The Red and Black Triangle Pattern Basket, traditionally known as an Oops bowl, is a type of sweetgrass basketry made by the Zulu culture of southeastern Africa. Although properly woven Oops bowls may be water-tight, they are typically used for holding foods such as nuts, sweets, or potato chips. Young Zulu children are taught to make these baskets in order to carry on the … [Read more...] about Red and Black Triangle Pattern Basket (Oops Bowl): Researched by Jonathan Kodner
Zulu wire baskets, called imbenge, are hand-woven baskets that use both bare and plastic-coated wire. The imbenge originated when Zulu men, taking breaks from their work at factories, began weaving baskets from discarded scraps of telephone wire. The popularity of these baskets has encouraged the development of imbenge to become a sought-after artform, and today imbenge are … [Read more...] about Orange and Brown Spiral Wire Basket (Imbenge): Researched by Jonathan Kodner
The 20th and 21st centuries have given rise to many new forms of art, and one of the most intriguing is international art. International art is made by people of indigenous cultures and that is inspired by traditional themes and styles, but uses European media and methods for making the art. Four paintings in this group, for example, are made by an artist inspired by Zulu … [Read more...] about African and African Diaspora International Art: Researched by Hannah Robinson
Basketry has developed in all parts of the world, and the objects produced reflect their uses, their meanings, and the cultures that made them. Traditional cultures use basketry to make nets and weirs for hunting and fishing, to hold and distribute seeds during planting, to gather crops during the harvest, to process foods and materials, to store and ferment, and to hold, … [Read more...] about African Basketry: Researched by Lindsay Werner, Caitlin Baker, and Randi Ryder
From ancient times through today, African cultures have made beads of many different materials, including shells, seeds, bone, ivory, horn, clay, gourd, wood, rock crystal, iron, copper, brass, and gold. The widespread trade of colorful European glass seed beads, however, enabled African artisans to greatly expand traditional beadwork forms and designs, and they elevated this … [Read more...] about African Beadwork: Researched by Amanda Horned and Cortney Metzger