African Cloths
The presence of textiles in the African world dates back to Phoenician times. At various times in history, migration, and integration have spread African textiles to different regions of Africa and the world. The colorful clothes of Africa first became a sign of wealth around 1000 BC during the period of the trans-Saharan trade when traders used strip cloth as a form currency. As a result, African textiles became known worldwide.
During the European coastal trade in the 1400's, African fabrics were preferred by traders over fine European fabrics. Traders used African cloth in the triangular trade of the 17 th and19th centuries. African Traders exchanged cloth from India for European goods; Europeans than traded Indian cloth to Africans for gold. The development of trade with the world established a ruling class in Africa, which in turn developed a need for luxury items. The quality and color of African textiles became an expression of wealth and knowledge in society and it became an indication of social hierarchy. The development of kente cloth in the Ashanti illustrates how the use of cloth differentiates people by status as fine kente cloth symbolizes leadership.
Types of cloth: In order of traditon and value, 1) weaves, 2) tie dyes,3) batiks, and 4) industrial prints represent the four types of cloth Africans used to create clothing.
Acid Free
The print contains no harmful acid or alkaline that my affect the life of the paper or quality of the image printed.
Artist Proof prints...A/P
Common practice is that 10-15 percent of an edition is reserved for the artist. These proofs are identical to impressions in the edition in most instances. Print Marking example; A/P “1/35” is the first print of an edition of 35 Artist Proof impressions.
Ancestral Legacy
This painting represents the wealth of knowledge and wisdom that are available to all the descendants of Mother Africa. We, the people of African descent have to know how far we've come throughout the history of mankind, in order to know where we are going. A good understanding of the achievements of our Forefathers can only enrich us in reaching for higher goals in our lives. The social and cultural values we set for our children and ourselves will only help to keep the legacy alive for the future generations to live on.
Chuks Okoye
Certificate of Authenticity
A document issued with limited edition prints, with the print published date, size of the image, original art media, number of the prints in the edition, a statement about the work from the artist and the fact that the plates have been or will be destroyed to close the edition.
Etching
An image created by the artist on a metal plate by means of engraving tools and acid. This produces the sunken line which will receive the ink. As the plate is inked, the ink settles in the sunken areas. The plate is then wiped clean. The plate, in contact with damp paper is passed through a roller press, and the paper is forced into the sunken area to receive the ink.
Giclee or Digital Print
A fine art print that has become more precise with the advent of the revolutionary printing process Giclee (zhee-clay) a French term meaning “spray of ink” In the Giclee process, a fine stream of ink (more than four millions droplets per second) is sprayed onto archival art paper or canvas. Each piece of paper or canvas is carefully hand mounted onto a drum which rotates during printing. Exact calculation of hue, value and density direct the ink from four nozzles. This produces a combination of 512 chromatic changes (with over three million colors possible) of highly saturated, non-toxic water-based ink.
Since no screens are used in Giclee printing, the prints have a higher resolution than lithographs and the dynamic color range is greater than serigraphs.
Hors de Commerce…H/C
Hors de Commerce (Not for trade) traditionally were the graphics pulled with the regular edition but marked by the artist for business use only. These graphics were used for entering shows, exhibits, samples, etc. Today, however, since people gegan to acquire and collect them, these graphics now generally find their way to the market place though regular channels and are sold. Example H/C 1/10
Limited Edition Prints…L/E
A fixed number of identical prints of an image, signed by the artist, sequentially numbered, and showing both the prints number and the total edition size. Each print is referred to as a “limited edition print.”
Lithograph
A print produced by a printing process in which the image to be printed is rendered on a flat sheet or metal plate or stone, and treated to retain ink while the non-image areas are treated to repel ink.
Medium
Medium is the material or technical means of artistic expression. Examples: include oils, watercolors, acrylics, ink, pencil and charcoal. Technical examples include lithography, serigraphy and giclee. Mixed media is the use of two or more materials and/or technical means.
Mixed Medium
A technique involving the use of two or more artistic media, such as ink and pastel or painting and collage, that are combined in a single composition The term intermedia is used synonymously.
Offset print
A mechanical process used to photographicly reproduce an image. The newest printing method in the industry is computerized or electronic printing. This process uses a computer, typesetting and page-design software and optical scanners to aid in reproduction. The majority of reproductions are created using this process.
Open Edition
The quantity of prints reproduced is not limited. As long as the image is in demand, it will be reprinted.
Original
The first of a work, typically the painting from which prints are made. It may also be used to describe the landmark work of an artist.
Printers Proof…P/P
Common practice by many printers is that a small number of impressions are made for their review. These proofs are marketed and are identical impressions to the edition in most instances. Print Marking example; P/P “1/20” is the first print of an edition of 20 Printers Proof impressions.
Rag Paper
One hundred percent rag paper are constructed of cotton fibers. Traditionally considered museum quality. Watercolor paper and most printmaking papers are examples of achival rag paper.
Remarque…rem
A current practice by some artist is the addition of a small personalized drawing near his penciled signature in the margin of the graphic. The simple sketch or drawing is usually rendered in pencil, but can be rendered in color. A print containing one of these hand embellishments or drawings is called a Remarque. Print marking example; RE “1/25” is the first print of an edition of 25 Remarques. By art market standards Remarques usually rank higher in value to S/N, A/P, and P/P of an edition. (re-mark) Remarque Example
Serigraph
A print made by the silk-screen process involving the use of stencils. Paint is applied to a fabric screen, penetrating areas not blocked by a stencil. Several stencils are used to produce a multicolored print. As a commercial medium, silk screen printing has been used by such modern artists as William Tolliver.
Signed and Numbered
Prints that are authenticated with the artists signature, the total number of impressions in the edition, and the order in which impression is signed. Numbering example; “5/350, indicates the fifth print of a limited edition of 350 impressions.
Spirit Of The Mask /Decorative Pillows
Inspired by African culture and design, each pillow is enhanced with a handcarved passport mask form the Dan tribe. These masks are found from Guinea, across Sierra Leone to Liberia of the Ivory Coast. Passport masks were used in Africa as we use passport paper today to get from one country to another. Each tribe had its own distinctive styled mask which was worn on a cord our the neck. (designs by sandy) Sold Out
When a limited edition is no longer available it is termed Sold Out. When an image sells out it usually will begin to appreciate in value depending upon resale or trade in the secondary market. In the art market a red dot on a piece symbolizes that it has been sold.
Woodcut or Wood Engraving
A relief technique in which a design is cut with knives, gouges, or chisels into planks of wood parallel to the wood grain. Wood Engraving is a relief technique in which a design is cut with burins, gouges, or chisels into the end grain of a hard wood block.
Contemp Heads – George Nock Artist
When people meet they often look into each others eyes-the windows to the soul-in search of a sense of each others character. A major fear of engaging in close relationships is that lack of depth and substance lies within. There are people who are empty shells. There is nothing inside them to get close to. In the abstract sculpture Contemp Heads. Nock deliberately leaves indentations where eyes would go in the conjoined heads of 2 men and 2 women to show the vulnerability between men and women and how they relate. Cracks in the top of the four sculls all point inward to form a common arc-characterizing the emotional dependency between the sexes. Given the degenerative condition of male-female relationships in recent social patterns, and a diminished capacity for love and closeness-Nock's expression of male-female politics is quite a conversation piece.
The OBA MASK
HISTORICAL SIGNFICANCE :
The Oba mask was first carved in ivory and bronze, in remembrance of Queen Idia who was the first lady to rule over the Benin Kingdom in 1490 AD. Toward the close of the 15 th century, the heir-less Oba of Benin (King of Benin) impregnated his first wife Queen Idia and two other queens in the regions of his kingdom. Coincidentally all three Queens gave birth at the same time. Since Queen Idia lived with the Oba, she quickly performed the rites of passage for her son to become the next king. The other two Queens were furious and their feuding with Queen Idia continued until the death of the ruling Oba (king) in 1504 AD. Queen Idia took over the throne and held on to it until Esigie her son was old enough to assume the throne. By 1520, her son Esigie became the Oba of Benin, he immortalized his mother by having his craftsmen create the face of his mother in bronze, gold and ebony wood. These monuments were given to visitors to the King's palace and to important dignitaries in the kingdom.
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