contemporary african art: contested terrain and a troubling aesthetics

Contemporary African Art:

Contested terrain and a troubling aesthetics

The PotoPoto Aesthetics

Established in 1951By French Mathematician and amateur artist

Pierre Lods

Mode Muntu, Figures carrying water in a fish background,gouache on paper, 1973

Mode Muntu, Slaved yoked together, gouache on paper, 1973

Mode, Figures, gouache on cardboard, n.d

Jean-Bosco Kamba, Serpent and Birds, Gouache on wood, n.d.

Roadside Art and a new Internationalism

Unknown artist, Barber’s Sign—(Salon) shop display, enamel paints on wood

Open display of the portraits of Christ, and prominent Ghanaian politiciansBy God Art Works, kumasi Ghana, 1978

Cheri Samba, Why have I signed a contract?, acrylic on canvas, 1990

Cheri Samba, (Zairian) Battle Against the Mosquitoes,Acrylic on canvas, 1990

Tshibumba, Colonial Atrocities,Enamel on board. n.d

Kane Kwei, Mercedes-Benz shaped coffin, enamel paint on wood, 1989

Kane Kwei, (Ghanaian) Hen-shaped coffin, wood and enamel paint, 1989

Kane Kwei, Cocoa-pod shaped coffin, enamel paints on wood, 1970

Sunday Jack Akpan, installation—chief, soldiers, business man, Cement and enamel paints, 1993

Sunday Jack Akpan,Portrait of a man in uniform(Nigerian Police)Cement and acrylic paints1989

Sunday Jack Akpan,Heads,Cement, enamel paintsc.a. 1993

Emile Guebehi, The Adultery, installation, painted wood, 1992

An Ndebele woman painting the façadeOf her home.

Francina Ndimande’s House, Mabhoko, South Africa, 1987

Catholic Church painted by Francina Ndimande, Mabhoko, South Africa, 1987

Francina Ndimande,Untitled, acrylic on canvas,1992

Justus Akeredolu, installation--woman cooking, farmer, wood, n.d.

Contemporary Benin Queen Mother’sBust presented by the Nigeria GovernmentTo President Jimmy Carter in 1997

Fake Roped Vessel on a standAfter Igbo Ukwu, bronze, n.d.

Ballpoint pen carved in the 1980Recycles traditional wood carving modes

ModernismModernity

African/ Africanity/AfricanessExotic

AuthenticityCommodity (commodification)