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Print Price: $109.99

Format:
Paperback
480 pp.
7" x 10"

ISBN-13:
9780190601676

Copyright Year:
2022

Imprint: OUP US

The Visual Arts of Africa

Gender, Power, and Life Cycle Rituals, Second Edition

Fred T. Smith and Judith Perani

The Visual Arts of Africa: Gender, Power, and Life Cycle Rituals presents a broad geographical coverage of the rich, diverse art traditions found on the vast continent of Africa. It is designed for single-semester survey courses on African Art, and can also be used as part of a survey of global art course. Beginning with North Africa and the Sahara and ending with South Africa, the book introduces students to major art traditions ranging from important ancient, archaeological finds to the work of artists active today, both those working with received traditions as well as those trained in Western institutions.

The book's organization is based on a geographical approach, allowing for art works to be situated within the particular historical and cultural contexts of the different geographical regions of Africa. For each major geographical region, a selection of early documented art works to more recent art traditions are examined. Throughout the text the authors give special attention to the important themes of gender, power, and life cycle rituals that frequently intersect with one another to inform an understanding of the arts of Africa.

Readership : This is a textbook for undergraduate students taking African art history courses.

Reviews

"This is a lucid text, very reader friendly for the college student who does not want overtly dense material but still wants to be richly and adequately educated on the art traditions of the continent."
--Aderonke Adesanna, James Madison University
"The Visual Arts of Africa touches on the most important points that my course addresses succinctly but with enough information to generate discussion on a range of issues that are essential to the beginning student of African art."
--Elisabeth L. Roark, Chatham University

Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
Map of Africa
Timeline

INTRODUCTION
Africa
Pre-Colonial and Colonial Periods
Geography
People
Kinship
Social and Religious Associations
Cosmology and Religion
Sacred Space
Systems of Government in Africa
The Slave Trade and Colonialism
The Study of African Art
Style
Creativity and Aesthetics
Masquerade
Dress
The Artist
Art Patrons
Color, Painting and Pigments
Cloth, Textiles and Weaving
Design Techniques, Dyes and Patterns
Artistic Techniques
Pottery
Mud Architecture
Leather Working
Iron Working
Lost Wax Techniques
Wood Carving
Basketry
Ecology and the African Landscape: African Artists Respond to Natural and Man-made Change
The Northern and Southern Hemispheres
Examples of Global Warming and Deforestation in Africa
African Artists Respond
Postcolonial African Art
Contemporary African Art
Contemporary African Embroidery and Tapestry
Power, Race, and Protest: African American Voices

CHAPTER 1 Northwest Africa and the Sahara
Introduction
Saharan Rock Art
The Phoenician or Punic Tradition
Roman North Africa
Islam
Islamic North Africa
Berbers
North African Crafts
The Tuareg
Contemporary Developments
Nja Mahdaoui
Ali Omar Ermes
Farid Belkahia

CHAPTER 2 Western and Central Sudanic Societies
Introduction
The Emergence of State Societies in The Western and Central Sudan
Islamic Architecture of the Western Sudan
Inland Niger Delta Figurative Ceramics
Hausa Art Traditions of the Central Sudan
Architecture
Dress
The Fulani
Ceramic Vessel Production in Kano Nigeria
Ceramic Sculpture Traditions of the Central Sudan
Nok
Sao
Gongola Valley

CHAPTER 3 Western Sudanic Village Based Societies
Introduction
Characteristics of Western Sudan Sculptural Styles
Voltaic Speaking Peoples
Early History
Origin Myth, Belief and Figurative Sculpture
Dogon Masquerades
Architecture
The Upper Volta River Basin
Mossi
Bwa-Nuna
Frafra Funerary Ritual
Frafra Architecture and Wall Painting
Senufo
Poro Masquerades
Poro Figurative Sculpture
Mande-Speaking People
Bamana Blacksmiths
Bamana Mud Cloth
Religious Associations: Masquerades and Figurative Sculpture
Women and Pottery Production in the Western Sudan
Female Potters and Male Blacksmiths
Recent Developments
Glass Painting in Senegal
Photography in Mali
Filmmaking

CHAPTER 4 The Western Guinea Coast
Introduction to the Region
Early Sculpture Traditions: Nomoli, Pomdo and Afro-Portuguese Ivories
Baga Masks and Headdresses
Regalia of Sierra Leone Paramount Chiefs: Ivory Trumpets and Cloth
Male and Female Secret Associations
Poro
Sande
Dan-We Art of Southeastern Liberia and Western Ivory Coast
Guro
Early Photography in Africa
George A.G. Lutterodt and Albert George Lutterodt
Alphonso Lisk-Carew
Jonathon Adagogo Green
Continuity and Change in the Krio Kaba Sloht Dress
Expanding the Fancy and the Fierce: The Sculpture of John Goba
History
Secret Societies and Masquerades
The Postcolonial Period in Africa
New Art in Africa and John Goba's Sculpture

CHAPTER 5 The Arts of the Akan of the Ivory Coast and Ghana (by Martha Ehrlich, PhD)
Introduction
The Baule
Baule Masks
Baule Figures
Baule Personal Ornaments
History of Asante and the Akan Peoples of Ghana
Kumasi and Leadership Regalia
Ceremonial and Royal Dress
Cloth
Wood and Sculpture
Clay Sculpture: Funerary Heads
The Fante
New Directions in Akan Art

CHAPTER 6 Eastern Guinea Coast: The Yoruba, Nupe, and Fond and Their Influence
Introduction
Leadership: Yoruba City States
Ancient Ife
Esie Sculpture
Owo
Oyo and Ancient Nupe
Beaded Regalia
Ogboni and Oro Associations
Palace Architecture
Religion
The Nupe
Narrow Band Weaving
Nupe Woodworking
Nupe Masquerades
Nupe and Gwari Pottery
The Fon Kingdom of Dahomey
Religion
Leadership Arts
Ancestor Worship
The Yoruba Diaspora
The Fon Diaspora
New Directions in Yoruba Art
Lamidi Fakeye
Uli Beier and Suzanne Wenger
Twins Seven-Seven
Jimoh Buraimoh
Nike Olaniyidavis Davies
"Shain-Shain" Cloth

CHAPTER 7 Benin and the Lower Niger River Basin
Benin
State Organization
Royal Shrines and Commemorative Heads
Palace Architecture and Decoration
The Lower Niger River Basin
Igbo
Idoma and Northern Edo Masquerades
Ibibio Masks
Ijo
Cross River Region
Early History
Stone Monoliths
Insibidi Indigenous Visual Performed and Art Language Systems
Skin Covered Masks
Contemporary Directions in Southeastern Nigerian Art
Uche Okeke
Bruce Onobrakpeya
Sokari Douglas Camp

CHAPTER 8 Cameroon Grasffields, Ogowe River Basin, and the Northern Equatorial Forest
Introduction
Cameroon Grassfields Kingdoms
Figurative Sculpture
Dress
Indigo Dyed Cloth
Decorated Horns
Tobacco Pipes
Wooden Stools and Royalt
Regulatory Associations
Ogowe River Basin
Masquerades
Reliquary Cults
The Northern Equatorial Forest
Lega
Bwami
Mbole
The Azande and Mangbetu

CHAPTER 9 The Congo River Basin
Introduction
Early History: Bantu Migration
The Emergence of Bantu Kingdoms
Western Region
Kongo Kingdom
Western Region: Divination and Healing
Kongo
Yombe
Central Region
Yaka
Suku
Kuba
Pende
The Kuba Kingdom
Dengese
Salampasu
Choke
Ovimbundu
Southeastern Region
Luba
Songye Masquerades
Hemba Figurative Sculpture
Eastern Region: Masks
Songye
Luba
Initiation
Western and Central Pende Masquerades
New Directions in Urban Art

CHAPTER 10 State Societies of Northeastern Africa
Egypt
Predynastic and Early Dynastic
Dynastic Period
Old Kingdom
Middle Kingdom
New Kingdom
Late Period
Ancient Nubia
Kush
Ethiopia
Contemporary Art in Egypt, the Sudan and Ethiopia
Egypt
Sudan
Ethiopia

CHAPTER 11 Eastern Africa
Eastern Africa
East African Pastoralists
Artists and Artistry
Containers
Headrests
Coiffures
Costume and Ornament
Male Dress
Female Dress
Ornament and Gender Difference
Architecture of the Pastoralists
The Swahili Coast
Architecture
Dress
Woodcarving Traditions
Funerary Sculpture
Initiation and Leadership Sculpture
Kamba and Zaramo Figurative Sculpture
Makonde Figurative Sculpture
East Africa: New Directions
Margaret Trowell
Elimo Njau
Magdalene Odundo
Sane Wadu

CHAPTER 12 Southern Africa
Introduction
Rock Art
Lyndenburg Terra Cotta Heads
Shona Kingdoms
Southeastern Africa
New Directions in South African Art
Zimbabwe
Namibia
South Africa
Post-Apartheid Art

CHAPTER 13 Trends in Contemporary Art from Africa and its Diaspora (by Joseph L. Underwood)
Introduction
Gender
Mehdi-Georges Lahlou
Zanele Muholi
Njideka Akunyili Crosby
Toyin Ojih Odutola
Joël Andrianomearisoa
Ghana Amer
_Power
Mary Sibande
Kudzanai Chiurai
Massinissa Selmani
Emeka Ogboh
Aïda Muluneh
Wim Botha
Nandipha Mntambo
Cycles
Theo Eshetu
Viyé Diba
Houda Ghorbel
Wangechi Mutu
Lina Iris Viktor
Dawit Petros
Bofa Da Cara
Conclusion

Notes
Bibliography
Author Bios
Index

Instructor Resources:
Lecture PowerPoint Slides
Image Banks

Judith Perani, Professor Emerita, taught Art History at Ohio University, where she was also a member of the African Studies program.

Fred T. Smith, Professor Emeritus of Art History at Kent State University holds an MA in Anthropology from UCLA and a PhD in Art History from Indiana University, Bloomington.

Making Sense - Margot Northey
Art of the Non-Western World - Nancy L. Kelker

Special Features

Compact but comprehensive: coverage from early documented works to contemporary expressions in a variety of media, including sculpture, pottery, architecture, wall and body painting, textiles, beadwork, leatherwork, and basketry.
Full color reproductions of artworks.
Geographical organization.
Examines important themes of gender, power, and life cycle rituals.

New to this Edition

"New Directions" section at the end of every chapter that discusses 20th-c. African artists.
Chapter 13 on Contemporary African Art, by contributor Joseph Underwood, explores the various ways in which changes in material, concepts, and media have affected African artists in the 21st century.
New chapter on Northern Africa (Chapter 1). This means that now the book covers the entire continent of Africa.
Revised and updated Chapter 5 on the Asante People of the Ivory Coast and Ghana by a new contributor, Martha J. Ehrlich.
A lot more women artists and their works are represented in this edition.