online exhibits [8 sites]
 
In and Out of the Studio: Photographic Portraits from West Africa

The Metropolitan Museum's exhibit "presents one hundred years of portrait photography in West Africa through nearly eighty photographs taken between the 1870s and the 1970s. These photographers explored the possibilities of their medium, developing a rich aesthetic vocabulary through compelling self-portraits, staged images against painted backdrops or open landscapes, and casual snapshots of leisurely times. Photography allowed artists and patrons alike to express their articulation of what modernity looked likeā€”one that was constantly reinvented." View all the photographs online. [posted: Nov 22, 2022]

Imago Mundi collection

"Imago Mundi collection, a cultural, democratic, global, non-profit project, promoted by Luciano Benetton with the aim of creating the widest possible mapping of the different contemporary artistic experiences of our world. Each country is represented by the works of established and emerging artists, commissioned with the maximum freedom of expression, whose only constraint is the 10 x 12 cm format." Over 5,000 artists just from the African continent, you can view the artworks online, or purchase country catalogs. [posted: Nov 20, 2022]

Asafo Flags from the Karun Collection

An amazing collection of over 200 Asafo flags dating from as early as the 19th century. Along with an introductory essay by Duncan Clarke on the Asafo flags of the Fante people of western Ghana: "Appropriated from European naval ensigns and national flags, the form became the vessel for an exploration of local values and indigenous artistic creativity." [posted: Nov 19, 2022]

Karun Thakar Collection

"The Karun Collection is internationally recognised for its focus on antique textiles and dress, with several thousand Indian examples, Japanese folk textiles, Afghanistan costume, West and North African textiles and weavings. The collection also contains African and Indian bronzes and jewellery, studio ceramics, Islamic and Venetian glass trade beads, early Indian terracottas and even hand painted African movie posters." [posted: Nov 19, 2022]

Digital Benin

"Digital Benin brings together all objects, historical photographs and rich documentation material from collections worldwide to provide a long-requested overview of the royal artefacts from Benin Kingdom looted in the late nineteenth century. The digital platform introduces new scholarship which connects digital documentation about the translocated objects to oral histories, object research, historical context, a foundational Edo language catalogue, provenance names, a map of the Benin Kingdom and museum collections worldwide. Digital Benin connects data from 5,246 objects across 131 institutions in 20 countries." [posted: Nov 17, 2022]

William Itter collection of African Pottery

An impressive collection of pottery from a long list of peoples from all over Africa. Nupe, Yoruba, Hausa, Mambila, Mangbetu, Bamileke, Lobi, Dagari, Bamana, Dogon, Makonde, Zulu, and more... [posted: Mar 04, 2004]

Passport to Paradise: Sufi Arts of Senegal and Beyond

"Passport to Paradise is an exhibition program concerning arts of the Mourides, a mystical Muslim movement originating in Senegal, West Africa." The exhibit was organized by the Fowler Museum of Cultural History. Includes artist biographies and educational materials. [posted: Mar 04, 2004]

Hypertextile + Klikor Icon + Afevo + Blackhud Research Center

Hypertextile is the website of Luciano Ghersi, an Italian weaver who has been working with a community of Kente weavers from the town of Klikor in Ghana. Together they have started several web sites (all linked from Hypertextile) documenting the craft of Kente weaving among this particular group of Ewe weavers. There is much information on patterns, techniques, and individual weavers. The website was made a long time ago (in internet terms) but still contains a wealth of information, if you browse around it. [posted: Mar 04, 2004]

 
online exhibits [8 sites]