Rowland Abiodun

Rowland O. Abiodun
Born	1941 Owo, Nigeria
Occupation(s)	Scholar, writer, professor
Known for	Expertise in African Art Studies, focus on Yoruba Art
Notable work	Yoruba Art and Language: Seeking the African in African Art (2014)

Rowland O. Abiodun (born 1941) is a distinguished Nigerian-American scholar and writer, recognized for his expertise in African Art Studies with a focus on Yoruba Art. He currently holds the John C. Newton Professorship in Art, History of Art, and Black Studies at Amherst College in Massachusetts.

Education and Career

Abiodun completed his undergraduate degree in Fine Arts at Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria, in 1965, followed by a master's degree in Art History from the University of Toronto. Originating from Owo, Nigeria, he has dedicated much of his career to the study and interpretation of Yoruba art traditions from both Nigeria and Benin. In addition to his academic appointment at Amherst College, he has contributed as a director of the African Studies Association and served as an advisor to the National Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian Institution.

Exhibitions

He has played a pivotal role in curating prominent exhibitions of African art across the United States. Notably, Abiodun curated Artist as Explorer: African Art from the Walt Disney-Tishman Collection, which was displayed at the National Geographic Society's Explorer Hall prior to the Smithsonian's acquisition of this collection. Furthermore, he co-curated Yoruba: Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought, an exhibition showcasing pieces from Lagos and Ife that were largely unveiled for U.S. audiences at the Center for African Art and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Publications

With over 40 published books and scholarly articles on African art, Abiodun has had a profound impact on how Yoruba art is understood within American academia. His 2014 publication, Yoruba Art and Language: Seeking the African in African Art, stands as a seminal contribution to this discipline. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art incorporated his perspectives in their exhibition titled Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa's Arts.

Awards

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to African and African Diasporic arts scholarship, Abiodun was honored with the ACASA Leadership Award in 2011, celebrating individuals who demonstrate excellence and innovation in this field.

Bibliography

• Yoruba Art and Language: Seeking the African in African Art. Cambridge University Press, 2014.
• What Follows Six Is More than Seven: Understanding African Art. British Museum Department of Ethnography, 1995.