Abdoulaye Konaté is one the brightest stars of the African art scene. Konaté is renown for his work with figures and textiles.
Abdoulaye Konaté was born in Diré, Mali in the year 1953. The artist studied at the National Art Academy located in Bamako, Mali. The artist went on to study abroad and at the National Institute for Art located in Havana, Cuba.
The artist is now based out of Bamako. He works as a graphics designer and has worked for the National Museum.
Though his work is very abstract it is based on actual events and feelings. His work has explored thoughts on racism, religion, and A.I.D.S.
Konaté likes to use materials that are unique to Mali.
Price range information: Sorry none available.
Below a wonderful clip showing closeup views of works by the artist:
Having seen the much hyped work of El Anatsui at the Denver Museum, I am much more impressed by the works of Konaté as his works mix both realism and abstraction. Both have a similar sense of design, but for me Konaté’s work is bold and easy to understand.
Walter Mariga is a Shona artist from Zimbabwe and the son of first generation Shona artist Joram Mariga. Walter Mariga is renown or his work with the human figure and torso.
As you have noticed in many of these clips of shona artists, it takes many people to finish a work, mainly to execute the variety of textures found in shona art. Walter Mariga learned his skill by assisting his father in the polishing of stones. Walter than started doing his own work in 1993.
In this clip we view Walter Mariga at work whilst he gives us an interview on his artistic background and inspiration:
Price range information: Sorry none available.
Be sure and check out my post on the artist’s father, first generation Shona artist Joram Mariga, who also worked with the figure.
Collen Nyanhongo is a Shona artist born in Zimbabwe in the year 1972 . He is the son of first generation Shona artist Claude Nyanhongo.
Collen Nyanhongo is unusual as a Shona artist as he works in an abstract style. He also works with the figure on occasion.
Nyanhongo is collected internationally and has shown his work on the continents of Africa, Europe, and North America.
The artist works mainly with opal and spring stone. The smooth part of the rock is a key element in his work. He achieves this by heating the rock and then infuse it with polish.
Price range information: Sorry none available.
In this clip we watch Collen Nyanhongo at work and also watch an interview with the artist:
Its great to see someone break the mold in the Nyanhongo family. Most artists work with the figure or some kind of representational realism. Collen Nyanhongo work is more about the process of creating his stone sculpture.
Yusuf Grillo was born in Lagos, Nigeria in the year 1934. Grillo just recently set a new auction record for himself with a sale at 80,000 euros at Bonham’s Auction House of London, England.
Grillo studied in Europe and Africa for his artistic education. The artist worked as a professor of art and printing at the Yaba College of Technology.
What I enjoy most about Grillo’s work is his use of color. I love the blue tinted figures and the way he takes control of the color of the clothes. Often you may view an African figure with a leopard or wild animal pattern that when wrapped around a human figure, can make the viewer concentrate on the clothes, rather than the figure.
Okpu Eze was born in what is now Abia State,Nigeria in the year 1932. Eze attended college in Africa and London, England. Eze was both an accomplished painter and sculptor.
Whilst in London, Eze became involved with the art crowd and as a result was made an associate member of the Royal Society of British Artists. Eze also participated in the art world as an art critic in his native country of Nigeria.
Okpu Eze passed away in 1995.
Price range information: Works range from $4,000 to $30,000.
Eze was head of the Society of Nigerian Artists for many years before his passing.
In addition to checking out the Shona art movement of Zimbabwe and the surrounding area, lets take a look at another ethnic group of people called the Yoruba. The Yoruba can be found in Nigeria and Benin, in the Western area of the continent of Africa.
Lamidi Fakeye was an internationally collected and possible the most famous artist in Africa during his lifetime. Lamidi Fakeye was born in Orangun, Nigeria in the year 1928. Fakeye was renown for his sculptures and carvings of people and religious themes.
In 2010 a documentary was completed about Lamidi Fakeye. Here a quick trailer for the movie including many works of art:
Fakeye comes from a long line of artists. Like the Ashevak’s of the Inuit, the Wyeths of the United States, of the Nyanhongo’s of Zimbabwe, Fakeye’s family is renown for the artistic ability and Lamidi was a fifth generation artist.
The artist was apprenticed to a master artist named George Arowoogun.
Lamidi Fakeye passed away on Christmas Day of 2009.
Price range information: Sorry none available.
In this clip we view the artist at work and view some already completed carvings:
If you are in Washington D.C. be sure and visit the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and see the doors on the African Room which were carved by Lamidi Fakeye.
A very interesting note is that much of Fakeye’s work had to do with Christian art and religious themes. Fakeye’s work was in huge demand for church doors and panels. Fakeye had a great knowledge of this subject even though he himself was a Muslim.
Richard Mupumha is a great Shona artist born in Rusape, Zimbabwe in the year 1963.Richard Mupumha is the uncle to Onias Mupumha. Its easy to see how Onias was influenced as both of the artists like to work with floral and botanical works. Richard Mupumha also makes wonderful sculptures of women.
Like Laurence Lowry, please take not of the hands as they are quite large, strong, and powerful.
Richard Mupumha began carving with wood and working with clay as the age of twelve years old.
The artist has a nephew named Richard Mupumha Junior who will be an upcoming post.
In this clip we view a great figurative work by Richard Mupumha. I love the play with the two faces in overall basic shape:
Price range information: Works range from $500 to $5,000. Like many Shona artists Mupumha works with serpentine stone.
What a great family of artists! More on this family coming soon!
Bernard Matemera was another first generation Shona artist from Zimbabwe. Bernard Matemera was born in Guruve, Zimbabwe in the year 1946.
The artist spent much of his career based out of the sculpture park at Tengenege Sculpture Community.
The artist was working in the agriculture industry as a driver for tobacco farmers and he happened to meet the owner of the Tengenenge Sculpture Community where many other Shona artists resided due to the bountiful stone deposits located at the farm.
Matemera passed away in 2006.
The artist was internationally renown and collected.
Below a great example of Bernard Matemera:
A favorite theme was animals and wildlife. The artist carved mainly in serpentine.
Matemera was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art located in New York City.
Ablade Glover was born in Accra, Ghana in the year 1934. Glover is among the most popular living African artists. He works with thick paint and warm colors trying to capture the heat and atmosphere of the continent alongside the energy of the very large masses of people.
In this clip a great interview with Ablade Glover that begins with how he became an artist:
For his collegiate education Ablade Glover studied at The University of Art and Science and Technology located in Kumasi, Ghana. Glover also attended the Central School of Art and Design located in London,England. Glover also attended the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in England. The artist also attended school in the United States at Kent State in Kent, Ohio and Ohio State University located in Columbia, Ohio.
Glover is collected internationally including the Prince and Princess of Japan.
Price range information: Works range from $5,000 to $20,000.
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