WALL HANGINGS

Art of Africa is a new concept in ethnic wall hangings. Bushmen are a
recurring theme and are faithful copies of the real figures found in rock
shelters all over the subcontinent. Each wall hanging has a label
explaining what the figures are doing and where they can be seen on the
rock itself.

All the wall hangings are quilted and framed in fabric , but they can be
stretched on hardboard and framed with conventional picture frames. All
fabrics have been preshrunk , so the hangings can be wet in the bath if
they become dusty and gently washed, without strenuous rubbing. They can be
ironed on the back with a medium hot iron. Spraying with “Scotchguard” will
repel dirt for much longer. Most picture framers will do this.

Art of Africa wall hangings are made of cotton, linen, silk etc. and can be
made in any colour combination or size (please visit our gallery page), to
suit individual taste and decor.

BUSHMAN PAINTINGS

‘I was born near the Great River (Orange), in the heart of what for
thousands of years had been great Bushman country. The Bushman himself as a
coherent entity had already gone, but I was surrounded from birth by so
many moving fragments of his race and culture that he felt extraordinarily
near ...a Bushman gay, gallant, mischievous, unpredictable, and to the end
unrepentant and defiant.’
Sir Laurens van der Post

THE LOST WORLD OF THE KALAHARI

These often occur over older paintings, frequently of large eland, which
are now very faint and were painted by prehistoric men, not necessarily
Bushmen. The Bushmen are responsible for the more recent paintings of
smaller eland and rhebuck in groups as well as the paintings of Bushmen
figures engaged in everyday activities such as hunting and dancing. The
pigments they used are permanent, mixed with animal fat and sometimes
darkened with heat to give more range of colour. They last as long as the
rock surface itself and range from yellow and red ochre to raw umber, black
and grey and white clay. Some of the latter paintings were done by Bantu
artists when they inhabited the rock shelters.

ROCK ENGRAVINGS

These have been found on the rocks of the Lower Riet River, Douglas, Cape
Province and are very old. All evidence suggests that they were done by
prehistoric engravers, not Bushmen, although they occur on rocks where
there are Bushman paintings. There is debate over whether these engravings
are a form of writing or mystical symbols. The oldest engravings are
probably a few thousand years old. They may have been carved into the rock
with hard pieces of shale or even diamond, because there were no metal
tools then.

Cushions
40 x 40 cm cushions to match the wall hangings come in pairs featuring a
running or standing hunter. Cushions are also sold separately.

For more information and prices for the wall hangings please contact Gary
Johnson at Art of Africa :


Gary Johnson Enterprises CC
No. 24 Woodhead Glen, Woodhead Close
Camps Bay, 8001, Cape Town
Tel/Fax :  +27 (021)  4385816
Cell : +27 (082) 8528909
email : Gary Johnson