Site Meter Art History Guide » Blog Archive » Choosing Contemporary African Art

Choosing Contemporary African Art

by Staff Writer

Author: Maigida Africanarts

You may already have a number of reasons for choosing contemporary African art. But if you’re unfamiliar with this type of work and want to know more, you will want to recognize several different techniques, colors, and styles that set this art apart from the rest. When you understand what makes contemporary African art something special, you will certainly want to bring a piece or two into your home.

One of the common words used to describe contemporary African art is ‘Natural.’ By focusing on simple brush strokes and shapes, the overall effect is much more organic than other pieces of modern art. It evokes a sense of having been painted outside in the brush, rather than in a cold, sterile studio. This natural feeling also creates an inviting tone that allows it to grace a home’s living room or entryway or even the kitchen or bedroom. And when you choose this kind of natural piece, you can accent the decorating themes that you’ve already established instead of having to recreate a room around a piece of art.

Rich colors pervade African American art and this is a design quality that is much admired by many owners of this art. The deep colors allow the warmth of the painting to come through and also engage a curious view as to the content of the scene. With vibrant reds and oranges, these pieces of art can be used to accent a monochromatic room or can be the central feature of a location. And while the colors vary from image to image, there is no lack of brightness or vitality – even the blues and the greens are striking.

What sets contemporary African art apart from other collections is its ability to depict the sense of struggles having been overcome. While you could say that these paintings reflect too much on the past, it’s more of a celebration of triumphing over a history that sought to defeat their spirit. You may see somber eyes in the works, but they’re full of hope at the same time. Though not every painting includes a setting in the past, you can see that there is no forgetting the history of the African American either.

Inherent in contemporary African art is also the feeling of simplicity, of no stroke without a definitive purpose. Whether this stems from a need to use only what the artist could find or if it comes from wanting to be as simple as possible, no one knows. But what you can sense is that this African art is created to be straightforward in its image, adding nothing that doesn’t belong or doesn’t need to be seen.

In choosing contemporary African art, you will find that there are many desirable qualities that make it stand out from other collections. And while you can find hundreds of artists that have created thousands of pieces, there are some that will appeal to you personally – as though they were created with only you in mind.

Mr. Moyo Ogundipe has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. His talents in Traditional African Art and Modern African American Art are well-known. He has created numerous beautiful African Paintings. Buy African paintings Online.

Source: Submit Articles at ArticlesBase.com

About the Author:

Mr. Moyo Ogundipe has a Bachelors of Arts degree in Fine Art from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He is experienced in Traditional African Art, Modern African American Art . He has done many African Paintings and aftican art.Buy African paintings Online.


Leave a Reply


About Art History Guide

ArtHistoryGuide.net is your ultimate resource in all things related to art and art history. We cover a wide range of art related topics and update the site daily. Along with exciting articles, reviews, interviews, and art work, Art History Guide covers it all. Welcome to our site and enjoy the exciting world of art.

Art History Guide Author(s)
    » Emory-L

Arts & Photography Channel Posts

  • Rosh Hashanah - The Art of Forgiving (applies to any line of work)
    This is a great holiday that teaches to forgive. This can be a very difficult thing to do. It takes a lot of strength. Sometimes, I really hold onto all of my resentment for a specific person and [...]
  • WWW.ROCKTHEVOTE.COM
    Presidential Debate Voting is so important. Every voice is important. It doesn't matter what a person's job is - it effects all of us. From the money we spend on gas to get to our next gig to [...]
  • Doing Favors
    I am in favor of doing favors for people, but I often find that the people I am "not as close to" ask for more favors than the people I am close to. Why is that? In general, people are very good at [...]
  • Matt Nathanson
    Taking risks and doing what scares you. That is exactly what this inspirational performer did on Thursday night at the Nokia theatre. It was so great to be a part of it. I am not a huge fan of this [...]
  • Making Time for Friends
    It is so easy to get caught up in the work life in New York and never make anytime to see my friends. I mean, I wake up at 6am (7am if I am lucky) and then don't get home until 10/11pm. When I [...]
  • Love Life
    I can completely relate with Jennifer Lopez. In fact, I think she is lucky to have met so many men who wanted to marry her so quickly. It is unfortunate that many of her relationships did not work [...]
  • Safety Music
    What is safety music? In Little Black Book, the lead character's safety music is very clear. It has taken me a long time to really understand what is safety music for me. In the end, this is how I [...]
  • Getting An Agent
    This is so hard to do. It is actually kind of ridiculous. I read a great book by K Kalen (I may have just mis-spelled her name) about Agents. It was informative about the entertainment business and [...]
  • Xanadu on Broadway (just before it closed)
    I was almost in tears when I saw the Saturday matinee of Xanadu. it was such a funny, high - energy, creative and loving show. I remember when I first heard of the show coming out. I heard it [...]
  • Only You Ca Protect You
    I have to remind myself of this important fact over and over again. I didn't understand this concept for a long time. I did a lot of professional shows while I was in college, but I didn't have to [...]

Hot Off The Press

  • Oh, Amaury, you Gorgeous Hunk
    I know, I know, it's all about Prison Break again, but hey, I'm stretching it out here, going for some of the other Prime Time lookers.  I don't know if you watch the show, but his character is [...]
  • BOK events this week...
    2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars Oct 9, 2008 at BOK Center Starring the 2008 Men's & Women's Olympic Team!! 2008 World Tour of Gymnastics Superstars When: October 9th, 2008 Where: [...]
  • Video: JJ Abrams on Conan on Brian
    JJ Abrams was on Conan O' Brien's show last week. He is one of the creators of Lost and now, Fringe. Conan told him his work has had a huge impact on the audience, particularly the young ones and [...]
  • Greed is Good?
    Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The above quote is from John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834-1902). A historian and moralist, in 1887 Lord Acton wrote [...]
  • National Bullying Prevention Week
    I'm going to touch on this in depth tomorrow, but for now, just know that October 5 through October 11 is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week. Look for more coming your way and it will be [...]
  • Whoo-hoo! That David Boreanaz is hot stuff!
    Well, okay, the picture in general is hot stuff! Take his wife out and it's just a good-looking guy laying on a bed. But this shot has so much more - feeling - don't you think? I found this on [...]
  • Brand New Season 3 Wallpaper: Ando
    It’s time for the next in the series of wallpapers has been unlocked on the Heroes official MySpace page. This week we have James Kyson Lee as Ando Masahashi. Check it out: This is the tenth [...]
  • Guy Ritchie tells wife not to cut hair; wife laughs
    What the what what? Someone telling Madonna what to do? Someone telling Madonna what to do ... with her hair? I don't think so, mister man. Guy Ritchie Bans Madonna From Cutting Her [...]
  • Steps to a Healthier Weight
    From the USDA "My Pyramid": Choose "nutrient-dense" forms of foods Nutrient-dense forms of foods are smart choices — they give you the nutrients you need with relatively fewer calories than [...]
  • Bonding With Your Children
    Today we have a special guest post from my friend Jenera. She'll be writing for Long Relationships this week. Having a relationship with your children is as important as your relationship with [...]