7 Signs You Should Invest in Makonde Art
- You are a fan of wood carvings: If you love wood carvings, there are perhaps none finer than those from the Makonde. From wood masks, sculptures, and even household items, there is no shortage of intriguing pieces to add to your personal collection.
- Your home is filled with unique items: If your home décor and design is based on unique items, a piece from the Makonde will fit in perfectly. Add a piece on your mantel, in a display case, or make it the focal point of your living room. Selecting a Limited Edition carving will add a unique touch to any room.
- You want rare items: No two pieces of Makonde art are the same. The pieces are not common here in North America, and you can spend hours looking for a piece that has a rare look and the meaning that you desire.
- You are an art collector: No art collection is complete without a unique piece from the Makonde artisans of Tanzania or Mozambique. The high degree of detail and mystique in these pieces make them a must-have for your collection.
- You have been to Africa and love the culture: One trip to Africa is all you need to fall in love with the art and culture of the Makonde. Having the chance to see artisans first hand and view the intricate carvings and masks in person will make you want to invest, Bringing Africa Home with you
- The Shetani has you intrigued: There is something very intriguing and fascinating about the mythology and story of the Shetani and the dominant role it plays in African culture. It is represented in so many different ways, and the diverse humanistic and animalistic forms it takes on in Makonde art is attention grabbing.
- You are looking for an out of the ordinary décor piece: If you want to break out of cookie cutter design, adding an African mask or unique sculpture is the perfect solution. A piece from the Makonde can easily become the centerpiece or focal point of a room in your home. Fusion or global décor is beautifully communicated by the addition of a unique piece of African handcarved sculpture.
A Guide to Family Tree Style Makonde Sculptures
Origins of Family Tree Style Sculptures
The Family Tree Style sculptures, which are also referred to as “Tree of Life,” date back to the late 1950s and an artistic style called Dimoongo – one of the eight major Makonde styles.Professor Elias Jengo explains:
“A style called Dimoongo (power of strength), which a local political zealot later named Ujamaa, was introduced by the late Roberto Yakobo Sangwani who migrated into Tanzania from Mozambique in the late 1950s. The original style represented a winner in a wrestling match who was carried shoulder high by his colleagues represented in a cluster of figures. Some later versions were carved showing a female figure at the top of a cluster of figures. This was the beginning of a style known as the Makonde family tree.” With a history of name changes, tracking the Makonde Family Tree sculptures can be a little confusing for the average person. Dimoongo, Ujamaa, and Tree of Life all refer to the same style of art. Learn more about the eight Makonde art styles hereSignificance of the Makonde “Family Tree”
Common Characteristics and Depictions
The sculptures, while they can take on a variety of shapes, forms, and sizes, have a number of common characteristics representing the symbolism and significance of the carvings. The carvings typically include:- A column of people, with one central figure surrounded by smaller figures
- One large figure at the top of the pole – often a central figure such as a tribal chief. More modern carvings typically have a female figure at the top
- They commonly depict members of extended family – often representing multiple generations
- People are often depicted climbing or holding each other up (representing support)
- People are often shown performing traditional tasks and local work such as cooking or farming
- The sculptures have become popular because of their intricate design and decor.
- They are carved from African blackwood (also known as mpingo)
- High quality pieces are carved from a single large tree trunk
Lessons in African Art – 6 Quick Buying Tips
- Diversity: African art is diverse—in fact, more diverse than most realize. This makes it very difficult to generalize. There are more than 1,000 cultural groups living on the continent. Each of the 5 main regions has developed its own cultural and artistic identity. Each region and/or cultural group has also been influenced by other cultures, depending on where they are located and the influences brought to the area by other cultural and ethnic groups.
- Traditional Wood Carvings: Traditional wood carvings are the most widely recognized and popular forms of African art, with masks and sculpture being the two most symbolic forms. However, wood décor and furniture have also become popular. Many of the traditional pieces are carved using African Blackwood (also known as Mpingo) and ebony.
- African Masks: There are three basic types of African masks that you will encounter – head dresses, face masks and helmet-style masks. These masks are worn in many different religious and ritualistic ceremonies, and each one has a specific meaning and symbolism based on appearance, design and symbols used.
- African Sculptures: One of the primary things you will notice about African sculpture is the unique and often abstract design elements. Most are vertical and tubular in shape, often abstractly representing human-like figures and specific themes centering on life and spirituality.
- Intricate Details: Every nuance is there for a reason. Carvings with smooth surfaces represent beauty and health; rough surfaces represent deformity or moral flaws. Artists pride themselves on their emphasis of high quality craftsmanship and materials.
- Subjects and Themes: African art has often been created to be used as part of a ceremony or ritual, rather than specifically as a decor item or embellishment. This approach significantly changes how African art is constructed. Common themes and symbolism include:
- Abstract human and animal images
- A man with a weapon
- Women with their children
- An outsider or stranger
- A religious or mythical spirit
- Luminosity and smooth surface designs
- Themes of wisdom, protection, family, youthfulness, self-composure
T is for Teapot - A Brief (but Fascinating) History
We've been using teapots for thousands of years. No kidding, thousands!
Teapots were invented back in the Yuan Dynasty (in China). The design likely progressed gradually from ceramic kettles and wine pots made of metals. Prior to that, only cauldrons were used to boil tea which was then served in bowls.
By the Ming Dynasty, use of the teapot was widespread in China
Early teapots were small in comparison to what we use today, as they were usually designed for a single tea drinker. Believe it or not, once the tea was brewed, they usually drank it straight from the teapot spout! If I'd done that as a child, my grandmother would have clipped my ear! Different strokes for different folks, indeed.
They might have actually been onto something, as single portions of tea are easier to control with regard to flavour and are easier to repeat consistently.
From the 17th century onward, tea was shipped from China to Europe, along with exotic spices and other luxuries. Porcelain teapots, often painted in the familiar blue and white we associate with many Chinese ceramics, were also shipped out.
Here's a fun fact! Because porcelain is completely vitrified, it can stand subjection to seawater without harm. Therefore the teapots could be stowed below deck. The tea, however, had to be stowed above deck in order to remain dry.
At first, tea drinkers in Europe were of the upper class.
At that time, porcelain couldn't be made in Europe. So tea and teapots were fairly expensive, limiting consumption to those who could readily afford it. It wasn't until 1708 that Ehrenfriend Walther von Tschirnaus figured out how to make porcelain and started the Meissen Factory (in Dresden) in 1710.
In the Americas, Boston was a centre for silver craftsmanship. We're sure you've heard of the Revere family, whose works of art included teapots.
Paul Revere's Famous Ride
Source: Creative Commons, Labeled for Reuse
Early English homes used tea cosies to keep their teapot hot after the tea had brewed. They work - as we still utilize them today! Knitters and crocheters in our family used to compete for the most intricate and whimsical tea cosy creations!Many people enjoy collecting teapots
I know, because I'm one of them! In all my years of collecting (and I have quite a few teapots), I have never seen such intricate, whimsical teapots as produced by Ardmore Studio. These teapots would be quite suitable on the table at The Mad Hatter's Tea Party! In fact, we're proud to tell you that some of our lovely ceramics from The Ardmore Collection are on display at the shop at the prestigious Gardiner Museum in Toronto now through the end of March 2018.At first glance, most people can't tell that this is a teapot! Look closely and you will see that it is. Can't you just see this lovely piece on the tea table in Alice in Wonderland? We sure can!
The Ardmore Collection Distinctive, Heirloom Quality Fine Ceramics
On Springvale Farm, located in the KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), a most astounding art studio is found. Ardmore Ceramics has been acknowledged by the acclaimed auction house - Christie's - as producers of "modern day collectibles". Styled in an exuberant, exotic (even, may we say, whimsical style), the ceramics produced by this remarkable atelier are superb examples of design and craftsmanship. Often inspired by wildlife, Ardmore Ceramics have been exhibited in leading galleries and collections around the world, including The Museum of Art & Design in New York and The Museum of Cultures in Basel (Switzerland). Ardmore's modern art style breaks ceramic conventions, using techniques resulting from years of experimentation with materials and processes. The vibrant colours and enormous attention to detail are simply superb.B is for Bowl - The Most Versatile Vessel Ever
Almost every definition of a bowl goes pretty much as follows . . .
a round, deep dish or basin used for food or liquid
But we beg to differ!
Bowls can be round. But they can also be square, rectangular, oval, oblong - you get the drift. And, not to put too fine a point on it, they can be used for a lot more than consuming liquids or foods.
Latte bowls for drinking coffee. Small tip bowls on your favourite coffee shop counter. Great big bowls for storing things like DVDs, pens, pencils, notepaper. Bowls to hold ever-multiplying remotes on your coffee table. Prep bowls for food. Condiment bowls for spices and relishes. Frankly, I have a fabric bowl on my desk (made by my talented sister who sews) that is what I call my flotsam and jetsam bowl. In other words, a catch-all for whatever I don't know what to do with!
Punch bowls abound at weddings and other celebrations. Big wooden salad bowls are used to create Caesar Salads from scratch tableside in some restaurants.
Bowls can be made of many different types of materials as well
Ceramic, porcelain, plastic, wood, stone, glass, metal - just to name what readily comes to mind.
Bowls have been in use for thousands of years
Bowls have been found dating back thousands of years in archeological digs in China, Ancient Greece and some Native American cultures.In ancient Greece, bowls called phiales included a small dent in the centre of the bowl that enabled the bowl to be more easily held or steadied with a finger. Some sources think these phiales were used for perfume instead of wine or other liquids. Imagine! A perfume bowl.
So far as we know, the oldest bowl ever found is 18,000 years old.
Some Chinese pottery bowls have been dated back to the Neolithic period.
Lastly, we think this bit of trivia is very cool!
Did you know that a bowl is also a standard unit of measure? One bowl is 3.75 cups or 887.2059 ml.
The Ardmore Collection Distinctive, Heirloom Quality Fine Ceramics - Including Bowls!
On Springvale Farm, located in the KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), a most astounding art studio is found. Ardmore Ceramics has been acknowledged by the acclaimed auction house - Christie's - as producers of "modern day collectibles". Styled in an exuberant, exotic (even, may we say, whimsical style), the ceramics produced by this remarkable atelier are superb examples of design and craftsmanship. Often inspired by wildlife, Ardmore Ceramics have been exhibited in leading galleries and collections around the world, including The Museum of Art & Design in New York and The Museum of Cultures in Basel (Switzerland). Ardmore's modern art style breaks ceramic conventions, using techniques resulting from years of experimentation with materials and processes. The vibrant colours and enormous attention to detail are simply superb.5 Misconceptions About African Art and Culture
Misconception #1
Africa is a country
Let’s start with perhaps the biggest piece of misinformation that exists about Africa – it is not a country. It’s a continent and it is comprised of more than 50 distinct countries. Now that this is out of the way, let’s take a look at some other misunderstandings.Misconception #2
We can’t do anything to help
Many assume that there is little we can do to help and assume the entire continent is like what we see in commercials on TV. There are many ways that we can help regions of Africa that are in need. Zawadee gives back in three ways . . .- charitable donations through charity: water (Zawadee donates 2% of all sales and also supports PIPELINE)
- Supporting African Artisans and Entrepreneurs through micro funding. These methods help to empower African artisans and entrepeneurs.
- providing a sales, marketing and distribution channel for African artisans and entrepreneurs