Namibia, African art and the international market

bibliographic database
Line

Periodical article

Title:	Namibia, African art and the international market
Author:	Van Rooyen, Piet
Year:	2012
Periodical:	Journal - Namibia Scientific Society (ISSN 1018-7677)
Volume:	61
Pages:	89-103
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Namibia
Subjects:	international trade visual arts
Abstract:	Due tot political turmoil and economic depression in the rest of Africa, Namibia has recently become an important hub for human migration and the transmission of goods from Central Africa to Southern Africa. These goods include African art and artefacts. The street markets in Windhoek display several of these articles. They are often offered to tourists as 'uniquely Namibian', but many of them are from other African countries. An investigation into their origin and aesthetic value indicates that their authenticity as objects of cultural and aesthetic signifiance is not to be doubted. When, however, these artefacts are offered to international art dealers in Europe, their status is generally described as 'fake'. This categorisation points to a revival of eurocentricity and of racism in the subjective appreciation of African art. Bibliogr., sum. in English and Afrikaans [Journal abstract]