African art, artist Lola Lonli

This time I decided to show you the work of 1997, made in the technique of colored graphics.

I painted my calabash myself, but who painted this fruit?

I have always been attracted by the fact that the special feeling of Africa is created by the rhythmic interweaving of music, dances, with beliefs and customs that have their roots in ancient times. These are ancient cultures in which the material world continuously interacts with the otherworldly and inexplicable. Not only rituals, but all life is permeated with constant interaction with the world of spirits and gods. Therefore, a lot of information is “encoded” in a special way in order to deceive those spirits who love to harm people.

African women from many ethnic groups in different parts of the vast African continent paint calabash and other dishes, embroider clothes with beads and colored threads. They themselves are very beautiful, and their things not only have a high artistic value, but also have a meaning encoded in colors and geometric shapes.

For example, from an embroidered skirt or a painted calabash, you can read a lot about the Pokot woman who created this item. Who is she, where does she live, is she married and how many children does she have. The heroine of this picture, having seen the fruit painted by Nature herself, tries to read the mysterious language and find out all the secrets of the mysterious Craftswoman.