Emerging from the ancient rock arts and historic cultures of Africa, there is a thriving contemporary art scene. This scene has become a defining context and a much-sought-after source of visual expression and praxis for many artists. The expression of their ideas involves a reflection of past histories of self and nation, identity, activism, and colonialism.

This course is an introduction to the contemporary arts of Africa from 1980 to present. Our primary goal is to provide insight into the challenging dialogues that these African artists are presenting through their works, and to examine the shift that their art has taken from conventional ways of producing to unconventional ways of practicing. We will explore the ongoing stylistic and thematic developments of contemporary African art. We will also analyze the concept of contemporaneity as it exists in notions of African art and identity. Among the many mediums under consideration, we will look carefully at paintings, sculptures, digital art, performance art, installations, music videos, and texts.

HISTART Concentration Distribution: Sub-Saharan Africa; Modern and Contemporary