MoMA Examines Postcolonial Architecture in West Africa
From July 5 to January 2, the Museum of Modern Art in New York will showcase 'Architects of Liberation: Modernism in Western Africa.' This exhibition examines the role of architecture in expressing sovereignty and identity during the period of independence for West African nations from 1957 to 1961. It includes around 450 items sourced from over 50 contributors across 17 nations, featuring architectural drawings, models, and archival photographs categorized thematically by education, housing, and urban infrastructure. Notable works highlighted are Victor Adegbite's Africa Pavilion at the Accra Trade Fair (1962-1967), Rinaldo Olivieri's Pyramide in Abidjan (1973), and the CICES complex in Senegal by Jean-François Lamoureux and Jean Louis Marin. The exhibition connects African architects like John Owusu Addo, Demas Nwoko, and Cheikh Ngom with international figures such as Pier Luigi Nervi and Zoran Bojović. Newly created films and photographs link the archival content to contemporary discussions. The show encompasses Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo, presenting modernism as a diverse and adaptable language influenced by local interactions and global exchanges.
Key facts
- Exhibition runs July 5 – January 2 at MoMA New York
- Focuses on architecture in West Africa post-independence (1957-1961)
- Includes 450 objects from over 50 lenders across 17 countries
- Organized thematically: education, housing, urban infrastructure
- Features works by Victor Adegbite, Rinaldo Olivieri, Jean-François Lamoureux, Jean Louis Marin, John Owusu Addo, Demas Nwoko, Cheikh Ngom, Pier Luigi Nervi, Zoran Bojović
- Covers Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo
- Includes newly commissioned films and photographic works
- Exhibition curated by Shirley Stevenson
Entities
Artists
- Victor Adegbite
- Rinaldo Olivieri
- Jean-François Lamoureux
- Jean Louis Marin
- John Owusu Addo
- Demas Nwoko
- Cheikh Ngom
- Pier Luigi Nervi
- Zoran Bojović
- Jacques Nsangue Akwa
- Emilien Douala Bell
- Arieh Sharon
- François-Xavier Gbré
- Michel Fegyveres
- Shirley Stevenson
- Martino Stierli
- Raymond Aka Adjo
- Jean Léon
- Heinz Fenchel
- Elpidio Olympio
- Godwin and Hopwood
- Olufemi Majekodunmi
- Max Bond
- Armand Salomon
- Sonia Lawson
- Ikem Stanley Okoye
- Mallory Cohen
- Vic Adegbite
- Jacek Chyrosz
- Stanisław Rymaszewski
- Jean-Louis Marin
- Henri Chomette
- Guy Durand
- Yves Ménard
- Messan Raphaël Ekoué-Hagbonon
- Willis E. Bell
- J. Max Bond Jr.
- Adekunle Adeyemo
- Guillermo S. Arsuaga
- Sabrine Bako
- Antawan I. Byrd
- Brunno Douat
- Johan Lagae
- Ayala Levin
- Prita Meier
- Monika Motylińska
- Marcos García Mouronte
- Łukasz Stanek
- Y. L. Lucy Wang
- Anna Sala
- Ivan Blasi
- Gabriela de Matos
- Pedro Rossi
- Pedro Ramírez Vázquez
- Jorge Campuzano
- Miquel Adrià
Institutions
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- Aesthetica Magazine
- Energoprojekt
- Ghana National Construction Corporation
- Bureau National d'Études Techniques et de Développement
- Studio NEiDA
- Mmofra Foundation
- Columbia University
- University of Delaware
- Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement (BOAD)
- Centre International du Commerce Extérieur du Sénégal (CICES)
- Ghana National Construction Corporation (GNCC)
- Fundació Mies van der Rohe
- Sharjah Architecture Triennial
- São Paulo International Architecture Biennial
- Museum of Anthropology (Mexico City)
- Museum of Black Civilizations (Dakar)
- Bauhaus
- Arquine
- Museum of Modern Art
- MoMA
- The Robert B. Menschel Galleries
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Benin
- Cameroon
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Ghana
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Togo
- Accra
- Abidjan
- Dakar
- Yamoussoukro
- Lomé
- New York City
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Lagos
- Yaoundé
- Bolgatanga
- Verona
- Italy
- Barcelona
- Spain
- Sharjah
- United Arab Emirates
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Asuan
- Egypt
- Brasilia
- Caracas
- Mexico City
- Latin America
- Venezuela
- Mexico
- Europe
- Western Africa