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African Art

Griff Rhys Jones continues his quest to find traditional art in remote places by travelling to West Africa. 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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  • Originally Aired March 4, 2011
  • Runtime 60 minutes
  • Network BBC HD
  • Created March 30, 2011 by
    Administrator admin
  • Modified March 24, 2022 by
    analyzer.m2tn
Name Type Role
Harry Hook Director