Nok Terracottas

African art rewards setting aside Western assumptions about what art is and who makes it:

• The continent's traditions span tens of thousands of years and thousands of distinct cultures
• Nok terracottas and Ife bronzes show a sophistication that predates or matches European equivalents
• Many objects are ritual instruments, not display pieces — they were made to be used, not just seen
• The Benin Bronzes restitution debate is reshaping how museums treat colonial-era collections

The biggest problem with "African art" as a category isn't what's in it — it's what's been taken from it.