African Art

About the collection

The Mint’s African Art collection features a vast range of works, including sculptures, textiles, decorative objects, clothing, and more that illuminate the continent’s rich historical and religious diversity.

This exhibition presents African artworks from across the continent, focusing on three major themes: Global Connections, Personal and Domestic Objects, and Ceremonial Masquerade. All of the themes intersect so that an artwork in the Ceremonial gallery might just as rightfully be displayed in the Global Connections space. These sections frame the artworks in ways that promote an understanding of their roles in society while recognizing the variety of styles, materials, sizes, purposes, and types of artworks that have been produced on the continent since the late 19th century.