Benin Art Since 1897

In 1897 the British invaded Benin, upon entering Benin City they came across outstanding works of craftsmanship and art. These artefacts were taken back to Britain and sold to ‘museums, private collectors, art historians and scholars’ (Loftus & Wood, 2008, p. 45) Since the invasion in 1897 European attitudes have changed significantly towards this Benin art.

One of the key changes with Benin art is how it is positioned in museums or if it is in the correct museum at all. Benin Art and other African art are not easily placed into the category of Anthropological or art. African art seems to find itself in the situation when it is split between these two types of museums, art and anthropology. This is particularly more challenging when objects are both art and ethnographic. Critics are debating many objects in the Musée du quai Branly and other museums, as they are showing the aesthetics of the objects more than the ethnographic value. For example a small Benin leopard sculpture is shown as a piece of art and being appreciated for the aesthetic beauty of the object but not what it was originally used for. (DVD, 2008, The Art of Benin) If visitors to museums are not enlightened of both the cultural traditions and aesthetics behind the art, they would not completely understand and appreciate African art or the true meaning of it. Cultural background and the Aesthetics together pass on more of an insight to the person viewing it, giving them more knowledge. For example it would be significant when examining this Benin Leopard to know that it was originally used for carrying water. Seeing this leopard as only a sculpture could take away the true meaning within the culture that made it. (DVD, 2008, The Art of Benin) This is a continuous debate that Benin and other African artwork began since 1897, it has changed European attitudes towards how art and anthropology should be displayed. In the Musée du quai Branly the aesthetics of some objects are being glorified, ‘the queen mothers head’ has two different angles of light shining on it to enhance the three-dimentional effect. (DVD, 2008, The Art of Benin) Tactics like theses and other arrangements are used to show off the aesthetics and try to attract more people to visit. An art museum shows African art aesthetically and an anthropologic museum address African art culturally but both institutions fail to recognize each other. Artefacts from Benin were challenging for Victorian anthropologists ‘to fit into a raciest picture of ‘primitive’ ways of life.’(Loftus & Wood, 2008, p. 76) This is why many artefacts were displayed for the their aesthetics instead of the historical evidence they provide. As attitudes change and knowledge is increased many of the artefacts that are being displayed in art museums are not being accompanied with all the information possible.

African art has had a huge impact on modern art, with famous avant-garde artists such as Henri Matisse , Pablo Picasso and the Romanian sculpture Constanitin Brancusi being influenced by what they encountered. The influence of ‘primitive art’ is extremely apparent with some Brancusi sculptures. With ‘King of Kings’ the jagged patterns used on the sides of this sculptor are typical of African carvings. Since 1897 avant-garde artists have come across a variety of ‘primitive’ African artwork that has caused interest, their influence has been enhanced by encounters of African originals in museums. ‘Picasso himself was overwhelmed by a visit to the Trocadero museum.’ (Loftus & Wood, 2008, p. 59) The influence from African masks can be seen with Picassos ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon’. In museums Benin and other African artefacts were displayed along side forms of media all ‘dedicated to explaining the ‘primitive’ forms of life’. (Loftus & Wood, 2008, p. 62) All the objects on display were so different to what the western world understood. This was a key factor to why artists became so interested. Famous artists were being directly influenced and attracted to this ‘primitive art,’ it has also altered attitudes within Europe. The idea and unique characteristics of Benin and other African art have strongly influenced a number of artists and sculptors. These Characteristics can be found in many paintings. Many artists have modified their own understanding of the art and interpreted it for their own era. ‘The Picasso African period of 1907 to 1909’ (Wikipedia, Picasso’s Africa Period) began to changed opinions, which allowed African culture and art to be much more greatly appreciated.

Another key change in European attitude since 1897 is the ownership of the Benin sculptures. Critics say they are restricted to museums and this is forcing them to lose the function they have, Westerns see the beauty rather than the African context (DVD, 2008, The Art of Benin) This is a huge change in attitude that has happened since 1897, now some people e.g. Kevin Dalton-Johnson wish to see the Benin sculptures be returned to Africa, their original place. Arguments towards the ownership of these sculptures and whether they should be returned could be to do with how they were obtain. Looking at the brutal violent way the Benin artefacts were acquired initiate peoples negative opinions, this displays a change in attitude towards the art of Benin. By knowing what happened in 1897, with much more knowledge now putting it in the context of today, people do not agree with having the artefacts.

‘The concept of art that is to say was largely reserved for the Europeans’ (Loftus, Wood, 2008, p.61) Many ‘sophisticated cultures were not seen as properly producing ‘Art’ in the western sense’ (Loftus, Wood, 2008, p.62), so ‘primitive’ Africa was not even mentioned. Nowadays this outlook is completely different, arts are welcomed from all cultures. Since 1897 Benin and other African art have played a key role in the history and culture of Europe. Benin art began influencing artists such as Picasso that begin a different movement bringing more interest and attention to African art. Also the arguments caused within museums about he placement of certain objects became apparent. European attitudes have drastically changed towards Benin art.

Bibliography

Woods, K. & Mackie, R. (2008) ‘The Art of Benin: Changing relation Between Europe and African I’ in Brown, R.D (ed.) Cultural Encounters (AA100 Book 3), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp.1-42

Loftus, D. & Wood, P. (2008) ‘The Art of Benin: Changing relation Between Europe and African II’ in Brown, R.D (ed.) Cultural Encounters (AA100 Book 3), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp.43-88

www.wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picasso#African-influenced_Period (accessed 9^th March 2009)

DVD ROM (2008), The Art of Benin, Cultural encounters (AA100 DVD ROM ), Milton Keynes, The Open University