Read an Excerpt
Art, Tribes, & Cultures Identify Us
By Damola Taiwo iUniverse
Copyright © 2011 Damola Taiwo
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-4336-1
CHAPTER 1
Definition
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The word "Art" means a lot to all of us (human). According to my definition, our creativities and crafts come in form of art. Since, I grew up in Africa. I can illustrate my point. My source of art was taken from West Africa (experience). Therefore, I believe I can express myself in the geographical work of African art.
Art shapes define the world. These definitions are the maps, furniture, pools, cars, stoves, electronics, houses, mountains, clothes, squares, triangles, spheres, cylinders, pyramids, prism, cones, and the human body. Therefore, we survive through the means of art.
The Art, Tribe, and Culture identifies our heritages. These three categories identify our ways of qualities in life. These qualities identify us (human). These three categories allow us to survive in this universe. As a main source of income on surviving, we can use our artistic endeavors. These artistic endeavors indicate our activities, lives, and occupations. This means "God" has given and blessed us (human) on what we need to survive in this universe. In this universe, we (Human) have the strength and power within us to survive. This means whatever and wherever you originated from, art represents you. However, you do not have to be perfect. In this universe, the art within you will be observed by the people. Singing, drawing, engineering, computer gaming, and other means of art. It could be the hidden art within you. And you have the capabilities of achieving your arististic endeavors.
CHAPTER 2
Colors Of Africa
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The Africans have three main colors they use in their drawings. These colors are red, blue, and gold. Each color symbolizes what they went through in life. For example, gold symbolizes success, which means the Africans have conquered or defeated suffering. For example, when the Africans are happy, they wear bright color outfits such as yellow, gold, blue, and peach.
Africa is defined as modes of colors in form of art. These colors consist of the African kingdom and facial expressions of the people. However, African countries are successful in the work of Arts. In Africa, there are great forests and abundant natural wealth.
In Africa, the artists express their feelings in colors through form of painting. And these colors can be observed.
Africa is well known for its rich artistic endeavor. This artistic endeavor can be observed from the African outfits. These fabrics are called aso oke, adire, and the fi la (the hat). These fabrics are not very common in foreign countries. In African countries, these fabrics are very common. Because they were produced there by the artists and the fashion designers. These fabrics are traditional outfits for the Africans. These fabrics are 100 percent cotton and they last a life time.
Reference / Info:
Check listing: Art: The forest: Damola Art Studio / Damola Interactive / Damola Technology / Chicago
CHAPTER 3
Symbol Of My Art
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I always use gold color in my painting to symbolize success. I always use gold color when I conquer negativity in my life. I used "animation" to interpret my paintings. And that symbolizes my strength in the work of art. I used yellow, cool blues, bright greens, and oranges. This symbolizes success and victory in my painting. In West Africa, my drawing and painting expresses my life experience. The symbol of my art shows the celebration of my tribe and culture. The Yoruba tribe is the symbol of my art works. The symbolic expressions found on my characters indicate my artwork. The hand gestures and body languages interpret my work. The movement of my brush strokes interpret my art works. In my paintings, my brush strokes are animated and symbolic. My logo icon {tribe} represents my work and who I am.
CHAPTER 4
Geographical Color Of Africa
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These art forms of color shows safari, forest, high mountains, falls, and wild life species. The African artists draw from what they see in the geographical part of Africa. From our observation, African artists show the safari with dry soil and less Water (paintings). Certainly, we can believe we draw from our live experiences. From our observation, art is created with different approaches and different feelings.
In the African forest, African artists draw from what they see visually. This art consists of beautiful colorful birds. The colors of the African birds used are red, yellow, green, orange, and blue. From African art, we see the flow movement of flying colorful birds and water. From my art, animation can be observed through the form of water. Creatively, the water flows from the left and right directions.
Let us discuss about the geographical section of the African forest. We know snakes are present in the forest. We know some of the snakes in the deep forests are wild. However, some parts have amusement zoos for the wild species (parks). Therefore, we believe the artist would draw roughly to indicate the endangered species of African art.
CHAPTER 5
Wild Species Of Africa
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According to the wild species, there are lions, tigers, cheetahs, Rhinos, zebras, chimpanzees, and others. These wild species move freely in an open air space region. These animals move freely around, so you are not required to pay to see them. However, caution should be required, while around these wild animals. The elephants, zebras, donkeys are friendly animals. The chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs, & rhinos are considered to be wild species. However, the cheetah is well known as the fastest animal on land. The cheetah has quite an impressive speed ratio.
CHAPTER 6
Two Regions Of Africa
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In Africa, each country has two regions. The African region is divided into two parts. These regions are the city environment and the suburban environment. The city environment is the advanced section of Africa. In the city environment, there are tall commercial buildings and residential buildings. In the city part of Africa, we have development of business, banking, and self trades. Some of the people are self employed in the city and suburban area of Africa. In the city part of Africa, there are wealthy amenities. In the deep suburban region of Africa, there are great shrines, roads, rivers, deep forests, mountains, safaris, villages, and renovated houses. In the suburban region of Africa, there are hunters, farmers, and the poultry industries. In the poultry industry, we have the chickens and egg factory. The great farmers bring the completed enriched foods into the city for trading. From my artistic observation, The tools used for farming were created and designed in the work of art.
The African suburb consists of tall and short trees. In the suburbs, there are trees filled with all kinds of fruits. These fruits are coconuts, mangoes, bananas, pawpaw, pineapples, cocoa, guava, oranges, red plantains, & coffee nuts. The wilderness and safari consists of wild animals (moving around). These wild animals are lions, tigers, cheetahs, Rhinos, Buffalo, and others.
CHAPTER 7
Occupations Of Africa
OCCUPATIONS OF AFRICANS
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The occupations of the Africans are weaving of braids, dyeing of fabrics, fine arts, trading of goods, construction of houses, gold mining, hunting, farming, and agriculture. In Africa, there are natural resources such as gas, oil, palm oil, coffee, coal, gold, diamond, and others. One of the natural resources can be used as petroleum for the automobiles.
However, some of the great workers can tend to change to self-employed workers. These great self employed workers are known as the community workers or community contractors. The contractors build houses and great roads for the community. This occupation is used as a great foundation to improve the landscape of Africa. The contractor employs the workers to build the houses and the roads. From the community, the contractor can generate income on the completed project. The first class jobs are the community workers and the self-employed workers. In the community, the self-employed workers can rent stores. These imported goods are shoes, cars, electronics, high quality jeans, and others. In the community, the self-employed can rent a store. These rented stores can be used to sell the imported goods to the people and public. The people have the privilege to benefit from the imported goods .
The first class and middle class workers consist of the bankers, art designers, art directors, movie producers, furniture designers, architects, computer graphic designers, programmers, and secretaries.
In the community, there are other great class jobs. These other great jobs are burger joint restaurant chefs, bus drivers, mechanics, housekeepers, and construction workers. However, other great class workers can tend to change to entrepreneurs.
Dictionary: Business trade:
Export : selling abroad or sending natural resources to other foreign countries as business trade transactions to benefit its country. Examples: coffee, palm oil, petroleum & wood sculptures.
Import: bringing in or trading in other country resources to its country. Example, canned food: baked beans, peas, pears, cereals, baby foods, & apples. Imported clothes: polo shirts, wrist watches, jeans, and cologne, etc.
Foreign exchange for industries: exchanging natural resources & goods as business trade transactions. This business trade is processed by negotiating and bargaining between two countries.
Examples: cell phones, DVD players, lap tops, TVs, and computers.
CHAPTER 8
Origination Of African Art
ORIGINATION OF MY WORK
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Weaving and braidswere originated from the African continent. That taste of weaving and braids identify the Africans. Weaving and braids are described as visual art. The word "visual" means what we can see with our eyes. This means 'braids' can not be observed internally, but externally(visual).
The visual art shows us where we come from {origination) in the universe. For instance, We know every continent in the universe has its own work of art. From my artistic observation, there are great works of arts in Mexican art, American art, Asian art, Indian art, European art, African art, and others. This defines "us" as great and unique people in the world.
This visual creativity extends to other visual skills such as drawings, dyeing of fabrics, and sculpting. The Africans dye clothes in permanent ink coating liquid form of art. The application of color and style defines the origination of the art.
CHAPTER 9
Comparison To Other World Of Art
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The origination of art predicts the work of a country. The origination of art predicts the style, flow and movement of the work. The origination of my culture predicts my artworks (paintings). In West Africa, I sketched what I have seen in my day to day life experience. These experiences were chasing the animals, climbing the trees, farming, playing with the lizards, soccer playing, and tribal dancing. My other best experiences were traveling, climbing mountains, cooking, and tasting of great dishes of the world. Creatively, learning and appreciating other people's cultures were my favorites. This creates comparison between my artistic endeavors and other great people of the world.
From my experience, I can define how I feel about other artist's art works (painting). I can compare my art to other countries in the world. The word "Imitation" is not my lifestyle. I draw what is on my mind and within my tribe. According to my artworks, I can say I draw in a free form process of art. I will disagree that I imitate other artist's work. And that separates my art work from other artists. In this universe, people learn to imitate other masters in art. A great example, I have read and seen other great masters in the historical works of arts at the museums. These great famous artists were Picasso, Vah Gogh, Michelangelo and others. From my artistic observation, they have highly impressive styles in drawings and paintings. They have the greatest artworks that I have ever seen in the world. Artistically, I admired the historical art works of Michelangelo. Michelangelo was very talented in his artistic works. Michelangelo completed some of his architectural and sculptural projects. I was reading about Michelangelo's work and I realized he continued in his last years to write poetry. Artistically, we all have different points of observation. From my own artistic and historical observation about art, I can assume
"not all heads are the same"
One artist's skills will be better than other artists. Because we are not made the same way. I always have respect for the masters of art. Michelangelo has the greatest skills of all time.
CHAPTER 10
Cultures Of One African Country
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According to my observation about cultures, a language describes the origination of a culture. The culture can be recognized by the way we dress too (styles). The fabric can be used to describe the type of culture within the environment. Culturally, everyone does not dress the same way (background). Every culture has its own great way of dressing. The African females wear braids and head ties on their heads. The African braids come in various forms of art patterns. These braids are micro — braids and corn — braids. The cultural aspect of Africa can also be observed in salutations. In a respectful way, Africans greet each other (Africans). In respect of the Yoruba community, the females kneel down and greet their elders. And the males bend down flat on the floor and greet the elders. And sometimes, lay flat on the floor. The salutation is used with "sir" or "ma". The Yoruba community greets this way to show respect for their elders.
CHAPTER 11
Art Of Speech To Other Countries
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For example, a foreigner visits Africa. The foreigner can be observed. As a state of the foreigner's accent (art of speech/pitch tone). The African could assume the visitor is a foreigner (location/pitch tone). However, the Africans would not know what part of America. America has good reputation of great large cities within its continent and beautiful places. Certainly, every other continent in the world consists of beautiful places and great cultural aspects. Creatively and naturally, we are all blessed. We all have creative skills within us. Europe, Africa, Asia, America are continents. Within these continents, we have numerous countries.
From my observation about African arts, interesting artworks can be observed. Artworks can be observed in different great regions. These different great regions are West Africa, East Africa, North Africa, South Africa, and Central Africa. In West Africa, we have countries as Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, & Benin republic, etc.
In East Africa, we have countries as Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and others. In North Africa, we have countries as Tunisia, Egypt, and others. In Central Africa, we have countries as Cameroon, Central African Republic, Rwanda and others. In South Africa, we have countries as South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and others.
Great fine arts can be found in the beautiful countries of Africa. This defines the rich artistic endeavors of the Africa countries. It is observed that the African traditional outfits are very unique and colorful. The traditional garments were designed for the males and females. From my artistic observation, these traditional outfits are very rich and comfortable. The Custom styled African clothing can be found in the African countries.
This is widly popular in the land of Africa. However, the African traditional outfits have widely spread to other countries of the world. This provides great opportunity for the people to benefit from the African traditional clothing.
CHAPTER 12
Examples Of One African Language: Yoruba
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Creatively, languages can identify one's culture. Let us focus on the cultural aspect. Nigeria consists of ethnic groups and unique languages. There are great kingdoms, castles, kings (Oba), & queens within the cultural regions. There are great languages spoken in different ways. These great languages are Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo. Creatively, I was able to speak the Yoruba language fluently and interpret it in words. These are examples of Yorubalanguage:
Ba wo ni o se se? Translation: How are you doing?
Aye o dun o Translation: Life is sweet
O re mi Translation: I am tired
O tu tu Translation: It is cold
Reference / info: African movies Between Wilson and Broadway, Chicago, IL(north side)
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Excerpted from Art, Tribes, & Cultures Identify Us by Damola Taiwo. Copyright © 2011 Damola Taiwo. Excerpted by permission of iUniverse.
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