Art produced in Africa may seem complex, but it is truly a simple masterpiece. African artists have been responsible for defining, writing or painting their history and identity. An utmost intriguing symbiosis arises of African culture, the implementation of native media, symbols, and various issues encompassing economic disparity and shaky sovereignty. The market for modern and contemporary African art has steadily grown for the last few years. Looking back at the beginnings of this beautiful culture, one of Africa's most valuable assets is important. Many different religions are practiced across the continent, including Islam and Christianity. Through this article, we look at how elements of culture have influenced African art. Although traditional African art and aesthetics greatly vary from country to country, elements are shared across the continent.

African Art and cultural identity

African cultures, in addition to being the 2^nd most populous continent on the planet, have played an important role in human history for many years. Africa is home to a rich cultural history which has been passed down through the centuries. Some of it has gradually faded with time. Some say that African art cannot be captured in an image or a photograph. And although not all African art is tribal, it is best known for its bright colors and distinctive complex designs. There is also tremendous diversity in an image as there are different languages spoken across the continent.

Historical connection

African art is always an expression of a story about its predecessors. African art originated as one of the earliest forms of communication and was documented long before history. African tribal art serves as a historical reservoir in the process of cultural identity formation. As a result, an artist can now use their work to identify with the culture, thereby shaping African contemporary artwork.

Religious beliefs

African religion and folklore, similar to all cultures, are varied and diverse. In addition, spirituality and culture coexist and are intertwined in most African cultures. And the majority of these cultural and religious beliefs about the spirit world are depicted in contemporary and traditional artwork. Statues, masks, and sculptures are examples of common artworks depicting these beliefs. It is said that these sculptures and statues served as a conduit for communication with the spiritual forces.

Storytelling

Storytelling has always been an important part of African society. They have a voracious appetite for stories long before written texts were possible. It was also a means of instilling moral values in the youth. Most African cultures took this element a step further by incorporating storytelling into their art. A lot has been taught and learnt about African heritage through paintings as a result. Even at present, most artists will use paint to tell stories to bring their African artwork to life.

Use of materials

African artists use a variety of materials, including silver, gold, copper, brass, ivory, wood, clay and beads amongst the rest. Several artists wish to identify with their Ghanaian roots that draw inspiration from the Kente and create outstanding African tribal artwork that speaks directly to one's emotions. Kente; is a traditional handwoven cloth with silk and cotton texture.

Cultural Practices

African culture employs a variety of expression forms, such as dance, music, clothing, cuisine and language. To identify with a specific culture, one must first understand its norms. For example, the traditional dances in the Egyptian community can be portrayed very colorfully by an Egyptian artist attempting to identify with his or her culture.

Color Symbolism

In terms of style, delivery and inspiration, African art takes center stage as its very diverse. However, the majority of African artwork uses color to convey symbolism. African tribal art, primarily sculptures are steeped in symbolism. The use of color is intended to communicate directly with one's soul. Ex, the color red conveys danger or urgency. With this in mind, color can be used to depict specific emotions in contemporary African artwork.

African contemporary artwork

The contemporary artwork of Africans is perhaps one of the most frequently misunderstood concepts in both the African diaspora and among Africans in general. Contemporary African art began when colonialists first arrived in Africa. Contemporary African artwork is an art which has conquered and is accepted by Western culture.

As much as young artists wish to express their connection to African art, the art must always be different due to Western cultural influence. This significantly impacts African art whenever an artist attempts to identify with a specific African style. Despite its long and profuse tradition, even today the art of Africa remains mostly misunderstood and overlooked outside of the continent. Many people find it hard to relate to African representations of social status, beauty, spirituality, and ethics, so distinct from what we are used to seeing in the Western world.