The First Global Map of Cultural & Creative Industries (CCI) published by Ernst & Young in December 2015 states that CCI revenues surpassed telecoms services worldwide, placing CCI estimated revenues at 2,250 billion dollars and providing 28.5 million jobs. The top earner was television, second was visual art and third newspapers/magazines. Visual art earnings were a whopping 391 billion and positioned as the number one employer of over 6.70 million people worldwide. These numbers do not properly reflect the informal CCI economy, estimated at another 33 billion dollars delivering 1.2 million jobs. Finally, visual arts alone, in Africa and the Middle East, generated over 13.1 billion dollars and over 350,000 jobs in 2013.
Yet, as the report states, “The notion of culture is often disconnected from the economic dimension …”
So what do all these numbers mean for Africa as we try to understand the historic relationship with art and the current climate and opportunities for CCI? Also, what does the future hold for Africans who want to play an active role in the “commodification” of culture, to Africa’s benefit?
Visual (fine) art, a significant component of the 14th to 17th Century European Renaissance, was reserved primarily for the elite; juxtaposed to the African relationship with visual art. Continental creativity, a language of sorts, had profound meaning to creators and society alike, with symbolic, substantial relevance and myriad uses. Intrinsic value was placed on amulets, ceremonial masks, sculptures and so on, stemming from ancestral, spiritual and/or social norms. Much like modern art, the traditional creations also memorialised time, space and circumstance, but unlike modern art, were woven into everyday life.
The relationship with visual art in Africa began its slow and steady change in the post-colonial era. But value or economic systems were still not developed to ensure the protection and promotion of art. Instead, the focus was placed on well-needed art education. On July 23, 1958, as HIM Haile Selassie I opened the first ‘By African For African’ art institution along with its Founder, the artist Alle Felege Selam, after whom the institution was named, it was clear that the Emperor highly appreciated the significance of art.
“If Ethiopian paintings and other works of art attain such a high standard that they can… hold their own amidst exhibits from other countries, they can certainly help in the efforts to make Ethiopia known more widely as a nation fully participating in the spirit and substance of modern civilization.”
Eight years later in April 1966, President Leopold Sedar Senghor, hosted the Pan-African driven “World Festival of Black Arts” in Senegal promoting worldwide black culture. Its role and global impact were not lost on the poet President.
“The civilization of the 20th Century cannot be universal except by being a dynamic synthesis of all the cultural values of all civilizations. It will be monstrous unless seasoned with the salt of Negritude for it will be the saviour of humanity,” he stated unapologetically
Though Ethiopia and Senegal amongst other African nations were paying attention, visual art was contextualised socially and again, value chains were not put in place to ensure participation in the emerging economy of art. Was this oversight influenced by our historic relationship with art or was it our natural desire to develop based on the mainstay of industry and agriculture? Maybe both. However, the delay in creating a system for CCI, in general, has put us on the outside of a well-established art industry that decides what and who is worth how much. It also eliminates income for providers in the areas of insurance, security, transportation and other services.
In 2013, I co-curated the Embassy of Portugal’s multi-million dollar collection, Bridges, at the National Museum. Thirteenth Century Ming Dynasty earthenware, lithographs by Oscar Niemeyer and Paula Rego (number 14 of the top selling living female artists) and pieces by prominent Ethiopian artists such as Daniel Taye and Merid Tafesse. The exhibit received over 5,000 visitors within nine days. Before the exhibition, requests for services such as insurance, security and transportation yielded a simple aychalum, translated, ‘it’s not possible’. The show was almost cancelled. Had we not been creative in addressing these issues, Ethiopia’s opportunity to host an international show of such calibre would have been lost.
The possibilities and opportunities are endless as evidenced by the Ernst & Young report. Addis Abeba has a clear advantage as the diplomatic capital of Africa, seat of the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa boosted by international media, including a 2014 New York Times piece noting as Addis Abeba, “An ambitious art scene heads towards the international stage.”
The time is perfect for us to stake our claim to African creativity for the benefit of the artists and all other actors, or face being further disenfranchised. Take for instance Sotheby’s auction house. Is it fair or even fathomable that the famous auction house estimated the value of the iconic 16th Century, 22cm tall ivory mask, looted from Benin by the British, at over six million dollars? And Christie’s auction house, sold Ethiopian-American Julie Mehretu’s 2013 painting for over 4.6 million dollars; making her the number seven top selling living female visual artist in the world! How was the value determined and could these pieces have been worth even more? Ethiopia will welcome Julie Mehretu: The Addis Show, an exhibition of 17 past and recent works, curated by Cornell Univericity’s Professor Dagmawi Wubshet sponsored mainly by the US Embassy. This upcoming exhibit provides another opportunity to urge policy makers and private sector investors alike to assess the viability of a value chain for art to include numerous related industries in addition to insurance, media and security such as appraisal, technology, and more.
But in all fairness, the Ethiopian private and public sectors have been taking slow steps towards capitalising on this emerging industry. The aforementioned business sectors would be wise to consider diversifying services to address the growing CCI as a solid art industry can help protect artists’ rights, promote the creativity of the country and continent within and across borders while sending a clear message to Western counterparts that Africa is at the helm of its creations.
So what does the future hold? The Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tedros Adhanom (PhD), recently visited my birthplace, Jamaica, known worldwide for its assertive tourism industry. Trade and tourism were tabled as areas of mutual concerns. And as art is an inherent component of tourism, Ethiopia’s substantial inventory and access to ancient and fine art, make Ethiopia a prime destination. Discussions are also being held between artists/activists and the African Union Commission’s Trade & Industry Department on positioning CCI as an integral element to boost intra-Africa trade. Initiatives would include push for policy shifts to harmonise country and continental value systems, ensuring IP protection for artists and indigenous rights and the promotion of contemporary and traditional art among other concerns.
In closing, a voice from the African Union Commission (AUC) is pertinent and worthy of everyone’s consideration.
“Arts and culture are more than our heritage, they represent a key vehicle for Africa’s structural transformation and economic emancipation,” AUC Director for Trade & Industry, Treasure Maphanga suggests.
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