Modern and Contemporary African Art: A Collaborative Vanderbilt Student Research Project

Artists in Historical Context

Samuel Kane Kwei- artist from Ghana produced coffin art, this is an example of participating in cross-cultural exchange because Christian ideas of burial were brought to Africa where Guinean ideals were transformed into feelings of thankfulness and appreciation for the coffin art's meanings. 
Noria Mabasa- South African artist working in the 1970s, as a female working in wood sculpture, she challenged a number of binaries: female in wood work, living in a rural area and showing her work in urban settings. She targeted tourists in her sculptures and made freestanding sculptures of Afrikaner pioneers for sale to South African tourists. 
Dr. Seoka- Was an herbalist and entrepreneur and started sculpting at the recommendation of a healer. He created large sculptures of animals and humans by using the natural curvature of the wood. in 1985, his sculptures were displayed in a gallery, and by the 1990s, his art was so popular that he had to teach his sons. 
Jackson Hungwani- Self taught artist who was originally ordained in the African Zionist Church. Visitors often viewed his work as part of his religious work. 
Margaret Trowell- Came to Uganda (Kampala) and founds the first art school in Uganda (Makarere). Here, she aimed to produce artists to teach in the school system. At the time, Uganda was a British Colony with indirect rule, meaning that the British were in control, but had proxies working as a means of indirect rule. Margaret was very religious, and she thought that working in Africa would give her spiritual fulfillment. She emphasized religious themes and depictions of rural life in her work and her students' work. She aimed to get her students to produce authentic, East African art (this seems positive but could also be argued as being patronizing). In short, Trowell wanted her students to look at African/Indigenous tradition, but use Western or modern mediums). 
Sam Ntiro- Painter from Tanzania, a prized student of Margaret Trowell. He followed Trowell's desire by creating murals that depicted biblical scenes: Christian scenes with African influences, meaning he wove Kenyan traditions. He used egg tempera as a medium, which was a nod toward European masters.
Mwenze Kibwanga- 1954 works at The Hangar, one of the first interracial schools uses a lot of thick, horizontal lines, and earthy, natural tones. 
Thomas Mukarobgwa- Appointed by McEwen as a gallery attendant at The Central African Workshop, and was given art materials; he started his career as a painter, and eventually moved into sculpture as it became popular. In accordance with McEwen's beliefs about untrained artists having the purest creativity and individuality, Mukarobgwa was fascinated with children's art because they were untainted and therefore the most accurate reflection of authentic cultural production.