'For much of Africa the 20th century was overshadowed by the experience of colonial rule, with politcal independence arriving for most people only in the last 50 years. The Short Century is a broad survey of cultural life in Africa from the independence movements through the post-colonial era to the end of apartheid in 1994. Expansive, wide-ranging and illustrated, this book studies achievements in all areas of the performing and fine arts, photography, literature, theatre, architecture, music and film. "The Short Century" includes the works of over 50 artists from the paintings of Mancona and Sekoto during the '50s, through the drawings and theatre projects of William Kentridge up to the installations and video works of Kay Hassan and Oladele A. Bamgboye. The great writers of the continent - Soyinka, Senghor and Cesaire amongst others - Africa's filmmakers, architects and musicians, all of whom left their mark on the process of decolonization, are studied here in depth. Renowned historians and cultural philosophers discuss the background of developments and analyze the ideological strategies employed by Western colonial powers to preserve their grip on African countries and peoples. A chapter on photojournalism supplemented by a detailed chronology of events and political movements presents the main stages of Africa's political history. A comprehensive anthology in the appendix contains some 30 historical documents, such as essays, speeches and political manifestos, shedding light on the key issues of the period.' - from book flap.
Access level
Onsite
publisher
editor
Location code
REF.ENO
Language
English
Keyword
art history,  colonialism,  postcolonialism,  cultural studies,  painting,  sculpture,  architecture,  music,  performance art,  installation,  video art
Publication/Creation date
2001
No of pages
496
ISBN / ISSN
9783791325026
No of copies
1
Content type
anthology
Chapter headings
The Short Century: Independence and Liberation Movements in Africa 1945-1994 - Okwui ENWEZOR
The Surreptitious Speech - Valentin Y. MUDIMBE
Beyond Settler and Native as Political Identities: Overcoming the Political Legacy of Colonialism - Mahmood MAMDANI
ART
Modern African Art - Chika OKEKE
Independence and Liberations Movements in Africa, 1945-1994 - Marilyn MARTIN
A Moment of Hope: Developments in Nigeria before the First Military Coup - Ulli BEIER
CLOTH/POSTERS
Colonial Pretense and African Resistance, or Subversion Subverted: Commemorative Textiles in Sub-Saharan Africa - John PICTON
PHOTOGRAPHY
Postcoloniality, Performance, and Photographic Portraiture - Lauri FIRSTENBERG
ARCHITECTURE
City and Citizenship - Rory BESTER
The Ambiguous Modernisms of African Cites - Gwendolyn WRIGHT
Architecture and Nationalism in Africa, 1945-1994 - Nnamdi ELLEH
MUSIC
Independence, Highlife, Liberations Wars: Lagos 1950's and 1960's
THEATER/LITERATURE
Theater and the Performance of the Nation in Africa - John CONTEH-MORGAN
The Anatomy of Resistance in South African Theater - Maishe MAPONYA
Interview with Chinua Achebe - Obiora UDECHUKWU
The Weapon of Culture: Negritude Literature and the Making of Neocolonial Africa - Chinweizu IBEKWE
FILM
The Modernity of African Cinema - Mark NASH
African Cinema and Decolonization - Manthia DIAWARA
ANTHOLOGY
Pan-Africanism
Pan-Arabism
Liberation Movements
African Socialism
Discursive Spaces
Concepts / Debates / Contestations
Manifestos and Resolutions
The Short Century: Independence and Liberation Movements in Africa 1945-1994

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