ArtBabble: African Art

The Collecting of African American Art VIII: Elliot Perry and Darrell Walker in Conversation with Michael Harris

National Gallery of Art, Washington — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:16:30 +0000

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Recorded on February 26, 2012, as part of the National Gallery of Art lecture series The Collecting of African American Art, former National Basketball Association players Elliot Perry and Darrell Walker discuss their collections of African American art and art of the African diaspora with Professor Michael D. Harris. Perry and Walker began to collect art during their extensive travels for their professional sports careers, and both have amassed important holdings of modern and contemporary art that have been exhibited throughout the United States.

Dallas Museum of Art Collection: Nkisi Nkondi

Dallas Museum of Art — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 16:34:16 +0000

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Dallas Museum of Art Collection

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Dallas Museum of Art

Minkisi (sing. nkisi) contain magical substances (“medicines”) that, depending upon the context, are used for protection or devastation. Carved wood human figures like this one hunt wrongdoers in matters of civil law. He is simultaneously chief, doctor, priest, and judge. The figure is studded with nails and blades, which indicate how often it has been used.

Dallas Museum of Art Collection: Rhythm Pounder

Dallas Museum of Art — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 03:43:32 +0000

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Dallas Museum of Art Collection

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Dallas Museum of Art

During the funerals of important elders of the Senufo men’s Poro society, rhythm pounders are rhythmically swung by the arms and struck against the ground in time with the music of the funeral orchestra. This action compels ancestor spirits to continue to participate in the funeral ceremony.

Standing female figure (rhythm pounder), 19th to 20th century; Wood, cowrie shells, and red abrus seeds; Africa, Southeastern Mali, Senufo peoples

Magbo helmet mask for Oro association: Secret Society

Indianapolis Museum of Art — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:02:37 +0000

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Indianapolis Museum of Art

The Oro association is responsible for enforcing fines and penalties and carrying out punishments. The Oro uses masks of this type during annual festivals. Maskers are also involved in burial procedures for everyone, no matter the status of the deceased. The many figures on top of the mask, including a prisoner, a preacher, a musician and a soldier indicate that Oro activities involve the whole community.

Magbo helmet mask for Oro association: Imagery

Indianapolis Museum of Art — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:49:28 +0000

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Indianapolis Museum of Art

Yinka Shonibare MBE: Black Artists

Art21 — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:15:01 +0000

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Art21:Exclusive

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Art21

Episode #150: As Yinka Shonibare MBE installs his 2008 solo show at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney, Australia, he discusses his experience as a black artist living and working in the United Kingdom. With few black artist role models from the previous generation to follow in the path of, Shonibare describes his motivation and strategy for getting his work into the art system.

Tang Museum: Nnenna Okore on "Mbembe"

Tang Museum at Skidmore College — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:04:35 +0000

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Tang Museum: Environment and Object • Recent African Art

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Tang Museum at Skidmore College

In Nnenna Okore’s native language, Igbo, Mbembe means shadow. In this video, Okore discusses her piece Mbembe and its commentary on indiscriminant waste in consumer societies.

For Mbembe, Okore recycled and transformed used plastic bags into a large, hanging installation that emphasizes the pervasive presence and looming shadow of plastic bags in contemporary culture. Mbembe was featured in the Tang Museum exhibition Environment and Object - Recent African Art (2011).

Tang Museum: Viyé Diba on the Politics of Urban Density

Tang Museum at Skidmore College — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:30:22 +0000

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Tang Museum: Environment and Object • Recent African Art

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Tang Museum at Skidmore College

In this video, Viyé Diba discusses the relationship between space and political conflict, and how issues of globalization and density have influenced his work.

Diba’s installation Nous sommes nombreux, et nos problémes avec… [We are numerous, and our problems with that…] combines local, raw, and recycled materials with painting, sculpture, and photography to address Africa’s consumer economy as well as the physical and psychological effects of spatial density.

Tang Museum: Bright Ugochukwu Eke on Working with Water

Tang Museum at Skidmore College — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:41:33 +0000

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Tang Museum: Environment and Object • Recent African Art

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Tang Museum at Skidmore College

In this video, Bright Ugochukwu Eke recounts how experiencing the effects of acid rain while working in Nigeria led him to the theme of water in his art. As he explains, “My inspiration as an artist comes from everyday life. As I move about, I experience cultures, people and their attitudes to life in relation to the surrounding earth.”

Tang Museum: Nnenna Okore on Inspiring Young Female Artists

Tang Museum at Skidmore College — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 03:12:40 +0000

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Tang Museum: Environment and Object • Recent African Art

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Tang Museum at Skidmore College

In this video, Nnenna Okore discusses overcoming the challenges of being a female African artist and how her passion to create leads her to inspire young female artists.