SKETCHING

Starting from curiosity and sketching, going through the recognition and acknowledgment of another cultures, to thoughtful and selective collecting of the masterpieces, getting into contact with various artists, collectors, dealers and all individuals interested in art, all those who have enriched my life…

SCARIFICATION

“Scarification almost always happens in a culture where there is so much melanin in the skin that it would be difficult to see a tattoo,” hence, why scaring is the common form of tattoo practice (Brooks, K 2017). The cuts and scarring can symbolize identity in a number of ways, whether it be status within a community, passage into adulthood or a connection to a spiritual group (Brooks, K 2017). The markings on these individuals represent important social information such as rank, genealogy, marital status, social status, and tribal or clan membership, and both are often performed as a part of a rite of passage, generally enabling the wearer to move from youth into adulthood in African cultures

SCARIFICATION

Today one might render scarification practices as irrelevant or uncultured practices but to those who do practice these, there is a significant amount of meaning behind these. In African cultures, scarification holds significant meanings and represent many ideologies among their culture. These practices are painful and by wearing a tattoo or scar is a sign of one’s strength and bravery and these tattooings practices are often seen as a form of beautification, without which the individual would be less attractive (DeMello, M 2007). many African cultures use scarring to display important life events: for boys, scarring occurs for their first kill in battle and for their bravery; and for girls, scarring occurs for life developments such as first menstruation and enhancing one’s beauty for marriage (Carmen, R., Guitar, A., & Dillon H 2012). In Africa, women are more commonly scarred and wear more elaborate designs than men.

HAIR STYLES IN AFRICA

“It’s your crowning glory, the top of your knot,the pinnacle of your person, your icing on the cake. It’s your hair and you don’t feel good unless your hair looks good.But what does it say about you? Your life, your personal style, your place in the community?” The hair styles is a part of a long history and tradition in Black Africa.They still preserve their old symbolism and their quality as attributes of the gods. Biological component of the human body long time ago has become a cultural element of social communication and important part of the tribal life.

HAIR STYLES IN AFRICA

There is in Black Africa an undeniable link between coiffure and beauty. If your hair is poorly looked, after you maybe criticized and insulted or even worse, you may be called a lunatic , an outlaw, a witch doctor or an evil spirit. Uncut hair was associated with dangerous behavior: madmen let their locks grow and the same style were worn by royal executioners. A primary tool for shaping and teasing the hair is the comb, butter or vegetable oil rubbed with earth or lime. Hair is often stitched over supports of bamboo,wood or basketry. As a decorative element is often used ivory pins, golden plates,pearls or simple flowers depending on the status, richness or ethic origin of the person.

HAIR STYLES IN AFRICA

The fear that some of your hair might fall into the hands of the person who wished you evil and who could use them to do you harm, justifies the greatest possible care in selecting the person who will do your hair. The styling session lasted from several hours to several days and permitted the stylist and the client to exchange privat information or to talk about the life of the village. A mother might instruct her daughter about her future role as a wife and so on.

HAIR STYLES IN AFRICA

The earliest European references to hair styles in Black Africa dates back to 1445 from Cado Mosto, a Venetian slave trader and explorer, hired by the Portuguese prince Henry who undertook two journeys to West Africa. “Both sexes go bare footed and uncovered, but wave their hair into beautiful tresses, which they tie on various knots. They oil it every day with the fat of fish, which makes them smell very strong, yet they repute it very modish “.

HAIR STYLES IN AFRICA

Since then, hair styles changed: what was fashionable week, a year or perhaps as long as a generation ago, gives way to new forms, which in turn one day will be replaced, but the meaning and symbolism will always remain the same as the old history and traditions of Africa.

ART COLLECTOR | SKETCH ARTIST

Bibliography “ Hair in African Art and Culture” . Edited by Roy Sieber and Frank Herreman The Museum for African Art, New York PRESTEL. Munich, London, New Yourk