Published to mark the opening of the new Sainsbury African Galleries at the British Museum this book represents a fairly standard approach to African art where traditional objects are described within ethnic and cultural contexts. Where the book departs from this norm is in the inclusion of a few contemporary examples, specifically those where elements of continuity and change can be identified. Colour plates, 224pp, UK. BRITISH MUSEUM PRESS.

New edition of this excellent introduction to the art of the Fang, the BaTeke, the BaKota and many other African peoples. Contains new research and modern place names. 288 illustrations, 78 in colour. Notes, bib, index, maps. 272pp, UK. THAMES & HUDSON.

A study of African art bridging the gap between functionalist and formalist approaches, asking how and why art is used to promulgate a culture's fundamental values. Index, refs, b/w illus, maps, xvii, 332pp, USA. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN PRESS.

A collection of essays on art theory which looks at the boundaries of art in the modern world and how art records sites of conflict. Bib, b/w illus, ix, 288pp, NETHERLANDS. RODOPI.

Explores African art through the cultural perspective of the society which created it, and therefore attempts to bring to light the hidden religious and philosophical meanings of African visual art. Bib, colour ill, 200pp, FRANCE. ASSOULINE.

A global survey of the artistic, religious and cultural qualities of amulets. The author describes the variety of substances used, from bone to seeds and bells, and explores their rich symbolism and the magical protection they afford. Illustrated with colour and b/w photographs. Index, bib, 192pp, UK. THAMES & HUDSON.

Contains the original texts with translations of a series of Egyptian, Sumerian, Assyrian, Hebrew, Christian, Gnostic and Muslim amulets and magical devices and figures. BNS, 300 line drawings, 22 plates, 584pp, UK. KEGAN PAUL INTERNATIONAL, 0710307136

With decolonization, Africa was thrust into nation building and into the related process of negotiating its popular culture, integrating modernism while simultaneously sustaining native tradition, and thereby producing a form of uniquely transitional art. This work examines the complexity of popular artistic culture in the era of African nationalism, with a special focus on the influential independence era in Ghana. 90 photos, 208pp, USA. McFARLAND & COMPANY.

Syncretism as both process and description hinges largely on the assumption and premise that what is observed has appropriately or inappropriately mixed categories culture, religion, language that are intrinsically alien to each other. Such a syncretic constellation is bound to result in something that may be considered new. Any definition of syncretism, the syncretisation process and the appropriation of the notion new as useful heuristic tools must indeed be located within specific local contexts, as such terms are unlikely to serve as adequate descriptions of homogenous sets of phenomena. Syncretism as a process is intertwined with processes of contextualization. Against this backdrop, this book seeks to unravel and demystify the ideology of the new on the basis of concrete case studies from various regions across Africa and beyond. Index, 358pp, GERMANY. LIT VERLAG.

Interactive CD ROM that re-contextualises African art in the cycle of life. Includes 36 essays, over 10,000 images of 600 objects, 750 field photos, 107 ethnographies, 27 maps, 1400 entries in a bibliographic database, video and music clips, index, Slide Show Maker for creating custom presentations. Suitable for Macintosh (7.1 or higher), or Windows 95/98, USA. ART & LIFE IN AFRICA PROJECT.

An exploration of aesthetic values in African art and body adornment. The author looks at a wide variety of issues from tattoos and scarification to clothing, musical instruments and architecture. Illustrated with b/w photographs. Index, bib, xvii, 270pp, NIGERIA. SPECTRUM BOOKS.

2003 9780293515 Paperback

A revised edition of a book which explores visual representation of black culture from the twentieth century and into the twenty first. 192 illustrations, 39 in colour, 181 bibliographical notes. Bio notes, select bib and sources, index, 272pp, UK. THAMES & HUDSON.

Examines the major themes and accomplishments in African art from the past 50 years, achieving a balance between the critical re examination of frequently discussed artists, groups and workshops and the introduction of less publicized or more recent material. 180 col & b/w illus, bib, index, 224pp, UK. THAMES & HUDSON.

The first major survey of the work of contemporary African artists from diverse situations, locations, and generations who work either in or outside of Africa, but whose practices engage and occupy the social and cultural complexities of the continent since the past 30 years. Its frame of analysis is absorbed with historical transitions: from the end of the postcolonial utopias of the sixties during the 1980s to the geopolitical, economic, technological, and cultural shifts incited by globalization. This book is both narrower in focus in the periods it reflects on, and specific in the ground it covers. It begins by address-ing the tumultuous landscape of contemporary Africa, examining landmarks and narratives, exploring divergent systems of representation, and interrogating the ways artists have responded to change and have incorporated new aesthetic principles and artistic concepts, images and imaginaries to deal with such changes. Organized in chronological order, the book covers all major artistic mediums: painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, installation, drawing, collage. 320pp, ITALY. DAMIANI PUBLISHERS.

An examination of Western perceptions of art showing how non Western artists soon discover a veneer of liberalism masks an array of unwritten and unspoken codes and quotas dictating the success of their careers. The author shows how this, and recent obsessions with the exotic reflect entrenched prejudices that inform what he calls the culture game. Index, notes, xvi, 204pp, USA. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA PRESS.

An illustrated encyclopaedia of the art forms of Africa, Oceania and Native North America. The author has compiled 874 detailed entries covering all aspects of scholarship on indigenous arts and the meanings and significance of complex symbolism. Index, bib, maps, 360pp, USA. CONTINUUM.

Uses the latest research and archaeological findings to offer exciting new insights into the pe-riod between 20000 BC and 1500 AD. Restores the African art object to its original social and historical context and covers southern Africa, Nubia, Aksum, the Niger River, West Africa, Great Zimbabwe, and the East African coast. 64 col & 48 b/w ill, notes, reading list, index, 214pp, UK. OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS.

A collection of varied essays discussing modern African art and the role of postcolonial theories and politics play in the production of art. Illustrated with b/w and colour photographs. Contributors include Stuart Hall and Okwui Enwezor. 272pp, UK. INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL VISUAL ARTS.

Handbook which presents a variety of landscapes and views, including the vibrant colours of the Namibian desert, the dark reflections of Lake Kariba, and the powerful movement of the Chobe River. Each is designed to highlight a different aspect of landscape painting. Notes are provided on each work along with hints and tips on how to best capture mood, light, movement, and texture in watercolour, making this both an inspiring collection of paintings and an invaluable source of expert instruction. 128pp, UK. HARPER PERENNIAL.

The first history of Orientalist art during the period of high modernism. Traces the links between art and the French colonial expansion and looks at how Western visual traditions were manipulated when they were placed in unfamiliar, 'exotic' locations. BNS, 368p, USA. CALIFORNIA U P.

This anthology brings together 22 essays in which key critical thinkers, scholars and artists exploring a wide range of subjects including contemporary African art, cinema and photography. Illustrated with b/w and colour images. Index, 432pp, UK. INSTITUTE INTERNATL VISUAL ARTS.

Includes essays on the visual arts, literature, drama and culture. Chapters look at theory, methodology and pedagogy. Bib, 152pp, SOUTH AFRICA. CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES OF AFRICAN SOCIETY.

Explores the diverse ways in which African rulers have used art and architecture to define individual and state identity from the sixteenth to the late twentieth centuries. The art of selected kingdoms from West and Central Africa are illustrated with nineteenth_century engravings, contemporary photographs of rulers and their retinue, colour photographs of objects in situ and in museums, and explanatory drawings. Col & b/w illus, gloss, bib, index, 272pp, UK . LAURENCE KING PUBLISHING.

Ten essays on art, music, film, drama, literature and cultural identities. B/w ill, notes, refs, 200pp, SWEDEN. NORDIC AFRICA INSTITUTE.

Showcases traditional art from 400BC Peruvian artefacts to African pieces. Collectables expert Judith Miller introduces 1,000 items with up-to-date valuations and closer look features to help identify maker marks. Combining historical information, price guides and collecting tips, this comprehensive guide showcases affordable collectables as well as ancient treasures. 240pp, UK. DORLING KINDERSLEY.

Traces the movement of artefacts from tribal cultures to North Atlantic societies. Focused on the Low Countries of the Netherlands and Belgium and their huge African and South East Asian territories. Assesses the emergences of the Western desire for tribal art and chronicles the impact of the commodification of sacred objects. Refs, notes, 253pp, THE NETHERLANDS. KIT, 9068321978

2002 Paperback

New edition, first published in 1998. Photographic survey of sub-Saharan African arts. Forty-nine sections focus on the most important tribe within each area, surveying its social and political structures as well as its artistic production. Index, many col illus, 240pp, UK. THAMES & HUDSON.

Explores the multilayered significance of the veil in contemporary visual culture. The volume collects new essays by scholars such as Frantz Fanon and Leila Ahmed and historical works which locate the conflicting attitudes towards a seemingly innocuous item of clothing within themes of gender, religion and age. These investigations are placed alongside contemporary visual art which incorporate these themes. 92 illus, 192pp, UK, INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL VISUAL ARTS.