22 Feb 2021 Black History Month African Art

This month is Black History Month, a time when we pay tribute and recognize the achievements of African Americans. One way in which we can celebrate the African American diaspora and culture is by reflecting back on African roots through art and handicrafts. Craft Montaz’s collection of African fair trade art and home decor, including napkin rings, sculptures, and paintings, utilize native African motifs and materials such as Kisii soapstone and mahogany wood. Featured below are some of our favorite products from Kenya, Senegal, and more.  

Wooden Animal Napkin Rings Set

Bring a flavor of African wildlife to your home with this artistic fair trade napkin ring set. These lovely handcrafted mahogany wood animal napkin rings are based on the animals of Africa. They are available in the following animals – Elephant, Rhino, Lion, Zebra, Giraffe and Leopard. Use these African napkin holders while hosting your next dinner party and honor African cultural roots.

Kenyan Soapstone Love Knot

Hand-carved from a single piece of Kisii soapstone by African artisans, this love knot sculpture is an abstract artwork celebrating the loving bond between two souls. Known as “the wedding sculpture” in Kenya, the two loops represent two people joined as one, yet still separate individuals. This would make a unique wedding, anniversary, or engagement gift and works nicely as tabletop decor! Hand-painted with a lustrous black finish to match any decor. Soapstone is mined from great pits in the area surrounding Kiisi, Kenya. The mined soapstone is then delivered to carvers who carve sculptures from the natural stone for the wholesale market, the color of which ranges from cream, to pink, to brown, to yellow, to black, to a marbling of all of them. Soapstone is carved by the artists of SMOLArt a group of artists who live in the rural village of Tabaka, Kenya, the heart of soapstone crafts. Once carved, the craftspeople smooth rough edges of the soapstone with sandpaper dipped in water and polish the piece to a high gloss or paint African motifs in brilliant colors with etched accents.

Seated Thinker Statue

There has always been a fascination with the human figure in African art and it is a typical subject matter in both ancient and modern African Art. Another common African theme is the combination of both human and animal figures, which show the close relationship between the African and nature. Most of the African wood carvings are made from ebony wood, an exceptionally dense and beautiful wood found only in the Sahara desert regions of Africa. The carvers use simple hand tools to produce the works of art sold here. The African statues are a very significant symbol and an integral part of traditional African culture. The statues of the African people typically reflect symbols of their ancient past, as well as the daily activities that the African village people are involved in. Featured here is a statue of a seated thinker on a stool, part of our African Wooden Statue collection. It is made from textured wood and is modeled after Rodin’s The Thinker statue. Place this in any room to add a creative touch.

Lover’s Heart Soapstone Sculpture

A representation of kings, queens, fertility, love and tribal markings are also very common. The complex African statues express important social, spiritual and moral values. African statues are a wonderful way to bring the spirit of Africa into your home. African art today is still a beautiful and unique art form that cannot be imitated. Most of the African wood carvings are produced in countries like Ghana and Kenya. Hand-carved from a single piece of Kisii soapstone by African artisans, this Lover’s Heart sculpture depicts the sweet love of a couple holding hands, their bodies forming a heart. Each piece has gone through multiple stages of sanding and waxing, giving the soapstone a satiny finish. Soapstone is a soft stone, making it easy to carve into many forms. 

For more information and products, visit craftmontaz.com!