What Is Art, Really? Lessons from East and West Africa

We often assume that “art” exists in every culture in the same way it does in ours — but does it?

This engaging presentation challenges that assumption. For a member of a nomadic tribe, for example, artistic expression may be woven into daily life rather than displayed on a wall, so what does “making art” actually look like when your lifestyle allows for few possessions?
Is art an integral part of being human, or a culturally specific concept? How do form and function differ from what we assume in the Western world?

Drawing on specific examples from East Africa and West Africa, this presentation reveals how two regions of a vast and diverse continent approach artistic tradition in strikingly different ways.

Audience participation, thoughtful challenges, and lively discussion are encouraged throughout. Expect to leave with a broadened perspective on what “art” really means!

Dr. Lydia Dambekalns holds a Ph.D. from Penn State University and spent 25 years as an Associate Professor of Art Education at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. A specialist in fiber arts, she has presented and led workshops extensively at national and regional conferences throughout her career.

Dambekalns’ global perspective is rooted in firsthand experience: she served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Kenya during the 1980s and in Benin in the 2000s, and has lived and worked across Africa, Asia, and Europe; including a Fulbright Fellowship in Latvia (2004–2005).

This presentation is offered in partnership with the Fort Collins International Center.