Introduction to African Art Identity, Politics & History of South Africa Program Spring 2023 Semester - Cape Town

This course is an introduction to the theory of African Art across different historical periods. It is also an introduction to the complexities and contradictions of ?modernity? and ?modernism(s)? in postcolonial Africa. With a focus on ideology-driven interdisciplinary artistic movements and 20th Century art schools in Senegal, Nigeria, Sudan, Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Africa, we will examine various schools of thought that were part of modern consciousness which characterised the independence decades. The course includes critical discussion of colonisation and the rise of Pan- Africanism, Pan-Arabism and nationalism during the independence decades. The anti-colonial nationalist struggle in Africa is characterised by the formal appropriation of languages and visual aesthetics, globally. We debate the complexity of this appropriation and its significance in the nationalist struggle through a critique of unilinear progress from tradition to modernity (transfer of technology and political systems [civil society and African state]). Aimed at undermining colonial ideological foundations, African nationalism is characterized by literacy, cultural revival (traditionalist and neo-African), and a quest for African history. Through dialogue, debate and discussion this course provides a forum for critical thinking on art history and African art.

DP requirements: At least 80% attendance of tutorials and satisfactory completion of 2 assignments per semester. Late essays penalised by 5% per day (including weekends).

Assessment: Semester coursework 60%, 2-hour examination 40%.

The University of Cape Town awards credits based on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) to determine course and contact hour recommendations per course. 1 NQF credit represents roughly 10 notional hours of work which includes study time, assignments and examinations. Notional hours may very per courses depending on the course level and modality therefore, CEA recommends using NQF credits as a basis to determine U.S. equivalencies (1 NQF=.222 semester credits)