A piece of interesting art is a sure way to make a statement with your home decor. It shows that you appreciate beautiful things and it becomes a talking point for anybody visiting you. Nowadays, a popular type of art to brighten up a home is African sculptures.
The art of sculpture in Africa goes back thousands of years. The pieces vary as greatly as the continent's many cultures. You will find realistic depictions of animals such as elephants or giraffes but you will also find abstract pieces with a spiritual meaning. Often human figures are portrayed with elongated lines and shapes and this style influenced some of the greatest artists in modern history, including Pablo Picasso.
The most popular medium for Africa's sculptors is wood, which is easy to find, inexpensive and soft enough to carve without having to invest in costly tools. When an artist works with wood that isn't of the best quality, he or she may paint the sculpture, using bright colors. However, many sculptors let the texture and natural colors of the wood become part of the art, only polishing it to give it a smooth, shiny finish.
Clay is popular for its inexpensiveness too but a more durable material is stone. Highly skilled artists often work in harder stone like granite, serpentine or marble. Less expensive but a popular medium from Cape Town to Cairo is soapstone, because it is soft and easy to work with. You can find soapstone in many beautiful colors, from soft lavender or cream to dramatic black or red.
The bones and tusks of animals provide the material for small carved pieces. In the past, many artists in Africa also used the huge tusks of elephants and these intricate carvings were extremely popular in Europe. Because of today's strict regulations about the sale of ivory, though, the medium is hardly ever used anymore. Should you decide to invest in an ivory carving, you need to check the local laws about this substance.
Many people think that working in metal is a relatively new tradition in Africa. However, archaeological finds such as the golden rhinos of Mapungubwe or the bronze and copper pieces from the Niger Delta and Benin show that Africans have been creating art from metal for at least a thousand years. The early examples of metal sculpture are mainly cast pieces but contemporary artists such as Nigeria's Sokari Douglas Camp or South Africa's Giovanni Schoeman have used welding techniques to create fascinating artwork in metals such as steel.
In the past few decades, sculptors have also turned to recycled materials. These include anything from wire and bottle tops to old tires and plastic shopping bags. Many street artists create quirky pieces depicting animals and birds, people and even household objects. The Ethiopian Elias Sime, the Ugandan Patrick Mulondo, the Ghanaian El Anatsui and the Cameroonian Pascale Marthine Tayou are just some of the sculptors who have made a name for themselves internationally by creating art from trash.
Art galleries around the world sell sculptures made by artists from Africa. These can be a very good investment. If you are only looking for an inexpensive piece that doesn't necessarily have to be completely unique, you will find plenty of choices at any street market in Africa's tourist hotspots.
The art of sculpture in Africa goes back thousands of years. The pieces vary as greatly as the continent's many cultures. You will find realistic depictions of animals such as elephants or giraffes but you will also find abstract pieces with a spiritual meaning. Often human figures are portrayed with elongated lines and shapes and this style influenced some of the greatest artists in modern history, including Pablo Picasso.
The most popular medium for Africa's sculptors is wood, which is easy to find, inexpensive and soft enough to carve without having to invest in costly tools. When an artist works with wood that isn't of the best quality, he or she may paint the sculpture, using bright colors. However, many sculptors let the texture and natural colors of the wood become part of the art, only polishing it to give it a smooth, shiny finish.
Clay is popular for its inexpensiveness too but a more durable material is stone. Highly skilled artists often work in harder stone like granite, serpentine or marble. Less expensive but a popular medium from Cape Town to Cairo is soapstone, because it is soft and easy to work with. You can find soapstone in many beautiful colors, from soft lavender or cream to dramatic black or red.
The bones and tusks of animals provide the material for small carved pieces. In the past, many artists in Africa also used the huge tusks of elephants and these intricate carvings were extremely popular in Europe. Because of today's strict regulations about the sale of ivory, though, the medium is hardly ever used anymore. Should you decide to invest in an ivory carving, you need to check the local laws about this substance.
Many people think that working in metal is a relatively new tradition in Africa. However, archaeological finds such as the golden rhinos of Mapungubwe or the bronze and copper pieces from the Niger Delta and Benin show that Africans have been creating art from metal for at least a thousand years. The early examples of metal sculpture are mainly cast pieces but contemporary artists such as Nigeria's Sokari Douglas Camp or South Africa's Giovanni Schoeman have used welding techniques to create fascinating artwork in metals such as steel.
In the past few decades, sculptors have also turned to recycled materials. These include anything from wire and bottle tops to old tires and plastic shopping bags. Many street artists create quirky pieces depicting animals and birds, people and even household objects. The Ethiopian Elias Sime, the Ugandan Patrick Mulondo, the Ghanaian El Anatsui and the Cameroonian Pascale Marthine Tayou are just some of the sculptors who have made a name for themselves internationally by creating art from trash.
Art galleries around the world sell sculptures made by artists from Africa. These can be a very good investment. If you are only looking for an inexpensive piece that doesn't necessarily have to be completely unique, you will find plenty of choices at any street market in Africa's tourist hotspots.
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Buy African sculptures via the Internet right now. Visit our online store to view our selection of sculptures at http://africanartgalleryenu.com today.
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