Towards an African Canadian Art History

Book excerpt: This is the first book to consoloidate the field of African Canadian Art History. In this book, the authors argue for an African Canadian Art History that can simultaneously examine the artistic contributions of black Canadian artists within their unique historical contexts, critique the colonial representation of black subjects by white artists, and contest the customary racial homogeneity of Canadian Art History. Challenging the traditional notions of artistic value, this book examines art, artists, and visual and material culture from the eighteenth century to the present, analyzing "high," "low," and popular art across various media, with a focus to offer a new perspective on Canadian Art History.