.paintings.name/rose-period/.[Accessed 16 May 2013].

File:Garçon à la pipe.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2013. File:Garçon à la pipe.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gar%C3%A7on_%C3%A0_la_pipe.jpg.[Accessed 16 May 2013].

The blue period of Pablo Picasso

The blue period that was stared between the 1900 and the 1904 was of Picasso where he painted some paintings that are monochromatic in the shades of blue and green. In some occasions Picasso uses some warmer colors. some  of Picasso  works  were  inspired  from  Spain  but  they  were painted in Paris and know these paintings are the most popular works. But Picasso had difficulties when he finished these paintings because he couldn’t sell them. Picasso was settled in Paris but he had some difficult years because he was with no fixed studio. Picasso also had the rose period not only the blue period.   

Pablo Picasso, The Old Guitarist (1903), Chicago Art Institute

Pablo Picasso's Blue Period. 2013. Pablo Picasso's Blue Period. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.pablopicasso.org/blue-period.jsp.[Accessed 16 May 2013].

Picasso's Blue Period - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2013. Picasso's Blue Period - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picasso's_Blue_Period.[Accessed 16 May 2013].

About  Pablo Picasso 

Picasso was born in Spain in Malaga in the 1881 by time Picasso became the greatest artist and was the most influential artist of the twentieth century and also the creator which was with Georges Braque of cubism. Picasso was not only a painter as we know him but he was also a sculptor, printmaker, ceramics, and also a stage designer. Picasso died on the 8^th of April 1973 but the place he died is in Mougins in France.  Picasso was devoted a lot in the artistic  work  and  he  continued  working  in  art  till 80 and  91 years.

Pablo Picasso 

Pablo Picasso Biography - Facts, Birthday, Life Story - Biography.com . 2013. Pablo Picasso Biography - Facts, Birthday, Life Story - Biography.com . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/pablo-picasso-9440021. [Accessed 16 May 2013]. 

Cubism

Cubism which is an art movement started in France where then it became as an art movement during the 1907 and 1914. In the cubism art we can see the work of Pablo Picasso and also Georges Braque. Cubism is the most movement that we find in history of art that is modern art and also it is an influential movement. We also  can see  that  in the movement  of  cubism  we don’t see  only painters and sculptors  but we can see as well  musicians and even  poets. We also can  see  that  cubist art is also based  on  abstract art  and  also  on  shapes  such  as  geometric shape  as  in triangles  square and  more. In cubist art we also can see that some  paintings  are based  more  on nudity theme but have some  unique shapes  such as  the face  is  based  more  on  triangular  shape  like  the  sculptures  we see  in African  art. Also the colours in cubist art we see that some colours are solid. 

                                                   Picasso's "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon"           

                                                       Picasso's "Girl with a Mandolin"

Cubism - The Art History Archive. 2013. Cubism - The Art History Archive. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/cubism/.

 [Accessed 15 May 2013].

What is Cubism?. 2013. What is Cubism?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-cubism.htm.

 [Accessed 15 May 2013].

Influence of African Art on Cubism - African-American History Through the Arts. 2013. Influence of African Art on Cubism - African-American History Through the Arts. [ONLINE] Available at: http://cghs.dadeschools.net/african-american/twentieth_century/cubism.htm.

 [Accessed 15 May 2013].

African sculptures

The terracotta pottery heads were the earliest sculptures and the most of these structures were fragments of the figures. These figures were from the Nok culture of Nigeria and also are dated around the 500BC through to 200AD. These sculptures are made from the grog and also iron clay which I rich but none of these were found in the natural setting and they also demonstrate the strong and abstract figure which was representation and exists in Africa over 2500 years. They used  to produce the  oldest sculptures in  black Africa they also  continued to influence the west African cultures  and  also  the  tradition  of art.  These  figures were  only  be found the head and  it  is  also  possible  that  one day  these figures  were a whole  figure  not  only the head and  this  might be caused  because  the figures got eroded.

African sculptors are not only  made  out  of  clay  but  are made from  different  type of material  such  as wood carving, stone carving, bronze, metal , ivory and also  sometimes it was used the mixed media as well. These masks and figures sometimes as the tradition of Africa were meant for the religion on which they believed. Also in these sculptors we see a lot of detail which some of them are very small and interesting at the same time.

Nok terracotta head

Jos museum, Nigeria

(The terracotta clay slip has eroded away leaving a grainy pock-marked original surface)

African art history. 2013. African art history. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.contemporary-african-art.com/african-art-history.html#sthash.UAOQGzu5.dpbs

. [Accessed 14 May 2013].

African sculpture. 2013. African sculpture. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.contemporary-african-art.com/african-sculpture.html#sthash.YmS7zQ5u.dpbs

. [Accessed 14 May 2013].

African art history

Africa art is different from other arts in the world. Where the African art is based more on humans and also we can see the tribal and groups that makes unique works of art. We also  can see that the African  art is based as I said before  on  humans but not only on humans we also can see that African art is based also on masks which  have unique shapes  also the  humans have unique shapes and forms and are natural as well.

The African sculpture were found in Nigeria which are dated around 500BC these were the earliest sculpture that were found and these all is said  by the studies that  was made.

The rock art was the earliest art in Africa where it was known from the human evolutionary science which is the modern Homo sapiens that began in Africa. Africa contained both the oldest and also the greatest amount of rock art. The oldest images  that  we can  see was  scientifically dates and are  in  Namibia the Apollo 11 caves that are about 24-27,000 years ago. But the experts agreed together that the African rock art may be dated more than 50,000 years ago. 

Round headed figure

3000 BC, Niger

Giraffe engraving, Niger

 African art history. 2013. African art history. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.contemporary-african-art.com/african-art-history.html#sthash.fYBc7MNL.9plEI0xk.dpbs. [Accessed 13 May 2013].

AFRICAN ART HISTORY. 2013. AFRICAN ART HISTORY. [ONLINE] Available at: http://interesting-africa-facts.com/African-Art/African-Art-History.html. [Accessed 13 May 2013].