LESSON 4
Making a Relief Sculpture The history of African art extends over a vast period, beginning as early as 500 B.C. and continuing to the present. Africa has many traditions and a variety of cultures. Examine the work in Figure 5–9. It is the product of the Kota people, a culture in central Africa.
The Kota sculpture in the picture is an abstract figure. Works like this were placed over a container. Inside the container were the remains of an honored ancestor. The original purpose of the sculptures remains a mystery. One popular view is that the works were meant to drive away evil spirits. What are some other possibilities?
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN You will demonstrate technical skills effectively using a variety of art media and materials to produce a sculpture. You will create an abstract sculpture modeled after the Kota figure in Figure 5–9. Like that sculpture, your work will have formal balance. It will be decorated with a pattern of lines made from glue. These will suggest facial features and add tactile texture.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
One large piece of cardboard, about 12 x 8 inches, and several smaller pieces Pencil Scissors White glue Heavy twine Aluminum foil Transparent or masking tape
Figure 5–9 Compare this African sculpture with the Indian sculpture in Figure 5–7. What details do you notice in each? African. Gabon, Kota. Reliquary Figure. Nineteenth– twentieth century. Wood, brass, copper, iron. 73.3 cm (287⁄8 ). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York. Purchase 1983.
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Chapter 5
Art Through the Ages