Mon, Aug 26 | 2:00–2:45
Tour
Bankoni
With the exception of a few archaeological objects from West Africa and ancient Egypt, the dates of most of the works in our Arts of Africa collection are recent and rather broad and vague. The truth is that it is difficult to attribute the majority of masks, figures, and other forms of tradition-based art on view in our galleries to a specific year. However, this absence of knowledge does not mean that the arts of Africa exist outside of time or that they were not affected by the course of history.
Join curator Constantine Petridis for a gallery conversation exploring how the arts of Africa reflect the histories of the continent and the passage of time.
about the speaker
Born in Belgium of Greek heritage, Constantine (Costa) Petridis, Rita Knox Chair and Curator of the Arts of Africa, has been at the Art Institute since 2016. In 2022, he organized the acclaimed loan exhibition The Language of Beauty in African Art. Prior to his appointment in Chicago, he held curatorial positions in Cleveland, Indianapolis, Toronto, and Antwerp, and taught African art history at Case Western Reserve University and at his alma mater in Ghent.
