Transcript African Aesthetics

African Aesthetics
Beauty definedManifestations of beauty: outer and inner
The useful, the functional, the complete, the appropriate
The Head– outer and inner
Houses the vital sense organs
Site of personality
center of spirituality
Shrine, being, destiny
Group of stylized abstract heads representing, inner spiritual head--site of personality
Yoruba, (Ita Yemoo, Ife) Nigeria, terracotta, h. 13 cm(5 in); 19 cm(7.1/2 in);
16.5 cm (61/2 in) 16 cm (6 3/8 in)
Aesthetic parameters:
Clarity
Ephebism-youthfulness
Completeness
Shining smoothness
Social and emotional proportion
Polyrhythmic compositions
Art as metaphor
Ibeji twin memorial figure,
Yoruba, Nigeria
Wood, 20th cent.
(Yiyo) relative clarity,
completeness, and visibility
Lajuwa, royal usurper
Terra-cotta,
Ife, Yoruba, 12/15th cent.
(odo) Ephebism:
relative youthfulness
Ooni,
Leaded brass,
Appr.18.in.
Ife, Yoruba, 14/15th cent.
(Pipe) completeness &
emotional proportion
Head of a Queen,
Ife, (Yoruba), Nigeria
Terracotta,
12th-13th Century
800-700 BP (Before the Present)
Bronze Plaque,
Appr.21.in.
Benin, Nigeria, 17th cent.
Aesthetics of social proportions
Sango Shrine Sculptures,
Yoruba, Nigeria
Wood, 20th cent.
-aesthetics of social proportion
Sowei mask,
Mande, Sierra Leone
Wood, 20th cent.
Aesthetics of shining smoothness
Woman wearing silver jewelry
Harar, Somalia
Fulani Woman in a market,
Mopti, Mali, 1970
Fulani women at a ceremony
Celebrating masculine beauty and charm,
Niger Republic, 1980
Balangandans, silver and gold pendants
Worn by Afro-Brazilians since at least the
Early 19th century. Detail from a painting
By Jean Baptiste Debret done in Brazil
In the 1820s
Kente, hand-woven fabric, Ghana, 20th. Cent, aesthetics of polyrhythms
Adire, dyed cotton, Yoruba, SW Nigeria, 20th cent.
polyrhythmic composition
Linguist staff,
Wood, gold leaf, 20th Cent.
Metaphor of leadership
Fon Flag, Applique, Democratic Republic of Benin, 20th century
Royal Umbrella, Fon Applique, cotton, D.R. Benin, 20th century.
Egungun masquerade, sequined applique, cotton,
Yoruba Southwestern Nigeria, 20th century.
conclusion