African Art: Art and the individual

• The artistic enhancement of objects of utilitarian function reflect and reinforce an individual’s standing and status in society. 
• Details of form and decoration personalize an object, marking it as the property of a specific individual and, occasionally, providing information about ethnic affiliation, social status, or rank.
• Personal adornment and dress are important forms of aesthetic expression. Scarification and hairstyle, in particular, are regarded by Africans as means by which the body is refined and civilized.
• Specifics of bodily ornamentation are often depicted in fine detail on masks and figurative sculpture, indicating their importance as symbols of cultural, personal, and/or professional identity 
• Certain forms of textiles identify the wearer by age or status and may also convey personal identity
• Textiles have also historically been conceived as a form of wealth and their extensive use comments upon the wearer’s access to riches.