Hidden Treasures of African Art

Griff Rhys Jones travels to West Africa to see whether there is such a thing as pure African art. Antique carvings from the region can fetch millions of pounds, but what makes a piece 'authentic', and are they still being made? Is there such a thing as pure African art? Griff starts his investigation in the Bandiagara Escarpment in Mali, where the Dogon people have used their carvings and sculptures as a spiritual tool to help them survive. Can belief in the power of these objects withstand the march of modernity? In a revelatory journey which ends in Accra, the capital of Ghana, Griff learns that the passage of history and modern realities have had a surprising influence on invention and creativity in contemporary West Africa.

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Lost Kingdoms of Africa