Global Surge of African Art Exhibitions and Market Growth
African art exhibitions are proliferating worldwide, from Venice to São Paulo, driven by curators like Okwui Enwezor and André Magnin. Major shows include 'Beauté Congo 1926-2015' at Fondation Cartier, 'Making Africa' curated by Enwezor, and 'Kongo: Power and Majesty' at the Met. In São Paulo, 'Aqui Africa' at Sesc Belenzinho featured 13 artists selected by Adeline von Fürstenberg. The Armory Show's 'African Perspectives' spotlighted the 'black new wave' with galleries from London, Paris, Berlin, Nairobi, Lagos, and Cape Town. Galleries like Primo Marella Gallery in Milan and October Gallery in London specialize in contemporary African art. The market is growing, with auction houses emerging in Lagos and Abidjan, though Italy lags. South Africa boasts a robust gallery network, including Stevenson and Goodman Galleries, supporting artists like William Kentridge and Marlene Dumas. Architectural projects like Rem Koolhaas's book on Lagos and Heatherwick Studio's Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town reflect urban creative energy. The article also notes the role of biennials in Dakar, Bamako, and Lubumbashi, and publications like Revue Noire.
Key facts
- Okwui Enwezor directed the 2015 Venice Biennale with a focus on Africa, awarding the Golden Lion to El Anatsui.
- Beauté Congo 1926-2015 at Fondation Cartier, curated by André Magnin, ran until January 2016.
- Making Africa: A Continent of Contemporary Design was curated by Okwui Enwezor.
- The Met's Kongo: Power and Majesty covered the 15th to 20th centuries.
- The Met also hosted In and out of the studio: photographic portraits from West Africa featuring Malick Sidibé, Seydou Keita, and others.
- The Divine Comedy: Heaven, Purgatory Hell revisited by Contemporary African Artists was at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, curated by Simon Njami.
- Aqui Africa at Sesc Belenzinho in São Paulo included 13 artists plus seven in a video section.
- The Armory Show 2016 featured African Perspectives with galleries from Europe and Africa.
- Primo Marella Gallery in Milan represents Abdoulaye Konaté, Nidhal Chamekh, Vitshois M. Bondo, and Cameron Platter.
- October Gallery in London has represented El Anatsui since 1993.
- Galerie Lelong in Paris represents Barthélémy Toguo.
- Stevenson Gallery in Cape Town and Johannesburg represents Wim Botha and Nandipha Mntambo.
- Goodman Gallery represents Kudzanai Chiurai and William Kentridge.
- Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) in Cape Town, designed by Heatherwick Studio, will open in 2017.
- Rem Koolhaas has been working on a book about Lagos since 2000.
- Alfredo Brillembourg is developing Empower Shacks townships in Cape Town.
Entities
Artists
- Okwui Enwezor
- El Anatsui
- André Magnin
- Malick Sidibé
- Seydou Keita
- Jean Depara
- J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere
- Samuel Fosso
- Simon Njami
- Abdoulaye Konaté
- Yinka Shonibare
- Wangechi Mutu
- Nicholas Hlobo
- Wim Botha
- Adeline von Fürstenberg
- Leonce Raphael Agbodjelou
- Omar Ba
- Frédéric Bruly Bouabré
- Edson Chagas
- Kudzanai Chiurai
- Romuald Hazoumè
- Samuel Kané Kwei
- Rigobert Nimi
- Idrissa Ouédraogo
- Chéri Samba
- Abderrahmjane Sissako
- Barthélémy Toguo
- Nidhal Chamekh
- Vitshois M. Bondo
- Cameron Platter
- Massinissa Selmani
- Joël Andrianomearisoa
- Ibrahim Mahama
- Nandipha Mntambo
- William Kentridge
- Marlene Dumas
- Jean Pigozzi
- Jean-Paul Blachère
- Sinda Dokolo
- Ruth Schaffner
- Adama Diawara
- Murtala Diop
- Idelphonse Affogbolo
- Touria El Glaoui
- Jean-Hubert Martin
- Alighiero Boetti
- Rem Koolhaas
- Alfredo Brillembourg
- Heatherwick Studio
- Primo Marella
- Giuseppe Pero
- Guy Baertschi
- Jean Fremon
- Francesca Migliorati
- Chiara Rusconi
- Joost Bosland
- Alessandra Quattordio
Institutions
- Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Smithsonian National Museum of African Art
- Sesc Belenzinho
- Armory Show
- October Gallery
- Galerie Jérôme Poggi
- Galerie Tanja Wagner
- Circle Art Gallery
- Echo Art
- Blank Gallery
- Claes Gallery
- Pierre Dartevelle
- Serge Schoffel
- Mombrison
- Skoto Gallery
- Galerie Guy Baertschi
- Magnin-A
- Galerie Lelong
- Primo Marella Gallery
- Apalazzo Gallery
- Galleria Giuseppe Pero
- Stevenson Gallery
- Goodman Gallery
- Saatchi Gallery
- DIA Art Foundation
- Centre Georges Pompidou
- Musée de l'Histoire de l'Immigration
- Fondation Louis Vuitton
- Barbier-Mueller
- Burger Collection
- Tate Gallery
- British Museum
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- Museu de Africa
- Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA)
- Heatherwick Studio
- University of Cape Town
- Revue Noire
- Biennale di Venezia
- Biennale di Dakar
- Biennale di Bamako
- Biennale di Lubumbashi
- Biennale di Kinshasa
- Biennale di Abuja
- Biennale di Lione
- Johannesburg Biennale
- Cape Town Art Fair
- 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair
- Somerset House
- Brafa
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- London
- United Kingdom
- Paris
- France
- Bilbao
- Spain
- New York
- United States
- Washington
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Geneva
- Switzerland
- Cape Town
- South Africa
- Johannesburg
- Nairobi
- Kenya
- Lagos
- Nigeria
- Abidjan
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Dakar
- Senegal
- Bamako
- Mali
- Lubumbashi
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Kinshasa
- Abuja
- Milan
- Brescia
- Berlin
- Germany
- Brussels
- Belgium
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands
- Los Angeles
- Hong Kong
- China
- Tours
- Tunisia
- Algeria
- Madagascar
- Swaziland
- Luanda
- Angola
- Victoria & Alfred Waterfront