African Art in the Museum

In this course we will survey the arts of Africa through a close examination of the Middlebury College Museum of Art collection. We will learn how cultures from across the continent—Dogon, Yoruba, Benin, Ndebele, and others—use art objects to address questions such as: What makes a ruler? How do we solve problems? What does it mean to be in a community? Who is our neighbor? Our time will be divided into lecture, discussion, and museum research. Students will investigate the objects in the museum’s collection, the cultures they represent, and issues that surround African art in the museum. This course will count as an elective towards the History of Art Major.