The Fang peoples
Today we have something special for you - we rarely feature such objects. Too rarely, and this is my mistake. Enjoy today's Wednesday “Thought on Art” from our contributor, Artur Deus Dionisio: “There is a common intuition to separate the realm of art from the one of reasoning. The cold methods of objective sciences don't seem to apply directly to the subtle sensibilities required in art. There is a mystique surrounding creation, inspiration appears impossible to define, and it is still faced as a capricious muse. Maybe this has something to do with the primal origins and motivations of the will to create…”
African statuary, like masks (used in different cultures all around the globe), were created upon a spiritual motivation to perform rituals, so this piece transcended mere observation to occupy an intangible place among the tribe. This sculpture was created by the Fang people, an ethnic group present in greatest number in Equatorial Guinea and (formerly Portuguese) São Tomé and Principe. This culture developed a perception of “uninterruptedness”, flowing among generations, through their past. These generalized representations of their ancestors through sculpture were a way to address their relics in times of need. Perhaps this inner, mystical property of art has been kept along the ages, and thus the way it seems so far from the assets of science…
During the beginning of the 20th century, avant-garde artists were influenced by African sculpture; can you spot the resemblances between this piece and with the long-faced pictures of Modigliani?