The construction of an image is not always done by the constructor. Olu Oguibe’s The Culture Game is a collection of essays focusing on the way in which Western cultures and postcolonial African cultures have affected one another in our modern and postmodern eras. In part one of the book entitled Terrain of Difficulty, Oguibe begins to outline the ever present pressure the west places upon African artists to play the role of the other. Divided into four shorter essays part one is a collection which is filled with both frustration and the potential for a lack of accepting one’s own responsibility as an individual. Within this section of Oguibe’s book he brings to the readers attention the pigeon holing nature of the art world (and of Western thought in general) , in it’s treatment of non-western artists, specifically those of African heritage.
The first essay entitled In “ The Heart of Darkness” is an introduction to seven key area’s of discourse which Oguibe returns to again and again in the proceeding pages. I will briefly paraphrase each point so as to more easily discuss the three essays which follow it. His first point of interest is the Occidental nature of history. He states that the west has taken the reigns of history and in doing so dictates what is or is not deemed to be history. A history which generally leaves the non-western societies as void of history and therefore inconsequential. Point two in this essay is a continuation of the first point. It is a brief discussion which I believe is more easily described by utilizing Oguibe’s own words:
It is in this context that any meaningful discussion of modernity and “modernism” in African must be conducted, not in relation to the idea of an existing center or a Modernism against which we must all read our bearings, but in recognition of the multiplicity and culture specificity of modernisms and plurality of centers. (4)
This comment is in relation to the West’s power of history and the overwhelming needs for scholars and other people to immediately make comparisons to the west when discussing the histories of other countries, therefore reasserting the concept of otherness (key to Oguibe).
The third point makes use of the west’s action of creating all encompassing narratives for the whole of Africa, Blanketing it as one entity which has one united history. This thought is paired with the notion that it is a concept which needs to exist in the western mind because it is the entire structure on which Africa has been created. Without it an entire system of discourse and agenda’s would collapse.
Fourthly, Oguibe enables a discussion about the study of ‘contemporary African art’ and it’s relationship to the particular region of Sub-Saharan Africa. This division he states is an attempt (an unsuccessful one) at ensuring that the Africa discussed is unified, by removing the Northern region and it’s close relationship to Arab culture, scholars can ‘ensure’ that the Africa they are speaking of is entirely ‘African’. Fifth on his list is the discussion of when modern or contemporary African art began to occur. He states that is many scholars beliefs it was not until the turn of the last century. Oguibe brings up the argument that African citizens of European countries had from a much earlier date been practicing ‘modern’ art, as well as other societies and cultures found within Egypt and Maghreb (which according to some are not entirely African as they are above the Sahara.)
The sixth point made in the essay is a discussion of double standards found in the rhetoric of history in relation to art in Europe and Africa. Terminology in reference to specific historical periods is different, certain actions are praised in one area and frowned upon in the other. The most poignant example would be the of European appropriation of different cultural elements in it’s arts during the period of modernity. This was deemed as a great advance in western culture. While the same utilization of other culture references in Africa is seen as a contamination of ‘pure’ culture and greatly discouraged by the west.
Finally, we are left with a summation of the points given above. I will leave you with a quote from Oguibe’s seventh point before I venture into the other three essays:
Otherization is unavoidable, and for every One, the Other is the Heart of Darkness. The West is as much the Heart of Darkness to the Rest as the latter is to the West. Invention and contemplation of the Other is a continuous process evident in all cultures and societies. But in contemplating the Other, it is necessary to exhibit modesty and admit relative handicap since the peripheral location of the contemplator precludes complete understanding. This opacity is the Darkness. (8-9)
I am in no way in contestation of the very apparent existence of the Other. However in the following entry I would like to closely examine the relationships and examples Oguibe has employed, as it is currently my belief that while they certainly exist between racial and cultural boundaries he is neglecting to acknowledge that many of the examples he uses in his essays can readily be found without any trace of the Other occurring.
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