South of the Sahara

Forty-two important works from thirty different cultures are featured in colour Examines the relationship between contemporary and so-called traditional African arts Considers the little-known issue of African aesthetics Constantine Petridis examines the relationship between contemporary and so-called traditional African arts, and presents examples showing that many African works were originally part of an ensemble or one element of a performance. He discusses how works relate to ideas about leadership and the supernatural and then relates the many misunderstandings that still exist concerning the history and the chronology of African art. After dissecting the complex issue of style, he concentrates on the relationship between styles and both time and geography. Forty-two important works from thirty different cultures are featured in colour, including objects from the ancient kingdom of Benin and examples of two of Africa's oldest archaeological art traditions: Nok in Nigeria and Djenne in Mali. Enriched with many field photographs and much ethnographical information, this presentation emphasizes the extraordinary formal invention and spiritual power of the objects.