1. Art of Africa in the Modern Era Anna Torosyan AP Art HIstory

2. “Political power is like an egg, grasp it too tightly and it will shatter, hold it too loosely and it will slip from your grasp” -Ashanti proverb.

3. Second largest continent Geography: vast deserts,tropical grasslands, mountains, and rift valleys Most important outside influence was theIslamic religious culture. Europeans sought to claim every African territory that they could claim. By 1914, almost all of Africa was under European control.Why? potential wealth of Africa’s natural resources

4. 25-1. Kojo Bonsu (?). Finial of a spokesperson's staff (okyeame poma), from Ghana. Ashanti culture, 1960's-70s. Wood and gold, height 11 ¼ (28.57 cm). Sarah Vanzo Collection, Johannesburg, South Africa. - A universal symbol, which usually stands for authority or leadership: a staff or rod - okyeame: spokesperson - the first Europeans first explored Africa in the 15 th century, shipped artworks, such as this finial, to western museums -finial: top portion of a staff

5. 5 What about Africa after World War I? What about influence of African art on Picasso and other Western artists?

6. 6 What about the box entitled “Foundations of African cultures” on p.877?

7. Chair, from Democratic Republic of Congo. Ngombe culture, 20 th century. Wood, brass, and iron tacks, height at tallest point 25 '5/8” (65.1 cm). National Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C. Pierre Legrain. Tabouret. c. 1923. Lacquered wood, horn, gilding, length 20 ½ x 10 ½ x 25 ¼ (52 x 26.6 x 64.1 cm). Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. Stools and chairs served for two purposes: to indicate the owner's status and to serve as an alter for their souls, once they have died. Pierre Legrain. Tabouret. c. 1923. Lacquered wood, horn, gilding, length 20 ½ x 10 ½ x 25 ¼ (52 x 26.6 x 64.1 cm). Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. Copper and iron were precious materials Missing formal and contextual analysis of these two works

8. 25-2. Nankani compound, Sirigu. Ghana. 1972. Men built the structure, while women decorated the surfaces. Women lived in the rounded buildings in the courtyards; men lived in rectangular flat-roofed houses. Houses were decorated with horizontal ridges called yidoor. Tell us we are now discussing living areas What was the purpose of the vidoor? tell us about protection

9. Children and The Continuity of Life In traditional societies children were important. They guaranteed that parents would have someone to care for them in their old age. Life was hard; very few children survived into adulthood.Average life expectancy was 40 years. Women that had children, reached thegoal of continuing their husbands lineage. Women that had difficulty bearing children would seek help with offerings and prayers, which often involved art.

10. 25-3. Doll (biiga), from Burkina Faso. Mossi culture, mid 20 th century. Wood, height 11 ¼ (28.57 cm.). Collection Thomas G. B. Wheelock. Biiga: child The Mossi people of Burkina carved these dolls little girls to play with. The doll represents an ideal Mossi woman; one that has provided children in order to continue her husbands lineage. How do you know? Contextual analysis please The doll is carried by women as an aid to fertility. If she is having trouble bearing her first child, she carries the doll on her back.

11. 25-4. Akiode (?). Twin figures (ere ibeji), from Nigeria. Yoruba culture, 20 th century. Wood, height 7 7/8 (20 cm). The highest rates of twin births occurs within Nigeria, among the Yoruba people. When a twin dies, the parents consulted a diviner, that would tell them that an image of the twin must be carved. The figure would be placed on a shrine, where the woman would feed and dress it. More contextual analysis please,, also formal

12. Initiation The Bwa people of central Burkina Faso initiatechildren into adulthoood when they hit puberty. They are separated from the younger kids by being “kidnapped”. They are stripped of their clothing and are forced to sleep on the ground without blankets. After gaining new knowledge what new knowledge?, the initiates return to their community as adults and are now ready to start farms, get married and have lives of their own.

13. 25-5. Two mask in performance. From Dossi, Burkina Faso. Bwa culture, 1984. Wood,mineral pigments,and fiber, height approx. 7' (2.13 m). These masks depict spirits, which take an animal form. Most spectacular masks are the ones that have a tall, narrow plank, and are entirely abstract. They do not takethe spirit ofa human nor animal. The white cresent on top represents the quarter moon. The triangles stand for sacred sound makers that are swung around the head, known as bull roarers. what does the “x” represent?

14. 25-6. Female ancestral mask. (nowo), from sierra Leone. Mende culture, Sowei mask which embodies the guardian spirit for the Women's Sande Society. c. 1906. Wood, height 18 7/8 (47.7 x 21.9 cm). In West Africa,the initiation of young girls into adulthood is organised by a society of women called the Sande. The girls culminate with a ritual bath in a river and return to the village to meet their future husbands. The Sande women wear all black and wear black masks, called nowo. missing formal and contextual analysis

15. The political system among the Lega people, which is based onvoluntary association is known as bwami. -Women can belong in the bwami, but cannot have a higher grade than their husband. -In order to get to the next level, you had to pay large amounts of money. -The mask belonged to the 2 nd highest grade of bwami. 25-7. Bwami mask, frm Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire). Lega culture, early 20 th century. Wood, kaolin, and hemp fibers, height 7 5/8(19.3 cm).