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African

Though culturally and geographically diverse, art from this continent often portrays revered ancestors, living rulers, and deities as well as musical instruments and ceremonial items.

Africa is a vast continent with distinct topographical and ecological areas: deserts in the north and south, high mountains in the east, and three legendary rivers – the Niger, the Congo, and the Nile – with lush valleys. The artistic production of the African continent reflects this enormity with its diversity.The artistic traditions of Africa include exceptional works of sculpture, masks, textiles, jewelry, beadwork, regalia, and ceremonial objects from literally thousands of ethnic, cultural, and linguistic groups that have long inhabited the continent. While each culture has made unique contributions, some shared core thematic elements include a focus on the human figure honoring living rulers, revered ancestors, and nature deities; a penchant for abstraction over naturalistic representation; an emphasis on sculpture; and the creation of ritualistic objects/musical instruments for communal ceremonial contexts. Artemis Gallery’s holdings in African Art are extensive, including works from Northern, Western, Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa. Some highlights have included Benin bronzes, Nok terracotta heads, Ibjeji twin figures, n’kisi figures from the Democratic Republic of Congo, elite Dan masks, and masterfully carved wooden Yoruban royal doors. African art presents a bold aesthetic that famously inspired early modernists such as Matisse, Picasso, and Modigliani, galvanizing them to depart from traditional naturalism and capture the emotional intensity ignited by bold color choices and figural abstraction. While at Artemis we share this aesthetic appreciation, we also aim to provide meaningful context and understanding of these cultures which continue to draw upon their heritage today.