Contemporary African Art
in and out of Africa
The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition, London,
1851
Joseph Paxton, The Crystal Palace, 1851….destroyed by fire November 30, 1936
Edouard Manet, "The Luncheon on the Grass“, oil on canvas, 1862/1863
1. Formal Category
2. Informal Category:
(Workshops; a new internationalism –souvenir art)
3. African Art on the Global Stage
4. Diaspora Dimension: Ambivalence and Parody
Formal Category:
Evolution of Modern Art in Africa
1922
Aina Onabolu (1882-1963)
Kenneth D. Murray (1902-1972) —British Colonial Officer, 1927
Ben Enwonwu
Harlem Renaissance (Alain Locke);
Negritude, assimilation ( Leopold Sedar Senghor, Aime Cesaire)
Pan Africanism
Crowned Head of a Ruler,
Ife, Nigeria
Zinc Brass,
800-500 BP (12th-15th cent.)
Leo Frobenius assumed this was
Greek Poseidon or Roman Neptune
Which belonged to the famed Atlantis
Aina Onabolu,
Barrister
Oil on canvas
1920s
Ben Enwonwu,
Agbogho Mmuo,
Oil on canvas,
1978
Student of Kenneth Murray
Encouraged to reflect visible experiences
from their African environment; Negritude and Pan Africanism
Ben Enwonwu,
Negritude
Oil on canvas
Ben Enwonwu
Sir Adetokunbo Ademola
The Alake of Egbaland,
Bronze
Ben Enwonwu,
Statue of Queen Elizabeth 11
Bronze
The Zaria School
The Zaria Art society, 1958
“Zaria Rebels”
Natural synthesis—combining the best of
Nigerian values with those from outside
Bruce Onobrakpeya
Have You Heard,
Oil on canvas,
1959
Influenced by the Adire indigo dyed fabric design patterns of the Yoruba
Adire, (Indigo dyed cloth) Yoruba, Nigeria, indigo and cotton 20th century
Bruce Onobrakpeya,
Untitled
Oil on canvas
1961
Demas Nwoko,
Figure,
Terracotta,
1967-8
Influenced by the stylistic elements of Nok
Demas Nwoko
Adam and Eve
Terracotta,
1967/68
Informal Category:
Catholic Workshops
&
Experimental Workshops
a) Oye Ekiti—Catholic Mission—Father Kevin Carroll
(1947-1954)
Lamidi Fakeye, Flight into Egypt, wood, 1956
Integration of Christian subject matter with Yoruba sculpture tradition
—Africanization of form
George Bandele,
One of the Three Wise Men
From the Christmas Crib Set
Wood, beads, pigments
1954
The Experimental Workshops
b) Mbari Mbayo—Ibadan/Osogbo—Ulli Beier
1961-1968)
Osogbo Experiments—Mbari Mbayo Workshop
Talented young artists who were still unfettered by
European artistic convention
Adire, (Indigo dyed cloth) Yoruba, Nigeria, indigo and cotton 20th century
Georgina Beier, Untitled, oil on board 25 panels, 1985
Georgina Beier, Untitled, linoleum cut print, 1960
Adebisi Akanji,
Untitled-scene from
A Petrol Station
Cement sculpture,
Cement
n.d
Twin Seven Seven,
a.k.a Chief Taiwo Olaniyi,
Pen and Ink
1967
Phantasmagoric/Dream like
images steeped in Yoruba
folkloric tradition
Jimoh Buraimoh, faces and bird, gouache and beads on board, 1996
Informal Category
Roadside Art and a new Internationalism
Unknown artist, Barber’s Sign—(Salon) shop display, enamel paints on wood
Cheri Samba, Why have I signed a contract?, acrylic on canvas, 1990
Kane Kwei, Mercedes-Benz shaped coffin, enamel paint on wood, 1989
Kane Kwei, Cocoa-pod shaped coffin, enamel paints on wood, 1970
Kane Kwei, Hen-shaped coffin, wood and enamel paint, 1989
On the Global Stage
Man wearing commemorative cloth
With likeness of Queen Elizabeth II
Ghana, 1960
Vote for Peace,
Vote ANC, detail, 1994
Yinka Shonibare, Scramble for Africa, installation 14 chairs, 14 tables
Wax prints, 2000
Yinka Shonibare
detail
Leonardo da Vinci, Last Supper, 1498, tempera and oil on plaster
(Santa Maria della Grazie, Milan)
Yinka Shonibare, The Last Supper (after Leonardo) mixed media, 2013
Chris Ofili,
The Holy Virgin Mary,
Acrylic, resin, oil paper collage,
Elephant dung on linen,
1996
Imagery of Mary the mother of Jesus; asexualized imagery of Aunt Jemimathe Black Mammy stereotype, domestic/wet nurse
Ritual of Imori (Knowing/discerning
Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Sonponna, photograph
Destiny), Ijebu-Yoruba, Nigeria
Rotimi Fani-Kayode,
Soponna,
Black and white silver gelatin
With hand tinting,
1987
Rotimi Fani-Kayode,
Golden Phallus,
Color Photograph,
1989
El Anatsui, Searching for Connections (TsiaTsia ) bottle tops, printing plates,
Aluminium and Copper wire, 2013
Diaspora Dimension: Ambivalence and Parody
Leonardo da Vinci, Last Supper, 1498, tempera and oil on plaster
(Santa Maria della Grazie, Milan)
Dean Simon, Mandela surrounded by Peacemaker around the World, black & white p
2013
Renee Cox, Yo Mama Last Supper, C-Print Photograph,
A French print “La Belle Hottentot” after the display and objectification of
Sarah Bartman (Saartje Bartman)
Renee Cox,
Saartie Bartman
(Hottentot Venus)
Photography, 1995
Edouard Manet, "The Luncheon on the Grass“, oil on canvas, 1862/1863
Renee Cox, Cousins at pussy pond, 2001
Pablo Picasso, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, oil on canvas, 1907
Faith Ringgold, Picasso’s Studio, Acrylic on canvas
And tie-dye fabric, 1991
Ike Ude,
Cover Girl Series,
Photo Text,
1994-5
Ike Ude,
Cover Girl,
Installation view, Exit Art
1994-5
Jacques-Louis David, Oath of the Horatii, oil on canvas, 1784-5
Jacques-Louis David's painting Bonaparte Crossing the Alps at Grand-Saint-Bernard
Oil on canvas, 1801-1805
Kehinde Wiley, Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps, oil on canvas, 2005
Peter Paul Rubens,
King Philips II of Spain
Oil on canvas, 1628
Kehinde Wiley, Portrait of Michael Jackson, oil on canvas, 2009