African Art: Art and Politics

• Political institutions in Africa that predate European colonization have ranged from large, centralized kingdoms led by a single ruler to smaller, village-based societies.
• In many different societies, leaders are considered to be semi-divine. In less centralized societies, power is not vested in a single individual. 
• African political institutions were dramatically impacted by colonial rule.
• In centralized states, leaders have historically played an important role as patrons of the arts
• They commissioned a wide range of prestige objects, distinguished by the lavish use of luxury materials (see below), as well as complex architectural programs. 
• Works made of metal, ivory, or beads were not only visually spectacular, but also reminded the public of the king’s wealth and power.
• Handheld objects, such as flywhisks, staffs, and pipes, are used as personal regalia to indicate rank and position within the court.
• Among smaller, village-based societies, in which governance is distributed among local associations, artworks do not glorify a particular leader. Instead of lavish displays of royal regalia, masks and figures are used as agents of social control or education.
• Such works are generally commissioned by a group of individuals, such as a council of elders or members of a religious association.