| The
art of West African Women
 Far
from the influences of the Western world, there are peoples
of West Africa who still live in the traditional way - a
way of life passed from one generation to the next. In these
remote areas distinct building traditions have produced
visually striking vernacular architecture and decoration.
Each year after the harvest, West African women gather to
restore and paint - their hands as brushes and the walls
as their canvas, the women set about creating an art whose
composition, technique, and treatment of color is as dynamic
as that of any Western painting. Enhancing an otherwise
harsh landscape, the art form is purely indigenous, from
the mud used to build the walls to the natural earth pigments
and plants gathered to make the colors. The motifs and patterns
that adorn the walls are a reflection of the lives of these
women, illustrating their communal spirit and how they see
the world around them.
African Canvas provides a glimpse into the homes of these
very proud and dignified people. Over a period of three
years, photojournalist Margaret Courtney-Clarke traveled
through Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Senegal,
Mauritania and Mali. The paths she chose were not easily
accessible and the risks taken were often life-threatening,
but the rewards are self-evident.
Please click
here to see our artworks. |
