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Arts & Communication African art: Former passions, current concerns

and anxiety. Their return and preservation in African
museums, unless curated by those concerned according to
their visions, would simply replicate Western paradigms
of “cabinets of curiosity” as Yip has noted. Clearly, we
16
need to listen, hear, and respond to the desires of diverse
populations in the Global South that have provided us with
art pleasures for so long.
4. Conclusion

These are sensitive issues that require understanding and
dialogue and not only politically correct action. We need
not get rid of all the “merchandise” (as some dealers call
it) in our museums or collections; however, we cannot
sidestep restitution/repatriation and considerations
of reparation strategies. As scholars, with decades of
Figure 3. Songye - style figure in Vodun temple near Congo Square in
New Orleans; photo and copyright Dunja Hersak, 1998. experience, we are not required to abandon our interests,
to burn our field notes, and retire into obscurity. We are
attributed ownership but can we determine with certainty not obliged to withdraw into silence, make amends for
who they are? our racial origins, or training in Western institutions that
From my research and field experience, many works inspired our lifelong research on African cultures. Theories
such as power figures are highly esteemed “art” objects that are a part of the history of our disciplines have come
in the northern hemisphere because of their affinity to and gone but surely there is still data collected in the past
20 century Western art expressions. However, do the that is of relevance today and may be useful in constructing
th
descendants of the creators and users of these power objects new African art histories and visions. Perhaps we can use
share this view? They surely recognize the monetary value our research knowledge to engage collaboratively with
of such pieces and subsequently feel unjustly slighted. those of the Global South – including scholars, source
Many people I spoke to who turned to alternative foreign communities and the general public, as well as the vocal
religions or African prophetic churches feel discomfort or Afrodescendants in the Euro-American world – to
disdain toward these so called “art objects” as they represent examine and explore new avenues of investigation, so as
what has been labeled, (yet again by the outside world), to take into consideration how people wish to define their
their “primitive” and “diabolical” past. Furthermore, such identities and their cultural heritage. However, to enable
objects were, in many cases, personal and only empowered transparent, productive dialogue, it might be helpful to set
for specific time periods. Beyond that, they had no use aside competing claims to expertise, that is, scholarship
or attraction. Different temporalities of such pieces, their versus insider knowledge, as pointed out by Adam Kuper,
ephemerality, like that of many masks used in performances and to allow for controversy, a variety of perspectives and
of male initiations, stand in complete contrast to the original thinking. 17
Western need for permanence and preservation. 15
So what to do in these circumstances and how to Acknowledgments
respond to and compensate people who have clearly been I wish to thank Elsbeth Court for drawing my attention
used and abused? There are obviously objects that are to the activities of the Nairobi Handcraft Industrial
emblems of power and state that are unanimously valued Co-operative Society.
and should be handed down to those who wish to preserve
their cultural property and history. The British Punitive Funding
Expedition of 1897, which led to Europe’s acquisition of None.
Benin bronzes from Nigeria, was unquestionably a violent
act of revenge demanding the return of these palace pieces Conflict of interest
and reparation. That is one clear-cut case yet there are other
circumstances that should be taken into consideration. The author declares no conflicts of interest.
Certain objects were considered to have died or were Author contributions
intentionally disposed of so that their reinsertion in
stakeholder communities (if identified) would cause stress This is a single-author article.

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 5 doi: 10.36922/ac.4894