Art Around the Nile River PDF

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ARTH 107/ Essay about art around the Nile River...

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Dr. Wallace ARTH 107 April 24th, 2018 Art Around the Nile River

Introduction The Nile River runs through nine countries, namely Egypt, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Each country has different styles and forms of art that, when compared, are very different. Different influences of culture, economy, religion, power, resources, and surroundings transform the art in these different regions into each countries own personal style. Their art can be depicted in many different ways as well, some places, like Rwanda, have many different traditional dressings and dances to tell their stories, legends and culture. Tanzania is known for their wood sculptures, otherwise known as Makonde art, usually depicting natural objects such as animals and human beings. Egypt is most known for their paintings and sculptures, as well as most popularly known for their hieroglyphics. Each country has their own traditional and popular styles of art that reigns in their region. Although they are neighboring countries and share many cultural similarities, their artistic differences range to opposite sides of the spectrum, creating each countries own artistic footprint. Of the countries that the Nile River runs through the most famous is the Egypt. Egyptian art is widely known throughout the world and history, and has been shown in art exhibits throughout the world. Most famously Egypt is known for the Pyramids, Sphinx, and mummies (although mummies are not exactly art). The abilities of the architects at the time to design such elaborate and vast structures, and then the people to build said structures was and still is

astounding. Another thing Egypt was known for was its Pharaohs and jewelry. The pharaohs were buried with their jewels and riches after being mummified and laid to rest inside the pyramids within a sarcophagus. Tutankhamun is one of the most famous discoveries of our time, related to Egyptian history and pharaohs. Egyptian art is one of the most influential arts of all time, even their hieroglyphs are known as an art style of its own. The materials typically utilized were gold, and sometimes silver to make jewelry, papyrus for writing on, copper, obsidian, faience, steatite, glazed, amazonite, heliotrope, lapis lazuli, carnelian, amethyst, jasper, serpentine, and quartzite. Moving out of Egypt the next country the Nile affects is Sudan. The tribal art is the oldest and most consistent in Sudan. Sudanese art has been influenced by over 600 tribes, but the Mali tribe made the greatest contribution, with the introduction of the cultivation and weaving of cotton. They also introduced the art of terracotta sculptures into the region. The Bambara tribe would wear antelope carved headdress made from wood. Another tribe with great influence in the region was the Dogon, they are well known for their colorful culture and methodology utilized in their art. They also make masks like many other African cultures, however their masks are not to be worn; they serve as a central altarpiece where performances and sacrifices are offered. As you move down the Nile, Ethiopia is the next country in our travels along the river. As a heavily ancient Christian country Ethiopian art includes many monasteries and churches. The Kingdom of Aksum, which is found in northern Ethiopia today, developed Africa’s only written script. They also had gold, silver, and copper coins. The gold coins were normally inscribed in Greek, copper and silver with Ge’ez (Aksumite script). As we follow the Nile and head east out of Ethiopia we come to Kenya, whose culture is

rich in tribal art and decoration. Many Kenyan societies not only placed great significance upon decoration of functional and ritualistic objects, but on the body as well. Other tribes utilized things such as decorative beading and jewelry to signify social status. Carving is another well practiced art form utilizing different stones such as soapstone. Uganda is the next stop on our artistic hunt along the Nile River. Ethnic arts in Uganda are an important source of income. There are different forms such as carving, ironworking, ceramics, and batik (a type of textile painting). Ugandan carvers carve history and legends onto hardwood shields or screens. Uganda also has a lot of traditional music and modern music in which both the locals and visitors enjoy. Common instruments are the lyre, marimba (xylophone), and thumb piano. The Afrigo Band is something Uganda is well known for and tours regularly; this band combines both traditional and popular musical elements. Across the Nile to the west of Uganda is Zaire, also known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Native art in the Congo is mostly comprised of wooden sculptures of people or different versions of gods and goddesses, as well as masks depicting animal heads, people, and geometric patterns. Presently, “Beauté Congo” is celebrated around mid-November and is a large show to exhibit over 350 works by 41 artists (New York Times, 2015). Many of their paintings depict bright colors and whimsical activities. Our next country is Rwanda, whose culture is comprised of three main ethnic groups: the Hutu, the Tutsi, and the Twa. All speak the same main language which is Kinyarwanda. Music and dance is an integral part of Rwandan culture, and is utilized in ceremonies, social gatherings, festivals, and storytelling. Within the dance, drums are utilized to assist in the choreography, as well as have an immense role of importance in the music and dance. Drummers will generally play in groups of seven or nine. Some of the folk songs are accompanied by a zither instrument

with a soundboard. The zither is a flat wooden sound box with numerous strings across it. Another well-known art is cow dung paintings of Rwanda. South of Rwanda comes Burundi, a small country with few tribes and people. The favorite form of art in the area is crafts. The locals love to make them for the tourists and make quite a profit from it. They also weave baskets for tourists. There culture is big on tourism and creating art that works as gifts. Aside from crafting and tourists, the Burundi people also dabble in other arts, mostly known for masks, shields, jewelry wood carvings, paintings, and pottery. Their entertainment also focuses mainly around stories and legends. Sadly, many of the literate people were killed in the first genocide of the nation, so much of their history is kept orally through the use of stories (Embassy of the Republic of the Congo and Germany, 2016) Lastly on our journey down the Nile River is Tanzania. Tanzania is a rich culture mostly known for their wood sculptures called “Makonde”. Their carving usually depict objects found in nature, such as animals and plants. Currently, their most popular form of wood carving is called “Shentai” which depicts various forms of devils interlocked within a family tree. Their carvings are usually done with ebony wood and are made from iron tools.

Diagram and Description of How Items will be Displayed The museum layout was an attempt to mimic the locations of these nine countries within Africa. Upon walking in, the first thing tourist would notice is the wide river painting embedded in the floor flowing from Burundi to Egypt symbolizing how the Nile river runs through all of these 9 countries. Along with the nile painting on the floor. There will be a painting of the

African continent pointing out the countries and Nile river. Each table with the artifacts will include two desk lamps to illuminate the work. Objects

Object 1: Rwandan intore dancers from Rwanda. Time Period N/A. Medium: Traditional head garments, white dresses/coverings, red yellow and blue textiles as well. The Rwandan Intore dance is an ancient warrior dance. It was mainly used to celebrate victory in wars, however it is now performed for tourists in the area. The dance use to be performed exclusively for the royal family after conquering neighboring tribes and people. Their dances are not exploited or forced, as the people are known to perform for everybody. Women’s costumes consist of white sheets covering the body, as well as blue drapes around elder women and white headbands for younger girls. This type of traditional clothing is called “Imishanana” or “Imikenyero”. All women also wear ankle bands. The elder men wear only white drapes with a collar, and the younger men wear headdresses made of grass. They hold

onto small hand-painted shields and sticks that represent spears. The main dancers are spotted by their beaded belts that cross their chest and over their shoulders. The instrumentalists play the tambourine or drums and wear shorter skirts and the same beaded belts as the dancers (Hermose Life, 2012).

Object 2: Senwosret III as a Sphinx from Egypt. Time Period: ca 1878-1840bc. Medium: Gneiss The sphinx was a part man and part lion always depicted with the hind part of a lion and head of a man. The lion was seen as a symbol of kingship because of their ferocity, magnificent mane, and fierce roar. Due to being seen as the ultimate guardians against evil the sphinx was illustrated in myths as the place where the sun was reborn each day. The Sphinx also symbolizes the combination of power of the lion with the face of a man. In this case it is Swenroset III who ruled in Dynasty 12. The pleated linen cloth headdress or nemes is the typical symbol of

kingship and is topped by a cobra. The cobra is to represent the goddess Udjo; Udjo is one of the protectors of the king. This sphinx was carved from anorthosite gneiss which came from quarries in Nubia. The artist utilized the grain of the stone to help with the transition of the body from lion to man and used patterning on the to represent the lions mane. The last part of the sphinx to cover is the beard which has a falcon inscribed to symbolize the sky. Also,the kings of Horus and shining are the forces of Re names are both engraved in the palace facade or serekh located below the beard. In ancient Egypt a standing sphinx was symbolic of a conqueror while the crouching sphinx is seen as the guardian of sacred places. If you were to visit Egypt you may see to crouching sphinx side by side flanking entrances to buildings, different avenues as a protection for those places.

Object 3: Makonde Maternity Figure, Late 19th-Early 20th century. Medium: Soft Wood. Dimensions: H. 25in W. 8 ¾ in D. 7in. This Makonde maternity figure comes from around the border of Tanzania. In Makonde settlements, there were a small number of households that were led by the men who belonged to this linear kinship called the likola. The likola was said to derive from a female ancestor who was said to be a life-giver and protector. She is the one who is represented by the figurine. It is carved from a soft wood and is embellished with geometrical designs on the face and torso, which represented their traditional body decoration. The upper lip plug, called a ndonya, that is depicted was a common accessory worn by Makonde women. The upper lip is also emphasized to be elongated by a labret, which is a lip piercing. These carvings were often carried

with those who traveled on long journeys and they were also used for educational purposes. They were also to ensure the fertility of both the fields and women. The Makonde are one of the only ethnicities in East Africa whose work is fairly naturalistic sculptures, especially the maternity figures.

Object 4: Tripytch with Mary and Her Son, Archangels, Scenes from Life of Christ and Saints, early 16th century. Medium: Tempera on wood. Dimension: H. 10 ½ in W. 7 ⅞ in D. 1 1/16 in This art piece was produced during the mid-Solomonic period. During this time, the Ethiopian kingdom was beginning to collapse on itself. Many churches and Christian art was destroyed during an invasion from the Muslim Sultanate of Adal between 1529 and 1543. Also, the conversion to Catholicism of Emperor Susenyos had plunged the country into a civil war in 1622 and it resulted in many of his subjects refusing to continue their religious beliefs that were enforced. This type of art was produced during a “transition” period which was where the art shared the same as what was produced in the fifteenth century (very stylistic and iconographic),

but also began to foreshadow events that would begin in the seventeenth century. The art reflects the struggle that the country was going in at the time by showing a decrease in pictures decorating their manuscripts and the lack of geometric motifs.

Object 5: Burundi Ritual Dance Drum. Medium: Tree. Dimensions: H. 35in W. 14in D. 13.5in In Burundian culture, drums were initially played for royal or religious ceremonies, sacred rituals, and during certain stages of life that were celebrated. Over time, drumming became more for entertainment and a lot of customs were lost because of this. Different drums were then used for different things such some for dancing and some that was suppose to guarantee fertility. Burundian drums were carved from trees that were known as Imivugangoma, which meant “the tree that makes the drums speak”. This specific drum was used in the Gishora

events, which were just ritual dances, and was referred to as Ingoma, which meant kingdom. The carvings on it depict drummers that would participate in the ritual event.

Object 6: Makonde Lipiko Mask, Late 19th-Early 20th century. Medium: Blackened wood, human hair. Dimensions: H. 10 ½ in W. 7in D. 10 ½ in. Makonde carvers are well known for being abundant producers of masks, statues, and decorative objects. The mask shown is an example of one of their most famous masks; the Makonde Lipiko mask. These masks usually have realistic features such as being detailed with

prominent scars in zigzag and geometric patterns and having insets of human hair on its head. These masks were used to mark a boy’s ascendance into adulthood during initiations called lipiko. The term “lipiko” come from the name that Makonde men gave the masquerader who would wear these masks during the lipiko, where the boy would have to overpower him and remove the mask in order to be accepted into adulthood.

Object 7: Songye Kifwebe Mask. Democratic Republic of the Congo. 1st Quarter of the 20th Century. Medium: Wood. Dimensions: 12 × 8 1/2 in or 30.5 × 21.6 cm. Unique. This mask is from the Songye culture, located in the Republic of the Congo. It is currently for sale in the respected art gallery, Tambaram, which is located in New York. The piece is currently priced at $65,000. This piece was found and collected in the late 50s/early 60s by

Karl Plassman. The type of mask is thought to control mystical powers, as the Songye people believed their hierarchy ruled by witchcraft and sorcery. The mask is also known to hold secret codes in the striations and other features of the mask.

The mask itself is made of wood without pigment. The striations mimic each other and balance the mask, making it symmetrical. There is a long piece of wood left without striations coming down the middle of the heda and stopping at the nose. The eyes are almost closed shut but have a slither open for the capability to wear it. These masks were usually found in male form rather than female, as well as male depictions have vastly more details, colors, and features (Artsy, 2018).

Object 8: “Khasa” Interior Hanging from Uganda. 19th Century. Medium: Cotton, wool, natural dye. Dimensions: H. 51 x W. 120 in. (129.5 x 304.8 cm). The “Khasa”, pictured above, is a large textile tapestry that the Ugandan people hung for decoration. The weavers of this textile, known as the Fulani, wove it intending it as a blanket, also made it to close off rooms for personal use. The style it was made reflects both cotton and wool weaving traditions. This piece, although purchased in Ghana in the 19th century, is thought to be a spectacular piece made by the Fulani people found around many areas of Africa,

including Uganda. The tapestry is composed of many geometric patterns, as well as is symmetrical and well balanced. It is made from white and indigo yarn, ecru cotton, and pink wool. It has one large stripe through the width of the tapestry, and is sectioned off by different colors and shapes outlining a number of squares and rectangles. The deeper details of the tapestry include rectangular and triangular shapes. There are also four large sections that have a “checkerboard” like pattern, and skinnier bordering lines with similar patterns (Heilbrunn, 2018).

Object 9: Thumb Ring: discovered in ancient Sudan cemetery. (Unknown tomb) In Ancient Egyptian culture, thumb rings were well known to have associate with archery. The artifact, also known as an “archers loose” was discovered in an unknown tomb along with arrowheads. These rings were said to have been used to protect the thumb when drawing back the bowstrings. In connection with these archer rings, Apedemak, the god of war was said to have been represented as an archer. These rings have been often discovered in Nubian (present day Sudan) Meriotic graves along with other archery equipment such as bows and arrows. Wearing these rings could have

possibly symbolized a certain status depending on the quality of the material used to make it. These rings would typically be made of bone, stone, wood, metal or leather. Meroitic art depicts kings, queens, as well as gods and goddesses wearing these archer rings dated from 90BC-AD40.

Object 10: Gango: Late 19th-20th Century. Medium: wood, pigment. Dimensions: 70 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 1 7/8 in. (179.1 x 10.8 x 4.8 cm). This figure was created by an unknown Vigango artist around the 19th and 20th century. It was created as a memorial artifact for an unknown male of the Gohu Society. It was said that in times of trouble of a family member, the spirit of the deceased was made for would possibly appear in their dreams and helps with giving them guidance throughout their time of need. This help would only appear in the severest of cases. These memorials would be created during the ceremony for the deceased, which consisted of choosing a certain tree to carve it from. Including prayers and fasting during the ceremony, afterwards the ritual would include erecting the two relatives together and

transporting them to the village where it would be honored and cared for.

Works Cited ArtTribal.com. (2018). Retrieved from https://arttribal.com/products/makonde-lipico-helmetmask Burundi Ritual Dance Drum. (n.d.). Retrieved April 23, 2018, from https://www.ebth.com/items/5079857-burundi-ritual-dance-drum Burundi Sacred Drums. (n.d.). Retrieved April 23, 2018, from http://www.etnovyr.org.ua/en/history/participant/?profileid=33 Christian Ethiopian art. (n.d.). Retrieved April 23, 2018, from https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-africa/east-africa2/ethiopia/a/christianethiopian-art Dance, Music, Arts & Literature. (n.d.). Retrieved April 23, 2018, from http://www.burundiembassy-germany.de/index.php?en_dance-music-arts-literature Donadio, R. (2015, July 24). Exploring a Century of Art From Congo. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/25/arts/design/exploring-a-century-of-art-fromcongo.html Embassy of the Republic of the Congo and Germany. (2016). The Republic of Burundi Cultural Heritage: Dance, Music, Arts & Literature. Retrieved from http://www.burundiembassy-germany.de/index.php?en_dance-music-arts-literature HERMOSA LIFE TOURS & TRAVEL LTD. (2012). The Rwandan Intore dance explored. Retrieved from http://hermosalifetourism.com/blog/the-rwandan-intore-dance-explored/ Interior Hanging | Work of Art | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-ofart/1971.30/ Makonde maternity figure - Mozambique. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.randafricanart.com/Makonde_maternity_figure_2.html Plassman, K. (n.d.). In Past ShowKONGO: Power Figures at Tambaran. Retrieved from https://www.artsy.net/artwork/songye-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-africa-songyekifwebe-mask Senwosret III as a ...