For centuries, Western colonizers and traders looted African arts & Artefacts and took these cultural treasures back to Europe and North America, where they were displayed in museums and private collections.
In recent years, there has been a growing awareness and recognition of the need to repatriate these looted artworks to their countries of origin. Art historians and collectors are working to retrieve these works through a variety of means, including legal battles, negotiations with museums and private collectors, and diplomatic pressure.
These repatriation efforts are part of a broader movement towards decolonizing museums and the art world, and acknowledging the historical injustices that have been committed against non-Western cultures. While there is still much work to be done, these efforts represent an important step towards healing the wounds of the past and building a more just and equitable future.
I spoke to Ebere Anosike, an African Arts Historian, who works on such projects. She spoke to me about various issues, and particularly how the involvement of the West has rewritten the narrative of African arts, e.g. the value placed on some of these works. For example, historically African textiles have significant cultural value. They are a visual language which narrate details about spirituality, social status and life events.“Textiles are a vital element of the visual language of West Africa” David Adjaye.
I acknowledge that I do not claim copyright ownership of any works used in this video, which were created by other individuals or entities. All third-party works used are under fair use.