African Art Assignment

The initial assignment is a necessary one and for a good reason. Why? Simple, it forces each student to begin to analyzing and enjoy the art in their community that they might not notice otherwise. I for one, am not a huge art fan. However, the assignment does bring me a step closer to becoming one. Swapping out lenses to take notice of the many different works of art in the community is truly eye opening. Instead of glancing over the painting in the lobby, for instance, now I take a moment to interpret the piece of art and the significance of the work. Now, most important to me, when looking at a piece of artwork, is understanding at conception the cultural influence on the artist. Analyzing it from that context allows the viewer to receive a history lesson as well as enjoy the work for a variety of other reasons. I had zero knowledge about African
Additionally, the video, African Art as Theater: The Bwa Masks of the Gnoumou Family of the Village of Boni, provided a lot of insight into the exact meaning and purpose behind each mask. Roy, the narrator of the video, describes the masks. Graphic patterns that are on the masks are of a secret language that are taught to initiates as the make the transition into adulthood. The mask represent the ethical and moral laws of the culture. Furthermore, zig zag pattern represents the path of the ancestors. The black and white squares represent knowledge versus ignorance and the need for lifelong learning. As well, the black squares represent the elders that have been learning about the spiritual world for their entire life, and the white squares represent the ones that just passed through initiation (Roy). Most people would not realize the encoded language of the masquerades if only taken at face value. However, with a little history and knowledge of the their culture, one can begin to appreciate all the mask have to