Non-Western Art (Africa)
Jennifer Sanchez
Professor Bomboy
Modern Culture and
the Arts
9 April 2017
As today there are still pieces of Non-Western art left
behind. Depending from what part of the world they are from they have a style
to it that represents where it came from. For example, Africa. Africa is
continent with many different people and many different civilization and they
all have different cultures that they apply to. Most of African arts are made
from wood but they are usually sculptured with ivory, stone, or gems. African
art are mostly masks. One famous African mask is the “Queen Mother Pendant
Mask”.it is made out of iron, ivory and copper. This mask is from Nigeria,
Court of Benin and was created in the 16th century.
This mask was said to be built for “the King “Oba”
Esigie, the king of Benin, to honor his mother, Idia” (metmuseum.org). These
types of masks are usually worn spiritual ceremonies and purification
ceremonies. This mask is made from ivory and the color ivory is associated with
color white. The color white is a “Symbol of ritual purity that is associated
with Olokun”. Olokun which is the god of sea he is the spiritual counterpart of
the “oba”. This mask is the “Benin's principle commercial commodity and it
helped attract the Portuguese traders who also brought wealth to Benin”
(metmuseum).
Before Esigie took the throne,
it was normal the mother of the king to stop them from “threatening the kingdom
by using their magical powers to either initiate a rebellion and take over the
throne, or harm the people in some way the use of witchcraft” (Admin).
Witchcraft in Africa is a very normal thing that women did and still do. According
to CBB news, “In Africa, witchcraft has played a role in rebellions, fighting
wars, gaining independence and is often seen at election time” (BCC News). It
can be used for a good reason or bad. Many witchcraft uses were normal during
this time and throughout the years it got more and more normal for women to use
it. There’s good and bad witchcraft but during the 16th century is
was normal for every kings mother to be kill because they use their powers for
bad. They wanted to take over and do harmful things to people.
The
Queen Mother Pendant Mask ethnicity can be determined by the way the face
looks. It is very similar looking to other African mask arts. It fits into the culture very well because
Africans make masks for many reasons of their culture. Esigie honored Idia (the
mask is her) for helping him secure his throne and for all the advises that she
gave him while he was king. Europeans influenced this object and realism is
shown in it, it records the European presents. There is a lot of stylization in
this work. For example, the hairline, eyebrows, forehead.
The
contrast of lines of this object has curvy lines connecting the mudfish and the
bearded faces of Portuguese on the bearded and the tiara. Also, it emphasis
(focal point) of this object is obviously the bearded and the tiara which has
the meaning of the Portuguese being in their land. A mudfish and then a
Portuguese was the rhythm of this object and also it was the repetition. The
balance of this is a formal balance because if it was cut in half It would be
proportionate. The texture is very rough and smooth in some parts. For example,
the head where the hair is, is rough, however, his cheeks look smoother.
I
find this object awesome because of the meaning behind it. The thought and the
uniqueness of it. It was very smart meaning they tried to portrait with the
bearded and tiara. It wasn’t a realistic bearded or tiara. So, they use that to
put the thought of the European people and the mudfish. “bearing inlaid metal
and carved scarification marks on the forehead, and wearing bands of coral
beads below the chin” (metmuseaum). They use the mudfish and the bearded faces
of Portuguese because they live in the sea and in the land too. The mudfish
represent the King’s as human and being very divine. Which is something that was normal for people
to be, humans were the most beautiful thing on her and that’s what most of the
architectural works are trying to portrait some way or the other.
"Queen Mother
Pendant Mask: Iyoba | Work of Art | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The
Metropolitan Museum of Art." The Met's Heilbrunn Timeline of Art
History. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2017. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1978.412.323/
Admin. "The
Power of Women in West Africa: Queen Mothers." Rain Queens: Female
Leadership Traditions of Africa. Rain Queens of Africa, 10 Mar. 2011. Web.
10 Apr. 2017. http://rainqueensofafrica.com/2011/03/the-power-of-women-in-west-africa-queen-mothers/.
"Africa | Is
Witchcraft Alive in Africa?" BBC News. BBC, 27 July 2005. Web. 10
Apr. 2017. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4705201.stm.
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