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The Spirit of African Sculpture

Theme and General Overview: The students are introduced to the sculpture of Africa through visuals of African sculpture, video, and stories of ancestral figures. The historic, artistic, and symbolic meaning of the work is discussed. The students make preliminary drawings of human figures and faces, practicing ways of dividing them into basic geometric shapes, simplifying and abstracting them. Large group activity: Students are shown examples of Picasso's cubist works and African sculptures. They compare and contrast the works. They select one of their drawings and add shading to create geometric planes. Small groups compare and discuss their drawings. (What techniques do they like best in abstracting the figure?) Each student then creates a drawing that will become a relief sculpture of their own ancestral figure. Students read hand out on African sculpture and answer questions on a worksheet. The teacher shows examples of repoussage sculpture and demonstrates the step by step process involved in repoussage sculpture. The students create their own ancestral figure in repoussage using aluminum or copper. The students write a story to explain their ancestral figure. Students present their sculpture and story to the class. Students fill in self-evaluation sheet and rubric for project.

I. Goals:

To develop an awareness of, and an appreciation for the metal sculpture of Africa
To gain an understanding of the connection between spirit and sculpture in African tradition and beliefs.
To gain an understanding of the abstract and rhythmic qualities of African sculpture.
To make a connection between African sculpture and the influence it had on the cubism of Picasso, and other artists.
To develop skills in creating relief sculptures that have the abstract and rhythmic quality of African sculpture.
To develop skills in repoussage.

II. Objectives:

The student will create an abstract ancestral sculpture of aluminum or copper using the repoussage-relief sculpture method. They will include some
rhythmic quality in their sculpture.
The students will create a story that explains the spirit of their sculpture
The students will analyze cubist artworks, comparing and contrasting them with African sculpture.
The students will write an evaluation of their sculpture in which they describe, analyze, interpret, and judge their artwork.

III. Concepts:

Sculpture is the predominant art form of Africa.
Many sculptures in Africa are believed to contain a spirit or represent a spirit.
The sculptures of Africa are very abstract and rhythmic.
The abstract and rhythmic quality of African sculptors has influenced western artists.
Many African sculptors believe they are given a spirit of creativity, which they must use.
African ancestral figures were created as a pleasant resting-place for the spirit of the deceased relative.
Funerary figures contained guardian spirits to protect the relics of the dead.
Power figures were regarded as a type of magic charm that was activated by a spiritualist

IV. Cultural Exemplars

Ancestral figures from Mali, Zaire, and Northwest Angola.
Power figure from Zaire
Guardian sculpture from Gabon/Congo
Cubist artists

V. Vocabulary

Sculpture Relief Sculpture Abstract Tooling Etching Ancestral Repoussage Rhythm

VI. Materials

Practice paper and pencil
Posterboard or foamcore
Stylus ( or old ballpoint pen)
Soft modeling clay
Masking tape
Glue
Old magazines or newspapers
Liquid liver of sulphur
Steel wool Illustration board

VII. Motivations

African Music
Slides and/or overheads of sculptures
Example of Project
Film, African Art

VIII. Procedure

IX. Evaluation

Maryland Learner Outcomes:

Goal 2: TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE VISUAL ARTS AS A BASIC ASPECT OF HISTORY AND HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

2.1 Identify ways that specific societies have used visual arts to express their ideas and beliefs.

2.4 Identify ways that art provides a perspective of historical events

Goal 3: TO DEVELOP AND ORGANIZE KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS FOR EXPRESSION IN THE PRODUCTION OF ART.

3.2 Demonstrate ways of creating symbolic forms in making a visual statement.

3.3 Demonstrate proper procedures for preparing and using materials.

Goal 4: TO DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO IDENTIFY, ANALYZE AND APPLY CRITERIA FOR MAKING VISUAL AESTHETIC JUDGEMENTS.

4.2 Compare and discuss stylistic qualities of art object from different cultures

Sponsored by The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, The Center for Renaissance and Baroque Studies, and the Maryland State Department of Education.

We welcome your comments and suggestions.
Last updated 25 April 2001

Africa & Its Influence

The Spirit of African Sculpture