Modern African Art
Modern African Art
During the midst of the Apartheid era, the African modern art movement began and grew to be one of the biggest influencers for the avant-garde breakthroughs in European art. European artists looked specifically at African art’s primitive, almost barbaric style of rendering, which led to a more abstract take on European art. Under the Apartheid regime, specifically artists of color were obligated to move to Europe in order to fulfill their careers as artists. African artists like Ernest Mancoba traveled to Europe and brought such influential pieces while belonging to COBRA, an association of “experimental artists from Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam who worked together in Paris and their native cities,” [1][2]. African sculptor Christian Lattier achieved recognition in France for his innovative work that incorporated new materials like woven wire and fiber. Terry Smith in his book Contemporary Art: World Currents explains how this time period brought about colonial exchange which “generated some new art forms and crafts, notably the printed cotton textiles that were soon recognized all over the world as generically ‘African,’”[1][3].
During colonization and access to new materials, mostly imported from the West, African artists were able to adapt to the current state of society and create innovative art forms. The modernist movement peaked in 1960 when 17 countries were admitted to independence and officially joined the United Nations. With spirits high, many artists in the new areas began the creation of “national styles,” typically combining native imagery with regional traditions to emphasize the importance of their independence.[4] Not only did these new works of art support and have precedents for the future countries of Africa, but also contributed to the modern art movement for African art.
References
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