Art historian Joseph Paul Cassar provides an introductory history to African art and aesthetics, addressing the terminology used when describing the art, as well outlining the difficulties when studying the subject.
Cassar highlights main concepts found in African art, including the flexed-knee motif and representations of maternity and fertility. He provides a close look at a variety of styles of masks, from expressive to abstract, executed in wood, ivory, and bronze.
In terms of challenges, he points to the vastness of the African continent, the variety of its languages and cultures, and the inconsistent terminology applied to its art—labels such as “Tribal Art,” “Black Art,” and “Primitive Art.” He emphasizes how difficult it can be to determine the precise significance of many works and the contexts in which they were created.
An artist and scholar who spent 10 years studying the subject on the African continent, Cassar also discusses the impact of African art on modern European painters and sculptors.
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