The seventh edition of Art X Lagos, which took place earlier this month, has highlighted an important conversation within the Black African art community: who is actually benefiting from the booming market for African art? While Black African experiences are finally being shared through an authentic lens, it’s often non-Black owned galleries and staff leading the charge and dominating the representation of Black artists. It’s clear that more needs to be done to ensure that galleries are committed to their African artists long-term, and to ensure diversity not only in terms of the artists shown, but also among the galleries showing them. Read full article here
Oddities
Why Do Modern Pop Songs Have So Many Credited Writers?
The music industry has changed dramatically over the last few decades – with the number of songwriters credited on number one hits more than doubling. This is due to a combination of factors, including money, the computer and a changing definition of what songwriting is. For example, if The Beatles’ classic “I Feel Fine” was released today, it would likely have four writers credited instead of two, due to the influence of producers, samples and interpolations. With the rise of lawsuits, artists now preemptively add songwriter credits to their songs, even if the similarities between their song and the source material are coincidental. It all goes to show that the music industry is becoming more complex and competitive. Read full article here
Merv
March 29, 2023
