Introduction by Janet L. Stanley

The National Museum of African Art Library maintains a fast-growing collection of more than 3,300 files on contemporary African artists. No other library in the United States is developing or maintaining this type of collection. Although most of these artists are living and working in Africa, the Library also collects information on African artists internationally. The individual files may contain gallery brochures, exhibition announcements and invitations, price lists, resumes, press releases, reviews, and newspaper cuttings.

Illustrated here is a sampling of exhibition announcements and gallery brochures for 21 African artists from eleven countries. A complete list of African artists vertical files is available as a part of the Art & Artist Files in Smithsonian Libraries' Collections website [ All Libraries