“Africanizing” A Modern African Art History Curriculum from the Perspectives of an Insider

Abstract

Until recent, the lack of perception that dogged the early study of traitional art by members of Western culture seem to have reappeared in the study or (non study) of modern African art. Currently, modern African art is engaging the attention of western art historians’ scholarly enquiry. However, there is a need for a well educated and articulate art historical practice to develop all over Africa, if the pre-conceived neo-colonial and xenophobic attitudes of some western curators and scholars must be addressed. Besides, African terminologies and nomenclatures, words, classification and definition of terms are necessary for African situations and experiences. Some questions are tackled in this paper such as; what aspects of the existing African art history are problematic? Why is the need to Africanize African Art history? Whose insider perspective is the focus of the paper? “Africanizing” a modern African Art History Curriculum’ as used in this paper refers to the needed reformation in the current African art history practice and study in the tertiary institutions towards a progressive, developmental and Africa centred art history. It is about evolving a contemporary African art history that is historical, unbiased and factual about Africa