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How can local aesthetic values shape the meaning of African art?
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African art
Raffia-fiber cloth, made by the Kuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, mid-20th century; in the Honolulu Academy of Arts.
To understand the meaning of African art, it is essential to move beyond external, Western-imposed categories and instead investigate local aesthetic values. In many African traditions, art is not separated from "useful skill" or craft; rather, objects and practices are valued for their aesthetic significance within their specific cultural context.1
Local aesthetic values shape meaning in several ways:
- Broadening the Definition of Art: The aesthetic field in Africa extends far beyond collectible items like masks. For instance, the Tiv people may find significant artistic value in a well-hoed field of yam heaps, while pastoralists like the Nuer and Dinka may castrate an ox specifically to enhance its visual effect.1
- Integration of Function and Beauty: While many artifacts were created for practical, ritual, or political purposes, this functionality does not preclude them from being simultaneously valued as sources of aesthetic pleasure.1
- Body Adornment: The transformation and decoration of the human body are central to African visual arts. Practices such as scarification, hairdressing, and body painting serve as expressions of aesthetic concern while also signaling lineage, physiological status, or age.2
- Performance and Assemblage: Significance is often imparted through the combination of music, dance, dress, and ornamentation, meaning that the "art" is frequently found in the dynamic performance rather than a static object alone.1