tour 1 of 15
Views from Africa
Views from Africa
The African nations have a long history of
contact, exchange and trade with other parts of the world as well
as with each other. Since Portuguese explorers arrived in West
Africa during the fifteenth century, complex and changing
relationships have evolved between Africans and
Europeans.
The objects
featured in this tour were made by artists from south of the Sahara
between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries. It is not always
clear whether there are elements of parody in the stylized figures,
or whether they are simply representations of Europeans. Some could
be depictions of royal visitors or city-dwelling Africans in
European dress. Together they reflect the artists' personal
encounters and engagement with
change.
This tour
accompanies the exhibition Views from
Africa, at the British Museum from 28
April to 23 July 2005.