An interesting article from The Independent lists some of the key figures shaping modern African art.
For anyone looking to expand their knowledge of African art, The Independent has provided an outstanding list of "the 50 greatest cultural figures shaping a continent." The panel creating the list was composed of several authorities on contemporary African affairs including Senegalese singer, "The Nightingale," Baaba Maal. Each of the artists selected remains active in their work so it does not include any of the late greats like afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti or the Egyptian Nobel laureate, Naguib Mahfouz.
This compilation provides an exceptional introduction for those, like myself, hoping to discover artists who innovatively combine the rich traditions of their own cultures with the influences of a modern, global society. Many of these auteurs enjoyed some level of success internationally and have often studied or lived in Western nations, which probably accounts for their originality.
While the majority of the artists mentioned in the top 50 are musicians and writers, the list runs the gamut of mediums to includes talents from the world of architecture, choreography, film, photography, visual arts, theatre and fashion. The article appears in a special "Red" edition of The Independent in order to observe World AIDS Day.
