Abstract Art by African Artists: a curated collection

 A selection of more than 25 modern abstract art pieces from East Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa and Central Africa from museums around the world, via Google Arts and Culture.

Nenzima

Detail from Through the Gate.

Part 2 of How NOT to Get a Wife: Stealing Skins

Myths of very different cultures contain the theme of the human male acquiring a wife of non-human origin by stealing her property and then withholding information from her. Three folktales from Chad, Sweden and Scotland all share these elements:

• An human man.
• A wild animal who becomes a woman after shedding her skin.
• The man steals the skin of the animal-woman.
• Unable to return to her animal form, she stays and becomes the man's wife.
• The animal-wife eventually finds the stolen skin and leaves the marriage.

Skull modification around the world

Arawe skull lengthening in Papua New Guinea 

Mangbetu skull elongation in DRC

The scifi illustration Through the Gate was inspired by elegant Mangbetu head shapes and hair-styles.

A (non-exhaustive) list of cultures that practiced head shaping for aesthetic or social reasons:

Through the Gate

Print available

Also available as laptop skins, stickers, and more on redbubble.com.

Influences: Ghost in the Shell meets Mangbetu style ;-)

Background graphics inspired by Mangbetu mural painting; character design inspired by (but not intended to be an authentic representation of) Mangbetu body painting and hairstyling.

Jengu

The inspiration for this illustration came from a dear Cameroonian friend who told me fascinating accounts of the worship of miengu (singular 'jengu'), mermaid-like water deities of the Duala and related ethnic groups in Cameroon.¹ My friend also spoke of a similar Mami Wata tradition in neighboring Nigeria.²

This mermaid's accessories are inspired by (but NOT claiming to be an authentic representation of) Duala jewelry from Cameroon and Yoruba jewelry from Nigeria. Marine life in mermaid's environment inspired by (but not intended to be a scientifically accurate representation of ;-) species of underwater life in the Gulf of Guinea.

Available as the following products:

• "Jengu" T-shirt (on Printify)
• laptop skin, laptop sleeve, tote bag, studio pouch, throw pillow (on redbubble.com)
• 8.5"x11" print (on storenvy.com)

Notes

1. Jengu on Wikipedia
2. Mami Wata on Wikipedia