Visual arts in Africa and African artists: Outside influence and indigenous identity:

Ekpo Eyo, the former director general of Nigeria’s Museums and Monuments, wrote:

“Although I was involved with ancient artworks, it was impossible to ignore the creations of emerging artists. The works of those without formal art training attracted my attention first because I believed they were purer in form and content in relation to the works with which I was familiar.

“With time, however, I could not ignore the creations of artists who received training in art schools in which the teaching methods and aesthetic criteria were based on European models. My initial difficulty in accepting their works lay in the fact that I was always looking for the “Africanness” in their works and when I failed to find it, I distanced myself from them.

“But the varied types of contemporary art thrive with incredible success in all parts of Africa. This development is not unexpected in a society that is open to influences and striving to maintain and realise its own identity, with a resulting pluralism of styles.”