Architectural Writer/Designer

Jan. 1994

Introductory Statement:

African artist do not dwell on the theory or implication of aesthetics in thier artwork or sculpture. African art is more of the result of the finished product and not a message purposely implicated into the artwork in order to get a certain message across. African art and sculpture  deals more with idealistic realities and is more  emotionally involved  in the conveyance of a message not statements as American art is known for making.

The emotional impact of African art & sculpture is what makes it the outstanding type of art that it is; if you are uneducated in African arts one can easily misunderstand the meaning of African sculpture or artwork. From the point of view of the artist - how emotionally involved he is in the making of the sculpture or artwork judges the amount of success of the finished product; which eventually leads to how it is seen or perceived by the on-looker or you the person looking at the artwork for what it is worth emotionally, spiritually, aesthetically or in cash/monetarily.

The culture of a people is what shapes the artist point of view of thier work.Non-educated Americans blacks as well as whites do not know the meaning of African art-to put it in other words ...how to read it or on what context is is based .

Spoiled by American /western artwork which is complex and misleading to many with the extention of the artist . African artwork is simple (from what I have learned) in its message ,one only has to rely on his/her own personal thoughts and feelings. African art is down to earth and real by this realization the world of this art is opened where before it was closed. One finds how African art & sculpture expresses its self worth to you.

African art pronounces detailing a message to make sure one gets the idea of what the artist/sculptor intent is. American/western art does less, it does not contain that type of intent and purpose. African art is more successful where there’s no guesswork, it tells you what it wants you to know or see and how it wants you to perceive it; to elaborate on the subject of African art  - it is like a book one that   is not complicated but easily read . Through dramatization of part or objects on a sculpture or painting - it’s an information holder- similar to a dictionary.

African art is open holds no secrets unsheltered, instantaneous, forceful in its message ...at the same time innocent making the on-looker seem nieve to the subject - calling the person to get involved in the artwork by the revelation of the thoughts of the artist/sculptor. Many Americans are nieve to this way of thinking, not seeing artwork in the usual way makes one ponder in thier thoughts. through the simplicity of African art we find the breakdown of western knowledge by/of complication and not information, where the shock of the lack of  knowledge of how much they/one knows about another type of art is.

The shock of Americans or Westerners of how something simple in ascetics looks when compared to American  can be so revealing in its definition it’s amazing to one to think that black people - Africans art is not pictures and is easily educational in its process of openness that gives African art the availability of knowledge that it has come to be.

Through personal intents African artwork /Sculpture finds its economic wealth and standing.

American/Western artwork but not on the same basis is effective artwork, this is a  negative stand  because African art & sculpture has a universal , majestic and spiritual basis which can’t be measured in cash money (as much American art is judged upon) alone, which makes it personally more valuable.

Joseph Charles Edgecombe, educator

Joseph Edgecombe, Scholar

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE