Equestrian figure; ceramic; ca. 13th–15th centuries; Mali (National Museum of African Art)
From the vibrant paintings found in Stone Age caves to the abstract sculptures produced during the continent’s colonial period, the arts of Africa have been shaped by unique creative insight as well as by specific political, social, religious, and economic forces. Art historian Kevin Tervala explores these vibrant artistic expressions through an examination of the continent’s historical trajectory.
Jan. 31 Ancient Africa (Prehistory to 1000)
From cave paintings to the pyramids: How artistic creativity evolved in cradle of humanity.
Feb. 7 Medieval Africa (1000–1500)
An examination of the art produced during the continent’s Age of Empires and the role of Islam in shaping African creative thought.
Feb. 14 Early Modern Africa (1500–1900)
How artists responded to the Atlantic and Indian Ocean slave trade and how the increasing ties between Africa and Europe shaped artistic patronage.
Feb. 21 Modern and Contemporary Africa (1900–Present)
How European colonialism, independence-era politics, and economic globalization transformed the content and form of African art.
Tervala is a Ph.D. candidate in African studies and the history of art and architecture at Harvard University.
4 sessions
World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit
Smithsonian Connections
The African Art Museum’s online exhibition Transatlantic Dialogue: Contemporary Art in and Out of Africa is inspired by the aesthetic conversation that has recently developed between African and African American artists as they work from different perspectives to reconcile their African identity and heritage within the currents of contemporary art.
