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  • A Tree Cannot Make a Forest: Looking Inward, Reaching out in African Art Studies
  • Stephen Fọlárànmí (bio)

Ẹyẹ kò lè fi apá kan fò

Birds can’t fly with one wing

(Team-work/cooperation is crucial)

Ọmọdé gbọ́n, Àgbà gbọ́n la fi dá Ilé-Ifẹ̀

The combined wisdom of the children and those of the aged were used to create Ile-Ife

Amâno yafuma mwifwesa yaingila mu cûlu

Wisdom came out of a small anthill (ifwesa) and went into a big one (Elders may also benefit from the sayings of children)

Àtùpà kì í níyì lọ́ọ́sán, ṣugbọ̀n a máa gbayì lọ́jọ́ alẹ́

A lamp is typically of little value in the afternoon, but does get appreciated at night

(There’s always a right time and place for everything)

These proverbs from the Yorùbá of southwestern Nigeria and the Bemba of Zambia are a few examples that can be found in many Africa languages. While these proverbs are rich in philosophical sayings and muses, many are being forgotten because fewer and fewer people possess deep knowledge of languages, and in the arts, Africans tend to look to the Global North for theoretical frameworks to examine their art and other cultural properties. The title of this piece is therefore an identification with the potency of the proverbs because of the trends of collaboration that I have noticed in the last few years in African Art Studies. It could also be said to be a call to look into what could be shared within Global Souths in terms of an available knowledge base that could be used to forge ahead rather than subjecting thoughts and knowledge to the Global North.

The second inspiration for this piece draws from Costandius (2007: 8), who suggests the “inclusion of African Indigenous Knowledge in multicultural educational curricula in South Africa.” Other scholars (Mbiti 1997; van Wyk and Higgs 2004; Waghid 2016) have argued that the African philosophy of learning1 can be used to enhance educational practices. These educational practices and philosophy could be a powerful tool in the production of knowledge with public concern (Waghid (2016). Furthermore, Venter (2004: 156) has argued for the inclusion of the ubuntu view in education. Can we then begin to critically look at and make use of these philosophies as we engage with the various aspects of the languages? Ubuntu means “humanness”—I am because we are, and since we are, therefore I am—which relates to the idea that a person can only be a person through others (Van der Walt 1997; Mbiti 2002).


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1.

Jelili Atiku, Red Day—In the Red Series #17 (2017). Performance with Alo Oluwatobi Peter, Joe C. Samuel, Vincent Obinka Ikenna, Anthony Ajaero, Akinrinola Abiodun, Taiwo Aiyedogbon,Opoku Mensa, Okafor May, Titilope Salami, Remi Durosinmi-Etti Adeoye, Ogunlesi Paul Oyetunde, Jamiu Sanni, Omokeko Olufela and Silas Mensah in Lagos Biennial, Railway Compound, Ebute Metta, Lagos, Nigeria on Thursday, October 19, 2017.

Photo: Ayo Akinwande


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2.

Dotun Pópóọlá

Sax Genius (2018)

Ferrous and non-ferrous metals; H: 2.14 m Entry at the Art X, 2018 Lagos Nigeria.

Photo: Dotun Pópóọlá, 2018

In this First Word, I highlight some of these events, programs, and conferences that have worked with collaborative models and consider their implications for the study of African art. These events demonstrate my thoughts about what artists, professionals, art historians, curators, cultural executives, and other stakeholders should be doing more of in order to achieve a holistic program for the arts of Africa. While a number of such interventions are already taking place, I point to a few examples that I have engaged with in one way or another. Importantly, a great number of events—big and small, some without funding—are taking place in many African states and communities. These events seek to bring art back to the doorstep of the people. A number of these are run by young artists and other collaborators. [End Page 1]

The Arts of Africa and Global Souths research program2...

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