Book Description
How do Africans use art to communicate with their ancestors? How are African masks used? These and many other intriguing questions are explored in this handsome, full-color portfolio, designed to introduce newcomers to African art and aesthetics. In addition to twenty-four 8 1/2" x 11" unbound images, the African Art Portfolio comes with a twenty-four-page booklet that includes a brief introduction to African art and four short, well-illustrated essays that provide background information on each image. ... Read more

Book Description
The artwork presented in this book is a small representation of a very remarkable effort by African Americans in the United States during the twentieth century. Well suited for both individual and classroom use, Discovering African American Art for Children pairs great works of art with thought-provoking questions. The author leads this visual exploration and interaction. Children are invited to wake up with Romare Bearden's "Morning", to explore and join in important ceremonies as revealed in Clementine Hunter's "Baptism", and to stroll along the busy sidewalk in front of Jacob Lawrence's "Brownstones". They can explore the ideas and the unique struggles of African American artists and their contribution to the culture of the United States. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A wonderful introduction to the world of art for children
You will enjoy this wonderful children's book.The illustrations are large and beautiful.It brings to light, for adults as well as children, the knowledge of some of the great African American artists and their work.Unfortunately, they are almost never spoken of or taught in classrooms today.One illustration called "The Funeral Procession" gained notoriety because of an episode of the Cosby Show in which the character "Clair Huxtable" is supposedly related to the artist, Ellis Wilson.Had it not been for this Cosby episode, many would never have heard of the artist or his body of work.Although this book is especially for children, adults will find themsevles reading it without their children.Parents be fair, let the kids read it too!!!

What a sad state of affairs that any race of people does not knowit's own great artist, inventors or great thinkers.There is a lesson to be learned here.In the meantime though I encourage you to share this amazing piece of African American history with your children no matter what your nationality is.The artists therein are not just African American artist but also Americans. PERIOD. This is American artwork at it's finest and most interesting.Mr. Rolling has done an excellent job of introducing our young people to the world of art.Hopefully, this will not be his last effortin the area of children's books.This is a truly enjoyable and inspired work. You'll find it well worth the reading. ... Read more

Book Description
Although he never set foot in Africa, Picasso had a passion for African art. Throughout the course of his life he assembled a unique collection of statues and masks. Comprising more than 120 objects, Picasso's private collection can now be found in museums in Paris such as the Louvre, Musée Quai Branly and the Musée Picasso, as well as in the private collections of members of Picasso's family. This beautiful book documents the entire collection and examines it as a whole. It features documentary photographs, a section of stunning color plates, and detailed ethnographic descriptions of each piece, providing a full account of Picasso's relationship with African and Oceanic art. This important publication sheds new light on the fascination non-Western art held for one of twentieth century's most important artists. ... Read more

Book Description
The presence of African influence and tradition in the Americas has long been recognized in art, music, language, agriculture, and religion. T. J. Desch Obi explores another cultural continuity that is as old as eighteenth-century slave settlements in South America and as contemporary as hip-hop culture. In this thorough survey of the history of African martial arts techniques, Obi maps the translation of numerous physical combat techniques across three continents and several centuries to illustrate how these practices evolved over time and are still recognizable in American culture today. Some of these art traditions were part of African military training while others were for self-defense and spiritual discipline.

Grounded in historical and cultural anthropological methodologies, Obi's investigation traces the influence of well-delineated African traditions on long-observed but misunderstood African and African American cultural activities in North America, Brazil, and the Caribbean. He links the Brazilian martial art capoeira to reports of slave activities recorded in colonial and antebellum North America. Likewise Obi connects images of the kalenda African stick-fighting techniques to the Haitian Revolution. Throughout the study Obi examines the ties between physical mastery of these arts and changing perceptions of honor.

Including forty-five illustrations, this rich history of the arrival and dissemination of African martial arts in the Atlantic world offers a new vantage for furthering our understanding of the powerful influence of enslaved populations on our collective social history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Best Book on African Headdress
African hats are great! This beautiful, scholarly book shows and tells you why. In conjunction with the grand opening of our Hillcrest, San Diego location in 1997 we presented our first museum-style show where African Hats and Headdress was the theme. This worthy book, along with African Art curator Ian Allen, served as our guide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An introduction to the art and culture of Africa
The World Art & Culture series looks at cultures around the world, looking at actual artifacts to explain how and what we can learn about a culture by examining its art.In "African Art & Culture," Jane Bingham looks at a wide variety of art forms: rock art, architecture, pottery, body art and adornment, textiles, masks, wood carving metalwork, baskets, gourds, and eggshells, and musical instruments.For example, the cover of this volume had a wooden portrait of the head of an Ife king imposed over a 50-yar-old Kente cloth robe.Although the volume focuses on sub-Sahara African art and culture, Bingham does touch on cross-currents in terms of both Arab and European influences.

The volume is illustrated with color photographs of various art objects (e.g., a church carved out of solid rock and the traditional jewelry of the Fulani) and young readers will learn why the mud mosques of northern and western Africa are rebuilt each year, what the different colors in bead necklaces symbolize, and what are fantasy coffins.Bingham shows how these various arts and crafts provide insights into African cultures, reflecting not only their history and beliefs and but also their technology and daily lives.She reinforces the idea that every piece of African art tells us something about the environment and the culture in which it was developed, which can obviously be extended to other cultures around the world.

Throughout the book some words appear in bold and are defined in the Glossary in the back of the book that goes from "abstract" to the "Vandals."A chart explains the various African Ethnic Groups discussed in the book and identifying the area of Africa in which they live today (e.g., the Ife of western Africa and the Mbuti of the Congo River).Other volumes in the World Art & Culture series include "Indian Art & Culture," "Japanese Art & Culture," and "Mexican Art & Culture." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Disappointing design and layout
While the content of this book is, for the most part, informative and interesting (although limited in its geographical reach within Africa), the production side leaves a lot to be desired. The bold, heavy typeface is ugly and hard to read and rivers of white space running down the columns give the typesetting an unprofessional look - this is the kind of basic typesetting error one expects in a cheap flyer, not in a glossy coffee table book. There are several typing errors, which are annoying, and the book could also have done with a good edit. For example, the author declines to explain various weaving processes because they are apparently too technical, but stating this at least three times in one book suggests that either the author doesn't understand the processes himself, or he has a rather low opinion of his readers' capacity to understand them. Either way, a good edit could have ironed out the repetition of this problem, or found a way to explain these technical processes - for example, simple line illustrations could have been used to show graphically what the author was not able to put into words. While the photos are generally good and make one really want to see the textiles in the flesh, as it were, those that are meant to show more detail are often not sufficiently close up to really provide much more information. They come across as repetition or as gap-fillers rather than serving any more useful function. There are several examples in the section on raffia cloths of Zaire, and a glaring example on pages 68/69. A more successful example is on pages 76/77, where the detail does in fact show more detail.

Good Introductory Book on African textiles.
This is a very interesting and informative book on this subject.It makes one appreciate the workmanship and artistic style of these fabrics.This book, first, describes the main materials and techniques of African cloth production and decoration and, then, explores in detail a few of the more popular of the African textiles.These include Raffia cloths of Zaire, Kente(Royal Cloth of the Ashanti), Bogolan (Mud-Dyed Cloth of Mali),Aso Oke (Ceremonial Cloth of the Yoruba), and African Wax -Printed Cloths.Detailed descriptions and full-color photographs not onlly glorifies the art but makes one understand the real African textiles from the African influenced copies.

Excellent
Great photos, well researched, unstuffy, accessible, respectful and more or less contemporary. The noteson futhur reading could have been expanded and anindex would have been helpful. ... Read more

Book Description
In the West, hairstyle choices range from the purely functional to the complex fashion statement.In the African continent their significance is far greater.Hair can be an indicator of age, authority, social status, and religious affiliation, as well as part of a long tradition of aesthetic adornment or a strictly contemporary style statement.In some cultures hair itself is used as a potent substabce with supernatural power. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Great Illustrations but Little Text
Although some reviewers list this book as over 500 pages, it is actually only 144 (see Amazon's Book Description). It has excellent illustrations, however, there is very little text. The introduction is approximately 15 pages and each illustration is accompanied by a short paragraph of text. If you are searching for visuals this is definately a good choice. However, if you are looking for information you may want to purchase an additional book (or different book). I am a art history student looking to broaden my knowledge of Egytian art and this is a great first step for those looking to do the same.

When the Pyramids Were Built
Wonderful Book
This book is a gorgeous and lavish catalogue of selected, exquisite, and little-known works of Egyptian art dating from the Old-Kingdom. I truly love it, and I recommend it to anyone interested in ancient art. I particularly loved the special devotion to fragments of statues and small works of art not usually seen, but as beautiful if not more pronounced than the usual art seen in other books. An masterpiece of art in itself.

Superb Illustration Of The Glories Of Egypt's Old Kingdom
This magnificent volume devoted to the approximate 500 years that made up Egypt's Old Kingdom period(2649-2150 B.C.), is truly unsurpassed in information and artifacts that were brought together from collections in Egypt, France, Italy, Britain, the United States and elsewhere for a unique travelling exhibition titled: "Egyptian Art In The Age Of The Pyramids". As a lover of all things to do with Ancient Egypt I was amazed by this wonderful work that had as its focus not the frequently photographed treasures of Tutankhamen or the Valley of the Kings but instead on this much earlier period of Egyptian history that saw some of Egypt's most wonderous works of art and building accomplished.

For those not able to see the exhibition this book is a wonderful guide and source of information that can be enjoyed by people just developing an interest in early Egypt and also by those with a fairly advanced knowledge of this civilisation and its wonders. I was amazed by the terrific attention to detail and especially by the fact that many of the items featured have not been widely seen or examined in detail before. The volume begins with some detailed maps of the different regions of Egypt in the Old Kingdom period so that the reader can get a feel for where the various items featured originated from. A brief run down on the six dynasties of the Old Kingdom and their history including the Pharaohs who reigned during them is also included and certainly helps to give the items a proper time frame and place in the overall history of Egypt. The first chapters of the book cover specific areas of interest and vary from a detailed examination of the incredible Step Pyramid of King Djoser through various tombs of officials and court dignitaries to an examination of royal statuary, furniture of the old Kingdom, and the excavations that have taken place at old Kingdom sites. Each of these chapters contain a detailed commentary of the topic under discussion by various world wide experts and each include breathtaking colour and black and white photographs, maps and drawn ilustrations of tomb reliefs and wall paintings. The text in these chapters is clear and concise and easy to follow while still being incredibly informative with much background information included. These chapters really are a great introduction to all facets of cultural and religious life in the Old Kingdom.

The second section of "Egyptian Art In The Age of The Pyramids", deals with each individual artifact that was included in the travelling exhibition. Each item is accompanied by a beautiful colour illustration photographed often against a neutral background for maximum effect and also includes any other available photos that may have been taken when the piece was being excavated or from the site it was found in . Each item also has a detailed description and a background history and includes which dynasty of the Old Kingdom it comes from and who the reigning Pharaoh was at that time. Measurements and the loaning museum are also included to give a very detailed run down on the modern origins of each piece. The marvel of the items as stated is that both well known and quite rare items are included in the volume. We get to see such diversely famous pieces as the blue tile wall decorations from the under ground chambers of the Step Pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser, and the majestic twin statue of Pharaoh Menkaure and his Queen, through to the extremely rare Silver and Turquoise inlaid braclets belonging to Queen Hetep-Heres, the mother of Pharaoh Cheops, and the extremely touching statue of Queen Ankh-Nes-Meryre nursing her young son, the boy Pharaoh Pepi II. Less well known pieces such as vivid wall paintings from some of the nobles tombs, wooden statues of farmersand alabaster vases in the shape of monkeys from unknown sources really bring to life the everyday existence of both the priviledged and the general population during the six dynasties of the Old Kingdom.

As an amateur Egyptologist I would dearly have loved to see this original exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art however having missed that this splendid book is a perfect way to enjoy the wonderful artifacts that were included and to learn in a detailed but user friendly way much about Egypt during the Old Kingdom. "Egyptian Art In The Age Of The Pyramids", is one of the most tresured books in my personal library and I highly recommend it to all readers interested in ancient history and in early Egypt in particular. This volume itself is a true treasure just like all the precious items it so lovingly features in its pages. Enjoy!

AN AMAZING LOOK AT THE ANCIENT WORLD
You don't have to be an Egyptologist to appreciate the exhaustive research that went into the compilation of this catalogue that accompanieD a blockbuster exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

The amazing work of Old Kingdom (c.2650 - 2150 B.C.E.) artists is splendidly displayed on glossy fact filled pages.

Wonderful Pictures
The aim of the book is to capture the many artifacts of the old kingdom.in this regard, its aim is not to be informative by being detailed on the old kingdom history - there are many books which attempt to do this.

having stated the aim of the book, i should judge it on the quality of the pictures: they are superb!! one of the best pictures i have seen, especially considering that they are indoor pictures! the grain is non-visible, this makes a difference for such a relatively pricy book.

Many of the pictures fill the whole page and this creates a striking image!It is a great buy if you want to collect good pictures on egypt!

One minor disappointment is that they omitted some of the most interesting pictures or artifacts of the old kingdom, which you find in other books.For example and most importantly the bas relief of king djoser at the ny metropolitan museum.yet, i probably know why.. ... Read more

Book Description
Artist, academician, art critic, author Keith Morrison (b. 1942) is a man of unparalleled talents whose artistic range covers both abstraction and figuration. Jamaican born, Morrison was exposed to both traditional art and the larger global art community; in the United States he studied figure drawing, painting, and printmaking at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, basing his style of abstraction on geometric forms, music, and geography. Subsequently influenced by political events, emotionally charged situations, and cross cultural sources, he then turned to figurative art, becoming "a painterly storyteller."

Through selected paintings and informed text, Renee Ater introduces us to this master artist, whose attention to detail, ethnicity, humor, color, and the sacred and the secular captures the essence of a fantastical imagination. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A uniquely intimate and personal perspective
Comprising the fifth volume of "The David C. Driskell Series of African American Art", Keith Morrison showcases and explores the distinctive style of Keith Morrison, a Jamaican-born artist who became one of the leading figures in the American art world through the early 1960s through 2004. Morrison was a prolific painter as well as a respected scholar. This superbly illustrated monograph reveals the impact of his paintings on African American art, its critics, and Morrison's personal life as it impacted on his art. More than sixty full-color oil and watercolors depicting Morrison's abstract and figurative paintings provide the reader with the basis for appreciating the artist's subtly comic, religious, philosophical, and political viewpoints as depicted in his paintings -- some of which are included in the Smithsonian Institution and the Art Institute of Chicago, among other prestigious museums and collections around the country. Of special interest is the informative foreword by David C. Driskell who was a colleague and a friend of Keith Morrison and provides a uniquely intimate and personal perspective on the man and his work. Also very highly recommended for academic library Art History collections are the previous volumes in the David C. Driskell series of African American Art published by Pomegranate Communications: Charles White (2002); Betye Saar (2003); Faith Ringgold (2004); and Archibald J. Motley Jr. (2005).
... Read more

Book Description
This book reveals how five distinct African civilizations have shaped the specific cultures of their New World descendants. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

brilliant and insightful look at the interconnectedness of the Diaspora with the world.....
I had the privilige to see Robert Farris Thompson, when the FACES OF THE GODS exhibit came to the Seattle Art Museum. Dr. Thompson came to speak about the history of the orishas (gods and goddesses) in the santeria and vodoo religious practices amongst the Afro-Cubans, Afro-Brazilians and African-Americans.What sets Thompson apart from other scholars is his genuine passion for the subject matter he has well-researched, as well as his vast knowledge of the Diaspora, and the cultural interconnectedness of people of African descent throughout the globe.

FLASH OF THE SPIRIT examines on a closer, more intimate level the cultural significance of the gods and goddesses depicted in mythology and art of those who are practitioners of (among other religions) Yoruba, Santeria and Voodoo faiths.We see beautiful and powerful illustrations and photographs of the jewelry, textiles, plates and figurines used in worship, and we also get insight into the characteristics of the gods and goddesses, their meaning in the lives of those who pray to them, and how this plays into other parts of society, human interaction and behavior.I come away from this book feeling that we are lot closer than we think, and that while "African-American" and "African" are important distinctions to recognize in terms of cultural definition, they are also at times parallel and quite similar to the indigenous Native cultures of South and Central America, as well as other parts of the world.This is fascinating material and Farris Thompson's writing style is pure poetry.I guarantee that once you start reading this book, you won't be able to put it down.

Enjoyed Immensely
I really enjoyed reading this book.It is very educational and it really takes me back to my grandma nem' time.

Seminal, Uplifting, Beautiful
If I could give this book 6 stars I would.Robert Farris Thompson presents our rich, ancient history making it quite clear that African Americans are not an isolated group but a group intimately connected to particular cultures and societies in West Africa and the African diaspora.The rich text is generously supported by illustrated plates.Essential reading for those who wish to gain an understanding of African cosmology, philosophy and art in relation to the African diaspora (North and South America, copious information on Brazil, the Carribean etc) Great reference material for students, artists, writers, researchers and thinkers.As an educator, writer and author I highly recommend this book.

An eye-opening look at the African soul in America
I enjoyed this book when I first read it as much for the kinds of bridges it seemed to make as for his own writing style and subject matter. R.F. Thompson, who I had the pleasure of meeting once in the Metropolitan Museumof Art in New York, is someone who along with being highly knowledgeablecares a great deal for the subject. Where the book could be consideredlacking I would say is it's way of seeming dated. It bares some culturalprejudice which, considering the cultural remoteness of the subject matterwhen compared to the intellectual/cultural arena of the writer(African andAfrican-American, Afro-Cuban/Hispanic culture vs. Post-World War II IvyLeague) - and how well he did anyway- is forgiveable, but presentnonetheless. If you are expecting some pretty powerful things to be saidabout Coltrane, or the early days of Rap music and Hip-hop dance (now inits third decade of existence already), or Modigliani, or other things thatare in the forefront of the present culture's mind, to a certain degree youwill be disappointed. However, if you had no idea other than the AlexHaley "Roots" era rhetoricals about the derivation of manyAfrican-American and Hispanic/Hispanic-American cultural paradigms, thiswill enlighten you in ways that will have you going to the bookstore to seewhat else he and many others have written on the subjects. I recommendit- particularly for lovers of European modern art, studies of religion,and other things influenced by the Mother country.

African threads in Diasporan artforms
Thompson's work on African retentions in New World artforms is seminal in the field of African Diasporan art history. However, Flash of the Spirit reads more like a best seller than a textbook. Fascinating details andinsights into the meanings of art from Haiti to Georgia to Brazil, withexcellent context for all objects.Great for anyone at all curious aboutAfrican heritage, religion, and art.Occasionally thick reading, as onemust trace entire cosmologies, but well layed out, full of illustrations,and textually easy to follow.Thompson makes an obscure genre easilyaccesible to readers of varied backgrounds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Very impressive erotic photography.
The choice of nude male models is one of the best I've seen.They're all strikingly handsome and sexy, and the landscape accentuates their mannish beauty.Also, the props that are used create a special sort of aura to the content of each photo.I am very impressed by the work of these photographers.

black # 1
only thing i need to ask IS where have you people been for the 72years of my life...keep up the good work.very good.

African Male Nude in Art & Photography a little over the top
While the book has very beautiful photo quality of black men, at the same time I feel there are some photos that are rather questionable or should not have been included in this book..two men kissing was somewhat of a turn-off that took away from the beauty of it. What was the photographer saying, embrace is one thing mouth2mouth kiss another...Overallit was beautiful

Excellent collection. Underpriced.

Janssen easily lives up to his excellent reputation with this book that highlights 4 photographers of the African male nude. The approximately 75 pages of photos are a mixture of color and black and white. Very artsy, mostly, but not shy. I especially like the dozen shots of couples--photographed with as much natural grace, innocence and warmth of color as the friendship and love that is obvious between the subjects as they relax by the sea, walk arm in arm or share a kiss. Love and friendship never seemed more wholesome. All of this for only 20 bucks would be a steal... With the big Amazon discount, you might feel guilty for getting so much for so little. [Later note: seems there was a price increase since I bought one of the first copies and wrote this review, but it is still worth it. I do not have such high praise, however, for Vol. 2 in this series.] ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Truly an amazing read!
I am in the middle of reading this fascinating book and it just occurred to me that, aside from Alison Saar, I had never heard of any of the artists mentioned in the book before.The solutions that these artists have found to answer many of the problems in image-making as it pertains to the black female body are intriguing and profound. Sadly, I am a black woman and I graduated from a BFA program a few years ago without being taught any of this.It should be on the course syllabus for any comprehensive survey of art history.

Highly accessible reading; fine and original scholarship.
I read this book in two sittings. Lisa Gail Collins does a beautiful job of opening up a world I did not yet fully understand.I am a southern, white, visual artist and photographer, with complicated ties to a black culture that has contributed very much to the way I think, and work, and live. Certainly my art history courses in college taught me none of this. This book illuminates the work of Renee Stout, Carrie Mae Weems, and more, and lays out the background of negative image making in the history of women of color, particularly, which, she argues is reason for the avoidance of the visual in black studies in the United States. She illuminates the value of the visual arts of black women and I came away, after reading this, with a stronger common bond to women's experience in general, and with a deeper desire to illuminate the truth in my own art. ... Read more