Saturday 3 May 2008

MY search was originally for a publication unique to Africa. Whilst writing this Blog I hope I will find such, but first let me try to put into my own simple words, an article that appeared
in the journal: "THIRD TEXT"
which is Published by Routledge(since 1836),
"Routledge remains a key publisher for those who, through their scholarship,
seek to influence the course of academic thought, across the social sciences and humanities."
Third Text is an international scholarly journal dedicated to providing critical
perspectives on art and visual culture, and was established in 1987
Online subscription seems costly andThird Text presents 6 issues yearly.
Rasheed Araeen (Founding Editor) lives in London and there are some
20 different nationalities
represented in its advisory council.
The Third Text article is written by;
FRANK UGIOMOH
(BA. Sculpture, MA. African Visual Arts MA and PhD Philosophy)
Frank Ugiomoh is a Senior Lecturer and Acting Head, Department of Fine Art and Design,
University of Port Harcourt,Nigeria, where he lectures in sculpture and art history.
His major interest, in studio related theory,
is African art
'historiography and methodical concerns in studio practice and Art Education.'
Third Text VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3, AND PUBLISHED MAY 2007.
The article is called the CRISES OF MODERNITY:
ART AND THE DEFINITION OF CULTURES OF AFRICA.
[Ugiomoh says his qualifications are of a practicing visual artist,
interested in cultural studies.
His work is included in:

where he responds to the open letter by Rasheed Araeen,
founder of the Journal,
"Modernity, Modernism, and Africa's Place in the History of Art of Our Age.
Founded: 2001.
I quote the opening statement in Third Text,Volume 21,2007,
which also identifies Rasheed Araeen:
" I know history to be full of cunning surprise
And I know that we are all, in this post colonial world,
Children of the fecundity (richness) of the unexpected, in cosmic,
In biological, in cultural evolution."

(Ihab Hassan – Queries for Postcolonial Studies in The Third Text Reader on Art and Culture and Theory.2002, Rasheed Araeen, page 234.)
Ugiomoh addresses an aspect of cultural dialogue relating to the appreciation of
African contemporary art.
He speaks of Ona Irein Wangboje, his teacher, who was present at the event
'Africa '95',and who participated in the establishment of the journal
'AFRICA STUDIO: A JOURNAL OF CREATIVE
PRACTICE'.
(an opportunity for African Artists to talk about themselves and their work).
Ugiomoh considers his participation, ten years later,
to be a continuation from where his teacher left off.

Says Ugiomoh in the conclusion of :
The Problematic of the Politics of Theory in Visual Arts Education in Nigeria:
A Proposition:

"Art, I repeat, dies in the arid
excesses of reasoning."
Works cited :The Yale University School of Art and Design 2004 Academic brochure.
  • Ugiomoh A. O., (2004) "Photologos and or Narrative Semiotics: which way to Rehabilitating African Art History" Third Text, 8:1 P 10. "The Philosophy of African Art History: A Hegelian Interpretation" (Ph.D. Dissertation University of Port Harcourt 2003 Unpublished)
  • "Nigerian Art History and the Hegelian Unconscious: The limits of Lineal Evidence in Historical Practice" Third Text 2005
  • "The Dialectics of Studio Criticism: An Evaluation of Wangboje's Example" in Issues in Creative Arts and Art Education: Wangboje Memorial Essays Eds Stella O. Idiong and Frank A. O. Ugiomoh. Lagos: AWanSCA Books, 2003, Pp 169-181

http://www.sil.si.edu/SILPublications/ModernAfricanArt/maadetail.cfm?subCategory=South%20Africa

Directed initially by printmaker Solomon Irein Wangboje,

I noticed Willie Bester is included in the 100 S.African artists mentioned

on this Website.

Before my concentration on the particular article of Third Text I need to divert

one more time with:

http://www.art-in-nigeria.com/art_field/for_professor_wangboje_that_art_may_live.htm

where Frank Ogiomoh writes:

"The debate regarding the qualifications teachers of Fine Arts

should possess to teach art better at the University level should been

seen as an ongoing one.

This piece is yet another contribution to that debate

and it is dedicated to the memory of Professor S.I. Wangboje

whose thought are rearticulated and enlarged here."

Below are the three most recent articles by Ogiomoh,

in Third Text,

mentioned through 'InformaWorld' of which I have partial access.

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/quicksearch~db=all?quickterm=Frank+A+O+Ugiomoh&searchtype=author&x=13&y=6

Wishing to write this Blog as up to date as possible,

I have chosen the most recent entry of 2007,

where he mentions the topic

“to explore the reality of displacement”.

He explains

“A crisis exists in the efforts to peg Africa’s cultural frames of reference to those

which Western modernism has defined. What is of interest will be the realized

objective of reconciling the effects of displacement in contemporary African Art

Practice.”

Under the heading “A Conceptual Frame for Art in Africa”

Ogiomoh says

“I have wondered how the carvings on Egyptian, Ashanti, Benin and Basonge stools

relate to the objective of sitting. Could it be that such decorations are

born out of an intensification of the spiritual dimensions of culture?”

Mudfish: 16th century carved bronze stool, with a royal Benin symbol as centre-piece. Shown at National Museum Lagos.
“Art in Africa is identified by its totality of a man-made universe
and not by the limited frame that the west constructed during
the romantic era.” (18th century)
He continues, under the heading "Artists'
"Collectives in Africa and the mapping of National Cultures",
with "The Collective as opposed to the individual Romantic hero,
represents an interesting feature in African artistic practice".
He explains that there are three main inclinations within modern African Collectives;

1. intracultural ;Territorial boundaries - but works unlimited.

2. Broad boundaries - leaving intracultural links

3. Diverse groups - with intracultural interests - aspiring to larger cultural circles.

"An awakening of societal conciousness in the encoded message that art forms convey"

is a perfect way to express the power of wordart.

The reason, as I see it, to write about conceptually motivated images,

and for understanding the

awareness, strength, definition, support and dialogue of African Collectives.

Says Mr Frank Ogiomoh,

"Some collectives aspiring to define an identity for African Art in intercultural

dialogue have continued to identify the preference for creative liberty for which

African Art was apparently known before contemporary modernism."

He mentions that while Aina Onabolu (1882-1963 modern arts teacher and painter)

was attracted to academic realism,Pablo Picasso was dicovering the creative liberty

of African and other non western traditions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aina_Onabolu

An interesting ejournal I have started to research is: "Ijele is the grandest, most spectacular, colorful magnificent, "spirit" on the continent of Africa.
In taking the name "Ijele,"
the journal announces its aim of bringing full color,
grandeur and insight to the study and presentation of the
contemporary art of Africa and African Diaspora."
Ijele: Art eJournal is published thrice a year: January, May and September. http://www.africaresource.com/ijele/
© Africa Resource Center, Inc., 2000 IN CONCLUSION,MR OGIOMOH SAYS, AND TO WHICH I TOTALLY AGREE :

"HEIRARCHY BETWEEN CULTURES IS REPREHENSIBLE."

This article is the edited text of a keynote paper given at Africa 05 at the British Museum http://www.moadsf.org/about/press.html?year=2005
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