The Creation of the African-Canadian Odyssey

Nigerian-born Nzegwu discusses work in various media by seven Canadian artists of African origin. In addition to individual analysis, the author looks at the way the artists' collective expression acquires a different overtone when presented within the multi-dimensional context of African-based aesthetics which puts energized performance at the heart of the aesthetic "spell". Biographical notes. 4 bibl. ref

CELAFI : Celebrating Canadian Identity

The authors present the event as a celebration of African identity and cultural heritage. The contribution made by artists of African origin to various fields of creation (visual arts, literature, theatre, etc.) is stressed. Includes the programme of conferences and exhibitions, as well as biographical notes on the participants

Figures héroïques : Sculptures africaines de la Collection Justin et Elisabeth Lang = Heroic Figures : African Sculpture from the Justin and Elisabeth Lang Collection

While each piece of the collection is described in detail, the essays consists of introductory remarks, a discussion about African art practice in the context of ritual and an outline of African esthetics. Issues of art history, ethnology and social anthropology are also dealt with. 13 bibl. ref

Symposium: How (If at All) is Gender Relevant to Comparative Philosophy?

The symposium, “How (if at all) is gender relevant to comparative philosophy,” focuses on relevance of gender as an analytic and critical tool in comparative philosophical understanding and debate. Nkiru Nzegwu argues that gender as conceived by contemporary Euro-American feminism did not exist in pre-colonial Yorùbá as well as many Native American societies, and that therefore employing gender as a conceptual category in understanding the philosophies of pre-colonial Yorùbá and other non-gendered societies constitutes a profound mistake. What’s more, doing so amounts to a totalizing Euro-American colonial imposition that does violence to nongendered societies that reject gender as an ontological category. Hence, gender is ill-suited as a universal comparative philosophical tool. Nzegwu’s three co-symposiasts, Mary I. Bockover, Maitrayee Chaudhuri, and María Luisa Femenías enrich and complicate this question by bringing to bear both conceptual, ethical and empirical considerations drawn from the United States, India, and Latin America respectively

Lifting Oppression as We Climb: Black Women Artists and Activism - VIDEO

Scholars who specialize in African cultures and history will discuss ways in which African women have used art to instigate social change.Moderated by Professor Cassandra Veney, Department of Political Science, chair Panelists: Women Saving the World: One Reality at a Time Sherry Simpson-Dean is the executive director of the United Nations Pasadena/Foothills as well as a producer committed to civil liberties and human rights. Her latest film, Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony, earned high esteem at Robert Redford\u27s Sundance Film Festival achieving the dual distinction of the Audience Award and the Freedom of Expression Award in 2002. Dressed UP Marcia Kure, Nigerian painter, graduated with a B.A from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1994. Kure has attended art residency programs in Germany and the United States and has participated in many solo and group exhibitions. Kure\u27s art was included in the Multichoice Africa African Artists of the Future calendar in 2002, and a body of her work depicting each year of Nigerian singer Fela\u27s life was included in last year\u27s Fela Project at the New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York. Nkiru Nzegwu, artist curator, and poet, is the current Chair of Africana Studies at Binghamton University. Dr. Nzegwu has introduced unique courses at Binghamton University such as Philosophy of Orisha Worship and Hip-Hop I and II. Among Dr. Nzegwu\u27s areas of expertise are African aesthetics, philosophy, African feminist issues, and multicultural studies in art