Ancient African Art

Although many people are familiar with traditional African art, the world of contemporary African art is largely unknown. Part of the problem is the fascination of academia with the old, traditional forms of art, it is difficult for "modern artists to find a market for their work. When contemporary African art is noticed, these works tend to receive praise and sell for high prices.

Like any group of artists, African artists motley crowd who create visual art that is unique to their personal vision. Even with this understanding, there are some common themes that prevail in artistic contemporary African art.

The first popular theme among artists of African sculpture. Three dimensional works tend to be more widely used than two dimensions. This is actually seen throughout the history of African art. The three dimensions can also be seen in paintings and textiles. It is not uncommon to see a painted on a house where the viewer must walk all the work to show the overall design. Textiles become three dimensional when the cloth was woven for ceremonial or display designs are richly decorated. When worn, the fabric makes the wearer appear to be a living work of art. The emphasis on sculpture is one of the preferences that help make the transition from ancient to contemporary African art.

One of the most appealing themes of contemporary African art is the use of utilitarianism. This enters the world of art in the creation of beautiful and functional parts. Many African artists specializing in pottery, textiles, and hair ornaments, which are all made to be used in everyday life. Even the cutlery and stools are made with beauty and function in mind. Geometric patterns, bright colors, and cubism are used to improve the attractiveness of these common household items. Often, the items are designed with themes that are close to the African belief system, like ancestors and spiritual symbols.

A fascinating theme that is prevalent in contemporary African art is the visual representation of abstract subjects. Instead of more realistic techniques used by many artists of the Western world, African artists are more likely to represent their subjects in the abstract. Representations are often made with certain colors indicating specific characteristics and traits. The viewer is left to draw their own conclusions about the meaning and symbolism of the work. The greater effort required to actually see the artwork as its creator intended adds to the experience of viewing a great work.

Contemporary African art is gradually receiving some of the attention and praise it deserves. Modern African artists have found a unique voice while remaining faithful to tradition while expressing the emotions and experience of life in Africa today. Civil unrest to the challenges of survival after apartheid, African artists have an unlimited source of inspiration. Due to the large number of different countries and communities on the continent, there are many different cultures to explore and contemporary African art is a great way to do it.

Mr. Moyo Ogundipe has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria and a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting from the Hoffberger School of Painting, Maryland Institute College of Art Baltimore, USA.

One of the most famous of Africa and renowned traditional artists from Nigeria, Mr. Ogundipe has exhibited extensively in Africa, Europe and the United States. His paintings have been described as hypnotic, colorful and densely patterned.

In 1996, Mr. Ogundipe was awarded the Pollock-Krasner grant. And in 2005 he was invited to join Africobra, an organization founded in 1960 and whose.