ARTMargins Issue Explores African Socialisms in Contemporary Art

ARTMargins has released Volume 13, Issue 1, featuring a special issue and introductory essay by Álvaro Luís Lima that examines African socialisms in contemporary art. The publication addresses how artists engage with Africa's radical history post-1945, confronting widespread forgetfulness about the continent's intellectual and political roles. These creators work with poorly documented themes, limited archives, and cautious oral sources, tasked with reviving overlooked narratives while questioning the political contexts of historical research in global contemporary art. This art world, heavily influenced by neoliberal shifts following the very histories under study, often reveals its constraints in addressing such topics. The issue, published in 2024, requires a subscription for access and is copyrighted by ARTMargins and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It delves into the challenges artists face in amplifying forgotten pasts and critiquing the contingency of historical investigation within contemporary art frameworks.