Reflections: African Art Is… raises a number of questions about the nature of African art ranging from the ways museum presentations change the meaning of art that was made to be seen in a specific cultural context, to questions about what might be considered art in Africa. Reflections looks at how African art is related to the culture and religion of specific African people, how it relates to daily life, and how it enhances political and social status.

Reflections includes traditional and contemporary art, religious and secular art, work by named artists, and objects that follow a regional or local style. Viewed together, they present some of the many ways that Africans imbue their lives with art. Through textiles, sculpture, ceramics, masks, and paintings, African artists from many countries and cultures enrich their lives and ours.