East African art is not known very well outside of the region, but it so much more than masks and crafts sold on the street or in hotel gift shops. It is the culmination of decades of self-taught traditions and Western art school training that has ended up as a rich historical and cultural heritage. The artists have developed a style that is a synthesis of ideas and techniques from school art training, foreign study and patronage, and individual or group work.
Most artists from Eastern Africa are self-taught with influence showing up from Europe, the Middle East, and other parts of Africa. The art is mainly two-dimensional, but there are some notable sculptures. Most art comes from Nairobi in Kenya and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania with some pieces coming from other East African countries. This region is not as culturally rich as west or central Africa, due to the fact that this region has more groups of people that are nomadic. They migrate frequently due to the harsh, desert environment, so they do not take a lot with them when they travel. Despite all of this, there are some unique and important pieces that come from the East African region.
Painting
There are a few prominent, current painters from the Eastern African region that have had an important impact on the art of the region.
Kivuthi MBuno, a self-taught artist who did not have any education past elementary school, currently lives in Paris but is from Kenya. He has been making a living as an artist since his early thirties, and his pieces reflect his cultural background (Kader, 2006). MBuno traveled as a safari chef in Kenya and Tanzania, and he used his experiences with the flora, fauna, animals, and the traditions of his people the Wakamba as inspiration for his works (Kader, 2006). His chosen medium includes colored pencils, ink, and crayons, which he uses to capture an environment where humans and animals coexist.
Walter Njuguna Mbugua, or also known as Sane Wadu, is known for his bizarre artworks. He has been painting as a professional since 1984 with his works being shown in Africa, Europe, and North America (Kader, 2006). He had no training, and instead he learned the European art tools of painting, oil, and canvas to create abstract works of art that are full of expression (Kader, 2006). Wadu uses his experiences with gender issues, power politics, and issues of culture to find inspiration.
Sculpture
Wood sculptures are a classical art form of Africa. Since the people of Eastern Africa are a nomadic group of people, most of their art is expressed through pieces that can be worn and transported easily. With most pieces possessing geometric or calligraphic designs, wood sculptures are often related to tribal belief systems and are often directed towards spirits; they are associated with the ritual of medicine men who act as mediators between the human and spirit world (Brown, 1972). The Bantu people of the coast are well known for their traditional sculptures. Their sculptures are either associated with medicine and sorcery or with the dead, but they also make masks that are used for ceremonial purposes.
There are various uses for wood sculptures in East African society. For carvings of humans, they are typically portrayed realistically with a beautiful finish, although there are some rough-hewn and abstract carvings (Brown, 1972). It is interesting to note that there are few carvings of animals. For carvings used in medicinal rituals, a medicine man must ask the tree for permission (Brown, 1972). For sorcery, figurines are carved of people they want to die, with the figurine symbolizing the person throughout the process getting sick and dying (Brown, 1972). Mothers sometimes sculpt peglike dolls for children, and dolls are sometimes carried on the backs of women unable to conceive (Brown, 1972). This wide variety of wooden sculptures shows how versatile and important they are in this society.
Ceramics and Pottery
Ceramics and pottery are not as popular in today’s society of Eastern Africa as they were 50 years ago. They used to create most of their pots and pans in clay in different sizes and shapes, depending on the function and style needed. They also used pottery to make pots to store water or cook food, or even for rituals, ceremonies, or social gatherings (“Promotion of Traditional Pottery”, 2017). This was practical because pottery is a form of art that is easy to transport and demonstrates the culture of a group of people. Today, there are fewer pottery making practitioners due to the low profit and amount of labor required. People are transitioning to aluminum pots and pans instead, which has also affected traditional cooking and water conservation methods (“Promotion of Traditional Pottery”, 2017). A project was started in 2016, which corresponds to the 2006 National Heritage Act of Kenya, to try to revitalize pottery making (“Promotion of Traditional Pottery”, 2017). They are trying to prevent pottery making from dying out completely since it used to be such an integral part of African society.
Beadwork
Beadwork is used in various aspects of African art, but it is mostly worn in jewelry or headwear. The people of Africa have worn beads since the beginning of time, for purposes such as rituals, ceremonies, beauty, talismanic or healing motives, status, or to show wealth (Mann, 2010). Early African beads were made from shell, bone, horn, seeds, teeth, ivory, wood, or other organic materials, but this has changed slightly as new materials have been synthesized (Mann, 2010). This wide variety of beads adds to the uniqueness of beadwork.
Beads have a long history in Eastern Africa. Carnelian shavings were found at archaeological sites along the African coastline, showing that a stone bead-making industry has been present since the 9th century A.D. (Mann, 2010). Iron beads are also used frequently. Today in northern Kenya, tinsmiths make beads from recycled aluminum cooking pots (Mann, 2010). Eastern Africa also imports beads. They import glass and semi-precious stone beads from India to incorporate into their beadwork (Mann, 2010). This shows that old and new bead styles have blended together throughout the years to become the current bead-making industry of Eastern Africa.
