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

1922Aina 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, NigeriaZinc Brass,800-500 BP (12th-15th cent.)

Leo Frobenius assumed this was Greek Poseidon or Roman NeptuneWhich belonged to the famed Atlantis

Aina Onabolu,BarristerOil on canvas1920s

Ben Enwonwu,Agbogho Mmuo,Oil on canvas,1978

Student of Kenneth Murray Encouraged to reflect visible experiencesfrom their African environment; Negritude and Pan Africanism

Ben Enwonwu,NegritudeOil on canvas

Ben EnwonwuSir Adetokunbo AdemolaThe Alake of Egbaland,Bronze

Ben Enwonwu,Statue of Queen Elizabeth 11Bronze

The Zaria School

Bruce OnobrakpeyaHave You Heard,Oil on canvas,1959Influenced by the Adire indigo dyed fabric design patterns of the Yoruba

The Zaria Art society, 1958“Zaria Rebels”

Natural synthesis—combining the best ofNigerian values with those from outside

Adire, (Indigo dyed cloth) Yoruba, Nigeria, indigo and cotton 20th century

Bruce Onobrakpeya,UntitledOil on canvas1961

Demas Nwoko,Figure,Terracotta,1967-8Influenced by the stylistic elements of Nok

Demas NwokoAdam and EveTerracotta,1967/68

Informal Category:

Catholic Workshops&

Experimental Workshopsa) 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 MenFrom the Christmas Crib SetWood, beads, pigments1954

The Experimental Workshopsb) 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 Ink1967

Phantasmagoric/Dream likeimages 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 clothWith likeness of Queen Elizabeth IIGhana, 1960

Vote for Peace,Vote ANC, detail, 1994

Yinka Shonibare, Scramble for Africa, installation 14 chairs, 14 tablesWax prints, 2000

Yinka Shonibaredetail

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 Jemima-the Black Mammy stereotype, domestic/wet nurse

Ritual of Imori (Knowing/discerningDestiny), Ijebu-Yoruba, Nigeria Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Sonponna, photograph

Rotimi Fani-Kayode,Soponna,Black and white silver gelatinWith 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 painting2013

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 Art1994-5

Jacques-Louis David, Oath of the Horatii, oil on canvas, 1784-5

Jacques-Louis David's painting Bonaparte Crossing the Alps at Grand-Saint-BernardOil on canvas, 1801-1805

Kehinde Wiley, Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps, oil on canvas, 2005

Peter Paul Rubens,King Philips II of SpainOil on canvas, 1628

Kehinde Wiley, Portrait of Michael Jackson, oil on canvas, 2009