Call for Presentation Abstracts:
Towards the CAA 114th Annual Conference (18-21 Feb. 2026), we now welcome the submission of presentation abstracts for the session “Methodological Approaches to Researching Modern Art by African Women Artists.” 

—Session convened remotely—

Session Chairs:
Nomusa Makhubu (Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town), and Claudia Marion Stemberger (Department of Art History at the University of Delaware)

Session Abstract:
The rise of the contemporary in both research and exhibitions of African visual art and material culture has gained significant traction, placing the historically marginalized study of women artists in twentieth-century Africa at a crossroads. The recent growth in online resources pertaining to global modern art, such as biographical notes by AWARE and contextual essays from the MoMA, has helped to reevaluate the narratives surrounding African women artists of the twentieth century. Surveys on African women artists have proposed that gendered practices are multifaceted (Blackmun Visonà 2021), while also underlining the challenges posed by “incongruent methodological approaches to how that gendered history is constructed” (Makhubu 2020). This has opened opportunities to transform research methodologies and fieldwork strategies. In moving forward, however, despite ongoing reflections on the current state of the field (African Arts 2017 & 2024) and revised trajectories of African modernisms (Critical Interventions 2019), there remains a paucity of directions in the analysis of modern art by individual African women artists. The panel discusses methodological innovations and case studies that underpin novel scholarship on women’s artistic production among twentieth-century African art historiography. The scope encompasses accounts of recent shifts and envisioning future inquiry, especially in respect of Africa-centered perspectives. By engaging in debates about the de/canonization of art historical knowledges, this panel illuminates the previously underrepresented histories of African women artists.

Timeline:
Proposal submission deadline: 29 August 2025
Notification of acceptance: 16 September 2025

Submission Guidelines:
Prepare your presentation title and abstract (250 words), in addition to your shortened CV (~2 pages). Presenters will submit through CAA's online forms via this link: https://caa.confex.com/caa/2026/webprogrampreliminary/meeting.html
For technical issues, kindly reach out to caa@confex.com

About the CAA Annual Conference:
The CAA Annual Conference by the College Art Association (https://www.collegeart.org/) is the largest convening of art historians, artists, designers, curators, and visual art professionals in North America. Each year, CAA offers sessions submitted by members, committees, and affiliated societies offering a wide range of content. As an organization, CAA emphasizes diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Most sessions and events will be held on location in Chicago only, while a portion of the program will be convened remotely.