A valorização das artes visuais africanas em escolas

In this paper, we sought to show how the teaching of Visual Arts may contribute to the understanding and acceptance of African arts. Taking in consideration the difficulties to promote an education that valorize multiculturalism and the cultural diversities, we defend that the adoption of the triangular approach proposed by Barbosa (1998) may contribute to diminish prejudices and stereotypes in relation to African culture. In order to prove this idea, we related a didactic experience involving an elementary class of a municipal school in Duque de Caxias (RJ), in which, in a sequence of activities based on visual literacy, elements of the visual language of African masks were observed, drawing parallels with Pablo Picasso's Cubist paintings. By means of the theoretic references and the activities carried out in the classroom, it was possible to show the necessity of permanent educational actions which valorize multiculturalism, diversities and, specially, the African arts.