Rhode Island School of Design
Department of History of Art and Visual Culture
ARTH H102: TOPICS IN ART HISTORY: (09/15)
Spring Semester 2015
ARTH H102: 09/15: TOPICS IN ART HISTORY
H102: 09: CB 521 9:40-11:10 T/Th
H102: 15: CB 521 11:20-12:50 T/F
Dr. Bolaji Campbell
Office: 515, CB
Phone: 277-4870
email: bcampbel@risd.edu
Office Hours: M/T/F—1:00-2:00 or by appointment
Course Website: http//faculty.risd.edu/bcampbel/Africanart.htm
INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE
This course is a survey of the rich and diverse artistic heritage of Africa. It explores the aesthetic,
religious, socio-political and cultural values of some of the major ethnic groups using art
historical and archaeological evidence found throughout the continent.
Using an interdisciplinary perspective, the course is organized into four sections: HUMAN
ECOLOGY AND ANCIENT IMAGERY; THE WEST AFRICAN KINGDOMS;
LITERATURE, CULTURE AND ARCHITECTURE; CONTEMPORARY ART IN AND OUT
OF AFRICA. Each section is explored through an interrogation of the Arts—masking and ritual
performance, music, literature, dance, painting, sculpture, architecture and film.
COURSE PLAN
The required texts are:
1) Visona, et. al. A History of Art in Africa, New York: Prentice Hall & Harry N. Abrams
2) Willet, Frank, African Art, New York: Thames and Hudson.
3) Garlake, Peter, Early Art and Architecture of Africa, Oxford History of Art Series
Students are expected to read and take notes on all assigned readings prior to their presentation in
class in order to make meaningful and intelligent contribution in class. The last two/three classes
will be devoted to students’ presentations, summary and celebrations...
REQUIREMENT
One paper (approximately 5-6 typewritten pages) is required. This is a research paper on an
African art piece selected from either the RISD Museum of Art or from private collection in the
Providence area or from the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology on the Brown University
campus). You are required to attach a color photograph or line illustration (drawing) to your
essay. The paper is due on Tuesday March 17, 2015. There are two written examinations a
Midterm on Tuesday March 31, 2015 and a Final on the Liberal Arts Exam Day, Friday May
15, 2015. The exams will test your knowledge of the course materials.
EVALUATION
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Each student is expected to attend all lectures and complete class projects and papers, take exams
on scheduled dates and attend relevant art exhibitions and or lectures with a critical eye. No
makeup exams will be given. Students will be evaluated based on the following:
Preparation, Attendance and Participation in class
Paper
Midterm exam
Library Research
Final Examination
20%
20%
25%
10%
25%
The examinations will basically test students’ understanding and knowledge of the course
materials presented and discussed in class, in addition to assigned readings. Students are
therefore expected to attend all classes, take class notes, and review all assigned readings
You are allowed 2 unexcused absences after which your grade will be lowered one category
(example: A becomes AB).
Extra credit projects that are related to the course materials (which may attract a maximum of 3
points) are particularly encouraged. Such projects may be in the form of: a) critical review of
exhibitions on aspects of African Expressive Culture; b) thoughtful and incisive report or
reflection on news and current affairs on Africa which you consider pertinent to the content of
the course, or c) simply by making art in a creative dialogue or response to some of the materials
explored in the course.
COURSE OUTLINE
Week 1: Thursday Feb 12: INTRODUCTION: Review of Syllabus
Friday Feb. 13: INTRODUCTION: Review of Syllabus
Week 2: Tuesday Feb. 17: ART AND AESTHETICS in Pre/Postcolonial African Societies:
Willett, pp. 208-237; Thompson, in BLACK GODS AND KINGS, CH3/1-7
Yai, in THE YORUBA ARTIST, pp. 37-48. **
Thursday Feb 19 & Friday, 20: ANCIENT IMAGERY: Rock Art—SAHARA
Visona et al. A HISTORY OF ART IN AFRICA, pp. 22-27;
Week 3: Tuesday Feb. 24: ANCIENT IMAGERY (cont.) Rock Art--Southern Africa
Visona et. al. A HISTORY OF ART IN AFRICA, pp. 464-471 *
Willett, pp. 43-79*; Garlake, P, Early Art and Architecture of Africa, pp. 29-49
Thursday Feb. 26 & Fri. Feb. 27: Library Research Introduction—
class meets in Room 228 in the College Library
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Week 4: Tuesday March 3: Library Research Presentation—(9:40-11:10) class meets in
Room 228 and (11:20-12:50) class in Room 110 in the College Library
Thursday March 5 & Fri. March 6: ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS: Nok; Sokoto, Jenne
Visona et al. A HISTORY OF ART IN AFRICA, pp. 76-79*
deGrunne, B, The Birth of Art in Africa; Eyo and Willet, Treasures of Ancient Nigeria
Week 5: Tuesday March 10: WEST AFRICAN KINGDOMS: Igbo Ukwu; Ife
Eyo and Willett, Treasures of Ancient Nigeria, pp. 2-10, 25-32; Visona et. al. 228-235; 284-287
Willett, pp. 65-75 ** Willett, pp. 65-114; Drewal, “Ife: Origins of Art and Civilization,” in
YORUBA: NINE CENTURIES OF AFRICAN ART AND THOUGHT, pp. 45-76.
Thursday March 12 & Fri. March 13: WEST AFRICAN KINGDOMS
(cont) Owo, Benin
Visona et. al. A HISTORY OF ART IN AFRICA, pp. 235-237; 272-283; *
Abiodun, R. The Kingdom of Owo, in Yoruba, Nine centuries of African Art and Thought
Week 6: Tuesday March 17: VISUAL AND VERBAL METAPHORS: Akan Linguist Staffs
Visona et al. pp. 196-209
PAPER DUE
Thurs. March 19 & Fri. March 20: TEXTILES AND THE DECORATIVE ARTS
Visona et al. pp. 38-43; 91-92; 95-103; 257-260; 308-315; 326- 336; 387-389;*
Hale, “Kente Cloth of Ghana,” AFRICAN ARTS, 3, 3, 1970, pp. 26-29. [19] **
Imperato, “Bokolanfini,” AFRICAN ARTS, 3, 4, 1970, pp. 12-19, 82-84. [21] **
Adams, M. “Kuba Embroidered Cloth,” AFRICAN ARTS, 12, 1, pp. 24-39. [1] **
REVISION
Week 7: March 21-March 29: SPRING BREAK
Week 8: Tuesday March 31: MIDTERM EXAM
Thursday April 2 & Fri. April 3: LITERATURE AND ORAL TRADITIONS
FILM: Keita: Heritage of the Griot
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Week 9: Tuesday April 7: PERSONALS ARTS
Ferris, NUBA PERSONAL ART, pp. 73-82**; Visona, et..al. pp. 457-461
Thurs. April 9 & Fri. April 10: PERSONAL ARTS (cont)
Week 10: Tues. April 14: African Architecture I
Visona, et. al. 29-40; 93-95; 108-112; 137-140; 162-165; 190-191; 264-265; 325-333; 384-385;
430-438; 471-476; 486-489
Thurs. April 16 & Fri. April 17: African Architecture II
Willett, pp. 115-137**
Prussin, “Oulata,” in HATUMERE: ISLAMIC DESIGN IN AFRICA, pp. 134-141. *
Pwiti, “The Origins and Development of the Stone Building Cultures of Zimbabwe,” in
ZIMBABWE: LEGACIES OF STONE, pp.77-95 *
Week 11: Tues. April 21: Painting Sacred and Secular Spaces I
Schneider, “Ndebele Mural Art,” AFRICAN ARTS, 18, 3, pp. 60-67, 100 [29] **
Berns, M. “Decorated Gourds of Northeastern Nigeria,” AFRICAN ARTS, 19, 1, pp.28-45, 86
Thurs. April 23 & Fri. April 24: CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART I
Visona et al. pp. 40-43; 73-75; 125-129; 192-195; 224-227; 265-271; 287-291; 348-349; 395399; 424-427; 461-463; 489-497; 494-497; 500-541 *
Week 12: Tues. April 28: CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART II
Willett, pp. 239-264**
Thurs. April 30 & Fri. May 1: AFRICAN ART IN THE GLOBAL MARKET
PLACE
Oguibe, “Art, Identity, Boundaries: Postmodernism & Contemporary African Art”,
pp. 16-29*
Oguibe, “Finding a Place: Nigerian Artists in the Contemporary Art World,” in
ART JOURNAL 58(2) 1999:30-41*
Week 13: Tues. May 5: AFRICAN ART IN THE GLOBAL MARKET PLACE II
Thurs. May 7 & Fri. May 8: FINAL REVISION
Week 14: Friday May 15: FINAL EXAM IN CB 521 –9:00—12:00 noon
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