African Art in the Modern Era

The policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically Colonialism in Africa – a brief history Slave trade & European contact with Africa occurs between the 15th - 19th centuries, largely focused on coastal areas of Africa. In the nineteenth century as the slave trade was phased out, European governments sought to gain from the rich natural resources of Africa, and Christian missionaries arrived in force. “Scramble for Africa” By 1914 almost all of Africa was under colonial rule after a race to occupy by many European nations. Collecting African objects became of great interest to the incoming colonists as they realized, ironically, that their presence might endanger or eradicate many age-old customs and traditions through introduction of modern/Western technologies and diseases. What do we mean by the term Colonialism?

LEFT: Pablo Picasso, 'Head of a Woman', 1907 (oil on canvas) RIGHT: Dan Mask from West Africa How African art influences European art and artists

Animism From Latin anima "soul, life” - a set of beliefs based on the existence of non-human "spiritual beings" or similar kinds of embodied principles. Spirits embodied in the natural world Deep respect for nature and all living things Ancestral spirits Mediators = diviners, shamans and healers who use prayer, sacrifice, offering, ritual, or performance through (art) objects

Toguna (meeting center), Mali Dogon Culture

Guided questions for the film “Hidden Treasure of African Art” BBC Film: