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.
For thousands of years, Africans have been sculpting. There is as much variety in style as there is in cultures on the continent. Human figures are common and are usually depicted in an abstract style that has influenced modern artists, including Pablo Picasso. Spiritual themes are popular too and you will also find pieces that are very realistic, often depicting animals like giraffes or elephants.
The most popular medium for Africa's sculptors is wood, which is easy to find, inexpensive and soft enough to carve without having to invest in costly tools. When an artist works with wood that isn't of the best quality, he or she may paint the sculpture, using bright colors. However, many sculptors let the texture and natural colors of the wood become part of the art, only polishing it to give it a smooth, shiny finish.
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.
Traditionally, bone was readily available and was often used to create smaller carvings. The tusks of various animals provide a gorgeous cream-colored material to work with and for many centuries there was a roaring trade in carved elephant tusks. However, today there are laws governing the ivory trade and you should check the local regulations before investing in an ivory carving.
Something that is not widely known is that African sculptors have been working in metal since the Middle Ages. The great civilizations of Mapungubwe, the Niger Delta and Benin left behind beautiful cast-metal art in gold, bronze and copper, for instance. More recently, artists have also started working in steel, often welding the pieces rather than casting the metal into molds. Among the renowned contemporary sculptors who work in steel are the South Africans Edoardo Villa and Giovanni Schoeman and the Nigerian Sokari Douglas Camp.
These days, recycled materials are all the rage among Africa's sculptors. In any major city from Johannesburg to Lagos you'll find artists selling quirky and colorful depictions of birds, animals, household objects and people made of wire, beads, bottle tops, soda cans, old car tires or plastic bags. Some of these artists have become well known in the international art world, including Elias Sime from Ethiopia, Pascale Marthine Tayou from Cameroon, Patrick Mulondo from Uganda and El Anatsui from Ghana.
Buying art by an acclaimed African sculptor can be a sound financial investment. You will find investment pieces at art auctions or in galleries in many world cities, including those of Europe and the United States. However, you can also find inexpensive pieces at any African street market if you simply want art for the enjoyment of it.
For thousands of years, Africans have been sculpting. There is as much variety in style as there is in cultures on the continent. Human figures are common and are usually depicted in an abstract style that has influenced modern artists, including Pablo Picasso. Spiritual themes are popular too and you will also find pieces that are very realistic, often depicting animals like giraffes or elephants.
The most popular medium for Africa's sculptors is wood, which is easy to find, inexpensive and soft enough to carve without having to invest in costly tools. When an artist works with wood that isn't of the best quality, he or she may paint the sculpture, using bright colors. However, many sculptors let the texture and natural colors of the wood become part of the art, only polishing it to give it a smooth, shiny finish.
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.
Traditionally, bone was readily available and was often used to create smaller carvings. The tusks of various animals provide a gorgeous cream-colored material to work with and for many centuries there was a roaring trade in carved elephant tusks. However, today there are laws governing the ivory trade and you should check the local regulations before investing in an ivory carving.
Something that is not widely known is that African sculptors have been working in metal since the Middle Ages. The great civilizations of Mapungubwe, the Niger Delta and Benin left behind beautiful cast-metal art in gold, bronze and copper, for instance. More recently, artists have also started working in steel, often welding the pieces rather than casting the metal into molds. Among the renowned contemporary sculptors who work in steel are the South Africans Edoardo Villa and Giovanni Schoeman and the Nigerian Sokari Douglas Camp.
These days, recycled materials are all the rage among Africa's sculptors. In any major city from Johannesburg to Lagos you'll find artists selling quirky and colorful depictions of birds, animals, household objects and people made of wire, beads, bottle tops, soda cans, old car tires or plastic bags. Some of these artists have become well known in the international art world, including Elias Sime from Ethiopia, Pascale Marthine Tayou from Cameroon, Patrick Mulondo from Uganda and El Anatsui from Ghana.
Buying art by an acclaimed African sculptor can be a sound financial investment. You will find investment pieces at art auctions or in galleries in many world cities, including those of Europe and the United States. However, you can also find inexpensive pieces at any African street market if you simply want art for the enjoyment of it.
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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.