Professor Elaine Sullivan will teach ART HIST 241 Introduction to African Art and Architecture MWF 11:00–11:50 AM during the Fall 2024 semester. NO PREREQS! | Humanities Breadth | L&S Credit | Enroll here
Description: Africa is the world’s second-largest continent, home to over a billion people in 54 countries, who speak anywhere from 2000 to 3000 different languages. This course provides an introduction to the visual arts and architecture of this diverse continent, from the oldest human drawing to recent works lighting up the contemporary art market. Students will gain a familiarity with some of the most well-known examples of African arts and architecture, and learn about some lesser known but equally impressive artistic traditions. Through study of artistic and building traditions, students will also learn about history, politics, and many cultures on the continent. The semester is organized around four main questions: When is African art? Where is African art? Who is African art? and Why is African art? These questions allow us to consider philosophical underpinnings of African arts and architecture, and to weigh current questions in the field of African art history.