THE CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART ISSUE

Unveiling Africa's Artistic Pulse:
A New Era in the World Art Scene

Man has not ceased to create since his first thought, and he will never cease to think, this being his driving force of life.  This first thought, the origin of Creation, will continue in perfect osmosis with the rhythm of time, the rhythm of our breath, inspiring the enthused Being and instilling a creative “firefly” that awakens the artist and allows him to generate matter.  According to Spinoza, “a true idea must agree with the nature of the object that it represents”. This true idea or creative essence sustains the fulfilment and shaping of matter of a work of art and/or an artistic expression.  Myriads of individuals have proven themselves to be artists using all kinds of objects, shapes, matter, techniques, inventions and other things, from their past, their present and even their future.  During each period, especially up to the 20th century, artists have asserted their integration into a movement related to a form of expression or to an artistic theory.

The Shift from Art Movements to Geographical Influence in Contemporary Art

This heading provides a clear and concise summary of the content that follows, helping readers understand the key point of the transition in how art is categorized and understood in the contemporary world. These movements have emerged and determined an imaginary, a thought and a collective artistic thought.  They have structured the art history of humanity and invoked an immediate reference of the form, figurative or abstract, that each movement has elaborated.  This connotation and reference to movements has been diluted at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st century. The focus of development and economic competition of each country, has soaked up all the lucrative sources from human activities, including those of the art world.  The global economy is characterised by country or by region, the artistic

sphere has finished up by incorporating this traceability or referencing and since then, artisticexpression is not specifically determined by movements, but by geographical regions. 

Contemporary art has embraced British art, Russian art, Latin-American art, German neo-expressionism, Indian art, Chinese art, Brazilian art and amongst others…African art.  These African artists, recognised for their creativity and originality are now projected onto the international art scene, which has now become the “womb” of recognition of the history of contemporary art in motion.

Africa is a huge continent, a cradle of creation, where an intense need to express oneself has always been claimed despite wars and political conflicts.  The history of African artistic expression is the source of inspiration for modern art and contemporary art, it is therefore evident, that this creative effervescence should give birth to the most successful and recognised artistic achievements on the international scene.  Because history repeats itself, this recognition is just beginning and it is quite likely that certain African artists will influence the future of contemporary art.

Being attentive to the most important artistic events and emerging art scenes in current affairs, we have selected for this edition a relevant content allowing the comprehension of the status and evolution of contemporary African art and principally, Sub-Saharan art in Africa and in the world.  This selection shows the different artistic practices housed by galleries, institutions, museums and personal institutional initiatives, that dawn on the continent, and find resonance and recognition in all countries where the art scene is an incentive for current affairs that matter.

ArtPremium Magazine: the Contemporary African Art Issue

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
SIZE : 30 x 23 cm / 9″ x 12″
PAGES: 160