France, Oct. 25 -- Often disregarded in the world of fine arts, traditional crafts are at the heart of this year's Also Known as Africa (AKAA) art fair in Paris. For its tenth edition, the celebration of contemporary African creation is blurring distinctions between artisans and artists to bring workmanship to the fore.
In his role as AKAA's new artistic director, Sitor Senghor believes it is important to "get back to basics" and restore the value of artisanal skills.
"I want to bring the creative process back to the centre, so that collectors and the public can see the artist working with their hands," he told journalists gathered ahead of the opening on Friday.
These crafts have often been marginalised, he says, seen as "secondary" or ...