A Single Bracelet Does Not Jingle: Recent Donations of African Art to the Visual Arts Collection

The Visual Arts Program’s receipt of 155 works of African art donated by the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida will be exhibited as part of an effort to showcase its growing collection of African and Diaspora Arts with the Tallahassee community. Curated by Dr. Courtnay Micots, Assistant Professor of Art History this exhibition incorporates research by students in Micots’s African Art History course and Foster-Tanner Art Gallery interns.

The exhibition features a variety of media, forms and cultures from throughout the continent. Art often serves a social, political or religious role within African communities and these roles will be explained in extensive didactic labels. Exhibition highlights include works from the late 19th to 20th century from Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Contemporary Ghanaian work will also be included, such as colorful textiles, paintings by Kwame Akoto, a Fancy Dress masquerade costume and papier maché masks, and cutting-edge performance art presented in two videos by Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi.

The FAMU ARTalk and Opening Reception are free events open to the public on Tuesday, October 10. The evening begins at 5:00 pm with the ARTalk entitled, “50 Years in African Art: No Regrets” taking place in the FAMU Foster-Tanner Music Recital Hall at 5:00 pm. The ARTalk will consist of a discussion between Micots and Dr. Robin Poynor, Professor Emeritus in African Art History from the University of Florida. Poyner conducted his research in Nigeria and Florida, and is the co-author of Africa in Florida, a gold medal winner in visual arts for the 2014 Florida Book Awards.

Docent-led group tours are available.  Suggested donations are $1/person in group.  Call (850)599-8755 for schedule a tour!

The Foster-Tanner Fine Arts Gallery is located on the campus of Florida A&M University at 1630 Pinder Street in Tallahassee, Florida. Metered parking for the gallery is available on Wahnish Way between Gamble and Osceola Streets.