Art of Africa (386-0-1)

Topic

Contemporary African Art

Instructors

Antawan I Byrd

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-319: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM

Overview of class

This course examines the significant contributions of African artists to the field of contemporary art from the 1980s to the present. We will explore the complex networks, strategies, political dynamics, and institutional frameworks that shape the production, dissemination, and interpretation of African art today. By analyzing artworks from multiple perspectives, we will consider how the meaning and value of African art practices shift across local and global contexts. This course provides an in-depth understanding of the role of museum exhibitions, art biennials, publishing platforms, and transnational collaborations in shaping the field of contemporary African art. Through critical inquiry, we will explore how artists engage with geopolitical power structures and address issues related to gender, identity, and sexuality. Additionally, we will examine how contemporary practices respond to or draw inspiration from theories of environmental justice, diaspora, decolonization, feminism, modernism, globalization, and posthumanism. The course will cover a range of media, including film, installation, painting, photography, performance, sculpture, and sound.

Class Materials (Required)

There is no required textbook for this course.

Class Attributes

Historical Studies Foundational Discipline
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Historical Studies Distro Area
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area
Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity