Category: Art
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In the Black Fantastic – African Diaspora Artists Visualising A Future Beyond Racialisation
Carol Ann Dixon’s illustrated review of ‘In the Black Fantastic,’ curated by Ekow Eshun. This group exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, London (29 June – 18 September 2022), featured works by eleven internationally acclaimed African diaspora artists. Elements of myth, spirituality, folklore, otherworldly imaginings and speculative fiction combined to offer creative responses to everyday experiences…
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The Liberatory Aesthetics of ‘Africa Fashion’ at the V&A, London, July 2022 – April 2023
An illustrated review of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s ‘Africa Fashion’ exhibition, written by Carol Ann Dixon, Ph.D. More than 250 items featured in this showcase, including contemporary couture by fashion-forward collectives (such as MMUSOMAXWELL and Lagos Space Programme), strip-woven aṣọ-òkè and kente textiles, Adire indigo-dyed fabrics, and east and southern African kangas.
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Benin Art: Yesterday and Today, Palais de la Marina, Cotonou, February-May 2022
A major exhibition marking the return of 26 artworks stolen from Benin 130 years ago by French colonial forces opened to the public at the Palais de la Marina, Cotonou, on 19 February 2022. The exhibits at the centre of the presentation constitute the first tranche of selected historic artworks and sacred objects identified for…
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Barbara Walker: Place, Space and Who
The highlight of a recent trip to Turner Contemporary in Margate, Kent, was viewing the exhibition “Place, Space and Who” (18 May – 26 September 2021) by British figurative artist Barbara Walker during its final week on display. This engaging portraiture exhibition featured a series of larger-than-life-sized images of five women and girls from Kent’s…
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Theaster Gates will design the 2022 Serpentine Pavilion in London
Chicago-born contemporary visual artist and arts scholar Theaster Gates has been commissioned to design the 2022 Serpentine Pavilion in Kensington Gardens, London. Since its inception in 2000, the majority of prior pavilion commissions have been awarded to architects. So, Gates makes history as the first artist to receive a solo commission, following only two other…
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