The content of the Art History component in the General Knowledge in Art subject studied by various Senior High Schools in West Africa is largely of foreign art histories at the expense of the histories of African indigenous arts which are shallowly presented in the teaching syllabus to be taught students. This makes the students appreciate more…

There is plenty of literature, including exhibition catalogues, journal articles, and books written for those interested in learning and teaching about African art. Information on individual artists from the countries of Africa is also increasing. These sources attempt to highlight the artists' lives, education, working conditions and what they…

The Fon live in the southern part of the People's Republic of Benin. They inhabit an area about the size of Connecticut. To this day, many Fon are farmers. They plant yams, corn, and cotton, and cultivate palm trees that produce palm oil. Ancient beliefs in spirits and natural powers (called vodun) that govern the world and provide a spiritual…

No single traditional discipline can adequately supply answers to the many unresolved questions in African art history. Because of the aesthetic, cultural, historical, and, not infrequently, political biases, already built into the conception and development of Western art history, the discipline of art history as defined and practiced in the West…

Three different models for the teaching of African art are presented in this paper. A comparison of the differences between the approaches of Western art historians and African art historians informs the articulation of the three models--an approach for determining style, another for dealing with analysis, and a third for synthetic interpretation.…

In an introductory section by Michael D. Harris, this resource presents a discussion of aspects and problems in the WEstern study of African Art. This is followed by six lesson plans based on art works from the Fred and Rita Richman Collection of Sub-Saharan Art in the High Museum. The handbook follows Georgia's Quality Core Curriculum and the Ten…

Three booklets focusing on dyed and printed textile techniques of Java, West Africa, and the Netherlands describe historical and ethnographic materials as well as the development of particular technical traditions. Each section may be used alone or with either or both of the others. When used together, these booklets illustrate the…

In this lesson, students create an African Art Museum. Student teams research the culture and art history of particular regions in Africa. They collect art images for the museum, studying aspects of each artwork's creation and its relation to the culture. Each team will give the class a guided tour of its wing of the museum. Teams consist of…

Describes an African maskmaking project completed by seventh grade that gave students insight into tribal cultures. Discusses materials and methods students used to make the masks along with a backdrop painting to complement their masks. Displays several examples of student art. (DB)

The eight units in this volume are designed for use by an art teacher/specialist. Thematic ideas are presented, while skills, techniques, and materials are not dictated. The lessons encourage students to compare and contrast cultures, understand their own cultural experiences, and explore differences and commonalities among cultures. The materials…

Explores recent studies in anthropology, art history, and archeology on African women's art from a feminist theoretical perspective. Relates women's arts to several sociological and economic factors and suggests new avenues of exploration, especially in the face of urbanization and modernization. (CJS)

Considers how multicultural art education should be approached in the classroom. Uses African art to help distinguish between appreciating art from different cultures and understanding cultural contexts. Discusses benefits and shortcomings of five multicultural approaches. Shows how the NAMES project (AIDS Memorial Quilt) could be used in the…