This course, designed in dialogue with Prof. Z.S. Strother (Columbia University), presents an introduction to artistic expressions produced on the African continent from the 1960s to the present. From works to exhibition practices, the course features a series of case studies that illuminate the historical and political contexts in which the works were produced.

In addressing the opportunities and challenges of studying and researching contemporary African art in the Brazilian (and Latin American) context, the course argues that the field offers important theoretical perspectives on crucial issues in art history today – beyond a purely geographical framework. Thus, throughout the classes, we will explore themes such as temporalities (modern/contemporary), cartographies of artistic production (local/global), identities (diasporic belonging/nationalisms/gender/race), and politics of memory (archives/history/photography).