{"id":44606,"date":"2020-01-23T11:26:16","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T11:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africagiant.org\/?p=44606"},"modified":"2020-01-23T11:26:16","modified_gmt":"2020-01-23T11:26:16","slug":"tanda-francis-sculptures-inspired-by-the-ife-sculptures-of-the-benin-kingdom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/?p=44606","title":{"rendered":"Tanda Francis Sculptures inspired by &#8220;Ife&#8221; sculptures of the Benin Kingdom"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"44606\" class=\"elementor elementor-44606\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6d02c534 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6d02c534\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6a4df51a\" data-id=\"6a4df51a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5dba4e59 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5dba4e59\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><\/p>\n<p>African American Tanda Francis Sculpt was inspired by &#8220;Ife&#8221; sculptures of the Benin Kingdom. Her mind-blowing Sculptures has proven her to be an incredible talent.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Creativity &amp; Innovation has been part of the African Culture For Centuries. <br \/>From the Great Pyramids of Egypt, Nubia and Sudan to the art from the Oyo Empire (Yoruba Empire) responsible for one of the finest artistic traditions in Africa, a tradition that remains vital and influential today, and the Kingdom of Benin (Edo Empire) known for its complex sculptures primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory and coral.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_62838\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-62838\" style=\"width: 478px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-62838 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.africagiant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/46764649705_e829ffab65_b-1-478x600.jpg\" alt=\"Tanda Francis Sculptures inspired by \u201cIfe\u201d sculptures of the Benin Kingdom\" width=\"478\" height=\"600\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-62838\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tanda Francis Sculptures inspired by \u201cIfe\u201d sculptures of the Benin Kingdom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Tanda Francis has been greatly inspired by the &#8220;Ife&#8221; sculptures of the Benin Kingdom in Nigeria. She stated &#8220;I was very inspired by the Ife sculptures of Benin from the 13th century. They have an undeniable beauty as well as a spiritual story from the Yoruba people who believe that Ife is the place where life and civilization began.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The Ife heads which were all slightly smaller than life-sized were used to represent a spiritual or royal figure during ritualistic and spiritual ceremonies postmortem&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_62842\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-62842\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-62842 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.africagiant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Tanda-Francis-and-Adorn-Me_NH-600x400.jpg\" alt=\"Tanda Francis Sculptures inspired by \u201cIfe\u201d sculptures of the Benin Kingdom\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-62842\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tanda Francis standing beside her sculpt<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The innate value of sculptures in Africa is intended to reflect the earthly and otherworldly influence of the King (Oba, Pharoah, Oduduwa, Emperor e.t.c) and the great wealth of his kingdom. Despite the trauma through slavery and the subsequent colonization of Africans across the continent, Africans have retained a part of this past knowledge and traditions after thousands of years and carried their ancestral wisdom along.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>See also: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.africagiant.org\/2019\/01\/07\/33949-2\/\">Tamara Natalie Madden The Incredible Artist<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Tanda has emulated a part of this creative culture and ancestral wisdom and abilities to produce these amazing sculptures.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_62844\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-62844\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-62844 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.africagiant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/rhusytnlelvnjcdbd2ph-600x400.webp\" alt=\"Tanda Francis Sculptures inspired by \u201cIfe\u201d sculptures of the Benin Kingdom\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-62844\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tanda Francis Sculptures inspired by \u201cIfe\u201d sculptures of the Benin Kingdom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The African royal art such as the Benin royal arts belong to a tradition that favors convention even as it promotes creativity and innovation, especially as a reflection of\u00a0royal\u00a0prerogative. For thousands of years, African kings and Queens have used the arts to interpret the history of the kingdom and to orient themselves with the past in an effort to support their own initiatives and define their images for posterity.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_62840\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-62840\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-62840 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.africagiant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/PlywoodProtectionProjectLowResForWeb-20-600x400.jpg\" alt=\"Tanda Francis Sculptures inspired by \u201cIfe\u201d sculptures of the Benin Kingdom\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-62840\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tanda Francis Sculptures inspired by \u201cIfe\u201d sculptures of the Benin Kingdom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The royal arts of the Benin Kingdom affirms the centrality of the oba, or divine king, portraying his divine nature. While recording the kingdom&#8217;s significant historical events and the oba&#8217;s involvement with them, they also initiate the oba&#8217;s interactions with the supernatural and honor his deified ancestors, forging a continuity that is vital to the kingdom&#8217;s well-being.<\/p>\n<p>Tanda Francis also expresses how grateful she is for the team\u2019s dedication to seeing her\u00a0&#8220;Adorn Me Sculpture&#8221;\u00a0shine\u00a0at the Fort Greene Park\u00a0despite constant torrential rainfall.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>She produces her work at Socrates park located at New York City&#8217;s preeminent sculpture park based in Long Island City, Queens. Artists are able to convert a section of the Park into an open-air studio.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_62845\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-62845\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-62845 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.africagiant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/25e0a93304989248ade51562974bade9-biggie-smalls-the-charles.jpg\" alt=\"Tanda Francis Sculptures inspired by \u201cIfe\u201d sculptures of the Benin Kingdom\" width=\"500\" height=\"574\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-62845\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Sculpture of late rapper Biggie by Tanda Francis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Her &#8220;Adorn Me Sculpture&#8221; was\u00a0installed in the beautiful\u00a0Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn, New York City but granted permitted of a maximum of one year on display at NYC parks until the sculptures are purchased.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_62841\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-62841\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-62841 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.africagiant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/497A8041-600x400.jpg\" alt=\"Tanda Francis Sculptures inspired by \u201cIfe\u201d sculptures of the Benin Kingdom\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-62841\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A double faced sculpture by Tanda Francis inspired by the Benin Kingdom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&#8220;With every step, I had to respond to the elements &#8211; heatwaves vs. clay, stormy days vs. plaster&#8230; With the situation thoroughly embraced, I was able to build, patch, live and learn to build some more&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The Charles Evans Innis Memorial Library at Medgar Evers College Brooklyn, United States has an exhibition of Tanda Francis sculpture. When you walk into the library the first thing you will notice is the inspiring sculpture of famous African American rapper late Biggie.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_62866\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-62866\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-62866 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.africagiant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/hf0spmerj2u0iafxn0qx-600x400.webp\" alt=\"Tanda Francis Sculptures inspired by \u201cIfe\u201d sculptures of the Benin Kingdom\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-62866\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tanda Francis Sculptures inspired by \u201cIfe\u201d sculptures of the Benin Kingdom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-39e2e83b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"39e2e83b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-26eee86d\" data-id=\"26eee86d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-402c2dc4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"402c2dc4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><\/p>\n<p><em>An <\/em><strong><em>Africa<\/em><\/strong><em><strong> Giant<\/strong> is someone of African origin with natural abilities to be an expert in their area of specialty. Africa births great people both in Africa &amp; in diaspora\u201d. \u2015 Africa Giant\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>African American Tanda Francis Sculpt was inspired by &#8220;Ife&#8221; sculptures of the Benin Kingdom. Her mind-blowing Sculptures has proven her [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":62865,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44606","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44606","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=44606"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44606\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=44606"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=44606"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=44606"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}