Yoruba shrine painting traditions: Color, cosmos, process and aesthetics (Nigeria).

摘要

This work focuses on indigenous painting traditions found on ancestral shrines of Yoruba divinities collectively known as orisa in southwestern Nigeria. The devotional activity of orisa painting often enacted in honor and veneration of departed ancestors for healing, empowerment, and transformation continues to find expression today in the creative works of contemporary artists who have been influenced by this enduring traditional art far beyond the shores of Yorubaland.; Beginning with the exploration of orisa imagery using Yoruba oral traditions as the basis of its critical vocabulary, I examine sixteen sacred paintings found in rural and urban centers in Yorubaland. I explore the symbolism of color focusing on the temperament and characters of the orisa. I discuss the materials, processes and aesthetics of the sacred artistry, concluding with an exploration of the contemporary manifestation of orisa imagery in the hands of academically-trained artists, who have adopted the traditional iconography, first as a means of asserting their identity and second as a demonstration of their aversion to economic exploitation and cultural imperialism. The sacred paintings are like "clothing" of the orisa representing "unfinished generative art" in constant need of renewal. I analyze the images, designs, and colors using Yoruba orature, particularly the sacred texts of Ifa, popular songs, folklore, proverbs, and maxims.; The affective qualities of color found on the shrine walls represent a means of veneration and worshiping of departed ancestors. Color employed on orisa murals as well as on wooden sculptures might provide a new touchstone for evaluating African art and suggest a model for the interpretation of other African art objects. Among the Yoruba color makes things happen. This work demonstrates the dynamic ways in which color is consciously applied thereby offering a unique lens for interpretation, grounded in the specific traditions of artistic cultures that might be applicable cross-culturally.