African art has always been more than its aesthetic, through time we've seen it play various social roles but one of its most vital has been as a tool of resistance against external and often internal oppression. From symbolism to blatant depictions of revolution/protest the creativity of the continent has a rich legacy in being one of the most important voices of defiance. 

If we look at an era before colonial rule, textile, pottery etc. played a larger role than objects of accessory. They held meaning. Meaning often of strong spiritual, political and cultural significance. The Ife sculptures of Benin as an example depicted royal lineage being a symbol of showing political power in the region. As colonial power began to rise and rule was imposed by settlers such as the Spanish, Italians or British, art created on the continent found itself often being dismissed and categorised as something primitive rather than sophisticated. Tradition however was still maintained even in situations of turmoil. Take ritual masks, although there were in place colonial prohibitions, a representation of spirit and that of the ancestors were vital aspects of ceremony and continued to be created, showing a mode of spiritual resistance towards colonial control.

The colonial boom of the 19th and 20th century stripped away African cultural autonomy replacing it with external language and tradition, including in regards to art and general creativity; a blatant example of this would be the shift in architecture, under Mussolini's rule a lot of Italians were encouraged to move to Eritrea, this immigration of Italians into the country saw the influence of neo-medieval and classical Italian architecture in the created and new structures of the country, replacing those prior. African art started to become a character of survival in this period especially in terms of cultural survival with authorities often stealing or reimagining pieces created. Through imposing measures where art could be taken without the consent of the artists the narrative of hierarchy in colonial rule was reinforced I.e., 'You are under us so there is nothing you can do about it'. Work was adapted as a result sometimes reflecting these colonial ideas i.e., the carving of colonial officers by the Yoruba's in a way to mock the attributes/characteristics of these soldiers through for example over exaggerating certain features of the characters.

Looking at conflict of this century art has continued its legacy as often being the voice of the marginalised. The Darfur conflict in Sudan which began 2003 has grown a community of artists using their creativity to document their environment with the hopes of raising global awareness. The 'Children of Darfur' project saw young children using art to be able to depict what they have unfortunately been forced to witnessed in their little years in the world. Powerful illustrations of the horror and trauma of war were created, with the International Criminal Court in 2009 accepting an amount of these drawings to use as evidence of the crimes which had been committed in Darfur.

Shifting to the centre of the continent, The DRC has spawned artists such as Faustin Linyekula using performance art to express and address the trauma of war and the effect it has on the after. Through the use of theatre he critiques the exploitation and violence that has spread through the region telling tales of hope and healing. 

Art on the continent has always reflected the diverse culture, told tales of history and struggle and has been a way to give voice to the voiceless. As time progresses and new struggle emerges art will always hold the role of being a form of defiance hopefully inspiring change in the future.

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