Art Invoked: A Mode of Understanding and Shaping the Political

Abstract

There are several reasons why the arts, in all their forms and productions, provide a site from where we can observe and experience aspects of political life that we cannot possibly do in any other way. First, art takes account of the intentions, motivations, and reasons for human action. Second, art is a privileged medium in the sense that it imparts knowledge about political life at both the abstract level and at a deeper cultural level. Third, literary and other texts provide the site for political discourse because they are influenced by historical circumstances both temporally and spatially. Lastly, we seek the perspectives of art in informing politics because of the innovative role played by intellectuals and artists and their influence in the making of shared meanings. While this investigation is primarily theoretical, it will be informed by the novels of Biyi Bandele and the films of Gaston Kaborè.