Sculpture dege dyinge of the «couple of primordial twins». Wood, metal, pigments, height: 66 cm, Musée Dapper, Paris, Inv. no 2617.

© Musée Dapper/photo Hughes Dubois

The study of traditional African art shows how this difference affects the artistic production of societies. The Musée Dapper* recently hosted two exhibitions on this very theme: Women in the Art of Africa (October 2008-July 2009) and The Art of Being a Man – Africa, Oceania (15 October 2009-11 July 2010). Art collector, Fabrizio Corsi, also put together educational exhibitions on the topic.

As well as being key figures in African societies, women play an important role in cultural legends. The male conveys this in his representations of the female in art; the male has control over religion, and has the power to create related images (statues and masks). Sexual attributes are enhanced, indicating the natural inclination of the ancestors of a community to procreate. One such example is found in extraordinary wooden body masks. The stomach of a pregnant woman is celebrated by a number of ethnic groups, such as Baulé, Yoruba and Makonde. When a human being does not reproduce, the entire life cycle of his existence becomes futile, and for this reason infertility is considered the worst possible disgrace.

A common theme in the great diversity of artistic forms and traditions in the African continent is the celebration of the various cycles and stages in life. The woman’s role as wife and mother is the most exalted aspect, as well as elements of beauty and sensuality such as ritual sacrifice, sophisticated hairstyles, folds of fat in the neck and small mouths etc. The relationship between couples is also revered, with the woman often shown as the opposite of the male.

However, due account must be taken of art created by women, even though this is confined to the so-called ‘applied arts’, which is unfortunately defined as a less important art form by eighteenth century art criticism. The woman creates art mainly in the following areas: internal and external wall painting; terracotta containers; pokerwork on calabashes and fabric painting.

In all cases, the work is carried out jointly with men or in partnership with other women. Even in this field, the co-operative spirit characterising the African woman, who has a propensity to create harmonious human relationships in every manifestation of life, is expressed. The art of the female , which is identifiable through its use of linear and geometric forms, is also important in terms of its influence on the upbringing of the young and on the visual language of the ethnic group to which they belong.

While the male being uses hard materials such as wood, stone, ivory and metal, and his art par excellence is sculpture, the woman decorates the communal spaces of the village and the home. This is therefore a form of public art, which exclusively uses soft and fluid materials, such as earth, pigments, water and plant fibres.

* The Musée Dapper is located in Paris (France). Website: www.dapper.com

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