Few things can add style to a room quite like an interesting piece of art. A colorful painting or striking statue not only provides a visual focal point to your decor but is also a great conversation starter. If you are looking to invest in art that will surely give your guests something to talk about, you can't go wrong with African sculptures.
Africans have been creating sculptures for millennia. The variety of styles reflects the variety of cultures that call this continent home. Some pieces are realistic-looking animals, from elephants and hippos to giraffes and antelope. Others are deeply spiritual. Depictions of people can be true to life or they can be abstract, in a style that greatly influenced Western artists like Pablo Picasso.
Most sculptors in Africa work in wood. After all, wood is abundant, easy to carve and often free. Many artists choose only to polish the wood when the sculpture is complete, letting the material's natural colors and textures shine through. However, you may also find pieces that are painted in bright colors.
Clay is popular for its inexpensiveness too but a more durable material is stone. Highly skilled artists often work in harder stone like granite, serpentine or marble. Less expensive but a popular medium from Cape Town to Cairo is soapstone, because it is soft and easy to work with. You can find soapstone in many beautiful colors, from soft lavender or cream to dramatic black or red.
The bones and tusks of animals provide the material for small carved pieces. In the past, many artists in Africa also used the huge tusks of elephants and these intricate carvings were extremely popular in Europe. Because of today's strict regulations about the sale of ivory, though, the medium is hardly ever used anymore. Should you decide to invest in an ivory carving, you need to check the local laws about this substance.
Many people think that working in metal is a relatively new tradition in Africa. However, archaeological finds such as the golden rhinos of Mapungubwe or the bronze and copper pieces from the Niger Delta and Benin show that Africans have been creating art from metal for at least a thousand years. The early examples of metal sculpture are mainly cast pieces but contemporary artists such as Nigeria's Sokari Douglas Camp or South Africa's Giovanni Schoeman have used welding techniques to create fascinating artwork in metals such as steel.
Today's artists throughout the continent often create stunning pieces from recycled materials. Bits of wire and bottle tops or plastic beads are transformed into the figures of people, animals and birds, cars or airplanes or even transistor radios that actually work. Some sculptors such as Ethiopia's Elias Sime, Uganda's Patrick Mulondo, Cameroon's Pascale Marthine Tayou and Ghana's El Anatsui have become world renowned for their art from recycled materials but you will also find thousands of unknown artists who sell their pieces on sidewalks or at flea markets.
Art galleries around the world sell sculptures made by artists from Africa. These can be a very good investment. If you are only looking for an inexpensive piece that doesn't necessarily have to be completely unique, you will find plenty of choices at any street market in Africa's tourist hotspots.
Africans have been creating sculptures for millennia. The variety of styles reflects the variety of cultures that call this continent home. Some pieces are realistic-looking animals, from elephants and hippos to giraffes and antelope. Others are deeply spiritual. Depictions of people can be true to life or they can be abstract, in a style that greatly influenced Western artists like Pablo Picasso.
Most sculptors in Africa work in wood. After all, wood is abundant, easy to carve and often free. Many artists choose only to polish the wood when the sculpture is complete, letting the material's natural colors and textures shine through. However, you may also find pieces that are painted in bright colors.
Clay is popular for its inexpensiveness too but a more durable material is stone. Highly skilled artists often work in harder stone like granite, serpentine or marble. Less expensive but a popular medium from Cape Town to Cairo is soapstone, because it is soft and easy to work with. You can find soapstone in many beautiful colors, from soft lavender or cream to dramatic black or red.
The bones and tusks of animals provide the material for small carved pieces. In the past, many artists in Africa also used the huge tusks of elephants and these intricate carvings were extremely popular in Europe. Because of today's strict regulations about the sale of ivory, though, the medium is hardly ever used anymore. Should you decide to invest in an ivory carving, you need to check the local laws about this substance.
Many people think that working in metal is a relatively new tradition in Africa. However, archaeological finds such as the golden rhinos of Mapungubwe or the bronze and copper pieces from the Niger Delta and Benin show that Africans have been creating art from metal for at least a thousand years. The early examples of metal sculpture are mainly cast pieces but contemporary artists such as Nigeria's Sokari Douglas Camp or South Africa's Giovanni Schoeman have used welding techniques to create fascinating artwork in metals such as steel.
Today's artists throughout the continent often create stunning pieces from recycled materials. Bits of wire and bottle tops or plastic beads are transformed into the figures of people, animals and birds, cars or airplanes or even transistor radios that actually work. Some sculptors such as Ethiopia's Elias Sime, Uganda's Patrick Mulondo, Cameroon's Pascale Marthine Tayou and Ghana's El Anatsui have become world renowned for their art from recycled materials but you will also find thousands of unknown artists who sell their pieces on sidewalks or at flea markets.
Art galleries around the world sell sculptures made by artists from Africa. These can be a very good investment. If you are only looking for an inexpensive piece that doesn't necessarily have to be completely unique, you will find plenty of choices at any street market in Africa's tourist hotspots.
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Buy African sculptures via the Internet right now. Visit our online store to view our selection of sculptures at http://africanartgalleryenu.com today.
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