African Art: Form and meaning, Religion

Form and meaning

• Realism or physical resemblance is generally not the goal of the African artist. Many forms of African art are characterized by their visual abstraction, or departure from representational accuracy. 
• Artists interpret human or animal forms creatively through innovative form and composition.
• The decision to create abstract representations is a conscious one. 
• Idealization is frequently seen in representations of human beings. Individuals are almost always depicted in the prime of life, never in old age or poor health.
• Masks used by the women’s Sande society, for example, present Mende cultural ideals of female beauty..Instead of a physical likeness, the artist highlights admired features, such as narrow eyes, a small mouth, carefully braided hair, and a ringed neck. Idealized images often relate to expected social roles and emphasize distinctions between male and female.
• Full breasts and a swelling belly highlight a woman’s role as nurturer. 
• Many African artworks were (and continue to be) created to serve a social, religious, or political function. In its original setting, an artifact may have different uses and embody a variety of meanings. 
• A mask originally created for a particular performance may be used in a different context at a later time.

Religion

• Common elements include a belief in a creator god, who is rarely if ever represented in art; the supreme deity is petitioned through intermediaries, or lesser spirits.
• These spirits may be related to the natural world and have control over powerful natural phenomena.
• Other spirits represent founding ancestors, whose activities are described in stories about the creation of the world and the beginnings of human life and agriculture. 
• a living king and leader may be regarded as divine as well. The Oba historically was considered semi-divine and therefore constituted the political and spiritual focus of the kingdom
• Although the acceptance of Islam or Christianity sometimes precluded the practice of traditional religions, in many cases they coexisted or were incorporated into preexisting beliefs. The adoption of Islam and Christianity also led to the abandonment of many earlier forms of artistic expression.
• Art objects are employed as vehicles for spiritual communication in diverse ways. Some are created for use in an altar or shrine and may receive sacrificial offerings.
• Such objects themselves are often not inherently powerful but must be activated through ritual offerings or by a knowledgeable religious specialist.
• The unseen forces of nature or the spiritual world are called upon to serve a variety of purposes, including communicating with the spirits, honoring ancestors, healing sickness, or reinforcing societal standards, through masked performances. 
• Masquerades involve the active participation of dancers, musicians, and even the audience; manifest powers. 
• By donning a mask and its associated costume, the dancer transcends his own identity and is transformed into a powerful spiritual being.