2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

ARTF3168 Africa and the Atlantic World: History, Historiography and the Visual Arts

20 creditsClass Size: 18

Module manager: Dr Will Rea
Email: W.R.Rea@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

PRE-REQUISITES: At least 20 credits from any ARTF-coded module or appropriate equivalent in a relevant discipline. In the latter case, students are advised to get in touch with the module leader to discuss eligibility prior to enrolment.

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

PRE-REQUISITES: At least 20 credits from any ARTF-coded module or appropriate equivalent in a relevant discipline. In the latter case, students are advised to get in touch with the module leader to discuss eligibility prior to enrolment.This module is about aspects of the visual arts of the region south of the Sahara, mostly from Congo/Zaire through West Africa to the Atlantic coast, and thence to the Americas. It explores episodes with which one might begin to write a history of contemporary sub-Saharan African art. Three themes dominate the module:- First, there is the relationship between antiquity and the modern world, the ways indigenous achievement provided the basis for aspects of change and development characteristic of the period to the end of the 19th century. #- Second, there is the relationship between 'tradition' and the 20th/21st century, when colonial and primitivist stereotypes are challenged through developments in art and other areas of social practice. - Third, we look at what happens in the African diasporas: what survived the Middle Passage, 'Africa' as a source of new identity. This module complements ARTF3167 but can be completed as a stand-alone module.Assessment: 1 x 1 hour exam (50%) and 1 x 2-3,000 word essay (50%).

Objectives

On completion of this module students should have gained an understanding of the traditions of African art informing contemporary practice, African history both on the continent and the Diaspora, contemporary cultural production on the continent and in the Diaspora, techniques and methods for the research of African art, and the techniques and methods for comparative art history.

Skills outcomes
- Verbal and written fluency in constructing a logical and coherent argument
- Use of audio visual aids
- Participation in group discussions
- Co-ordination and dissemination of a range of historical, contextual visual information
- Using bibliographies and databases.

Syllabus

This module is about some aspects of the visual arts of the region south of the Sahara, mostly from Congo/Zaire through West Africa to the Atlantic coast, and thence to the Americas. It does not pretend to be comprehensive: rather, it explores a series of episodes with which one might begin to write a history of contemporary art for sub Saharan Africa.

Three themes dominate the module:
- First, there is the relationship between antiquity and the modern world, the ways indigenous achievement provided the basis for the particular aspects of change and development that we can identify as characteristic of the period to the end of the 19th century.
- Second, there is the relationship between 'tradition' and the 20th/21st century, when colonial and primitivist stereotypes are challenged through developments in art, as in other areas of social practice.
- Third, we look at what happens in the African diasporas: what survived the Middle Passage, 'Africa' as a source of new identity.

This module complements ARTF3167 but can be completed as a stand alone module.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Seminar	10	2.00	20.00
Private study hours			180.00
Total Contact hours			20.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

180 hours - bibliographic and Electronic research, Library research away from Leeds (Optional), Essay planning and writing, Museum research (optional).

There is also an optional reading week research trip.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

- reading week non-assessed project
- attendance and participation at lectures.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	1 x 3,000 word essay	60.00
Essay	1 x 1,500 word essay	40.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2024 16:10:27

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