Syncopation.

• Syncopation definition: In music, syncopation involves a variety of rhythms which are in some way unexpected which make part or all of a tune or piece of music off-beat.

 At the sound of the word Syncopation and the thought of why I chose it, those who know me well  will tell you about my love affair with  jazz music.  They’d be right, syncopation is such a strong characteristic of what jazz music represents.

But the  word syncopation also carries meaning in a different, more abstract way, it can mean  a disturbance or interruption, something unexpected.   I like that connotation because that is exactly what I hope to do with this blog. I hope to celebrate and use art and creative work by Africans as a catalyst for conversations around issues that are out of ordinary and unexpected, issues that deal with identity and how it’s expressed.

The ability of art to reflect both the blatant and unconscious state of  a society has always been intriguing to me,from the Jazz Renaissance’s connection with the  American Civil Rights movement to Fela Kuti’s criticism of the Nigerian government through his music, I always felt that artists form the most reflective members of our society.

 I want Syncopation to be my little “African Art Hall of Fame”, but more importantly I want Syncopation to be  a celebration and preservation of the African artist and creative.

I hope you’ll join me, as I reflect, congratulate and discover our continent’s art heritage and what is says about who we are.