Tag: African artists
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Didier Claes on Curating “Africa Legacy,” One of the Year’s Most Ambitious African Art Exhibitions
For more than three decades, Belgian-Congolese collector and dealer Didier Claes has been one of the leading voices in the field of classical African art. With “Africa Legacy: The Cradle of Art”, he embarks on what is arguably the most ambitious project of his career: an exhibition bringing together nearly 280 works spanning more than…
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Enough Praise, Not Enough Judgment: Dr. Célestin Koffi Yao Calls for Art to Be Put on Trial
Ivorian art critic Célestin Koffi Yao reflects on the lack of critical discourse on artists from Africa, where promotion often replaces analysis. He calls for a more rigorous approach to art criticism, grounded in intellectual inquiry and the idea of putting art on trial without complacency.
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“A Home for Us, by Us”: How Tokini Peterside-Schwebig Made ART X Lagos a Landmark for African Art
For Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, art has always been more than an industry—it is a way of imagining the future. Nearly ten years ago, she channeled that belief into ART X Lagos, a fair that has since become a cornerstone of Nigeria’s cultural calendar and a touchstone for contemporary African art worldwide. Under her direction, the fair…
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A Swiss Foundation Elevates African Voices Through Artists and Scholars
In the heart of Basel, a city whose history is intertwined with Africa in ways both inspiring and troubling, the Fondation Oumou Dilly is quietly reshaping the conversation about who gets to produce knowledge — and whose stories get told. Named after Oumou, a healer and wise woman from early 20th-century Mali, the foundation champions…
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Africa’s Artists Deserve a Bigger Stage. Basel Is Just the Start
In June 2025, Africa Basel emerged as a groundbreaking international platform for African contemporary art, held in Basel, Switzerland, alongside the world-renowned Art Basel. This inaugural fair not only showcased the vibrancy of African creativity but also sparked critical discussions about representation and inclusion in the global art world. Below, a reflection on its significance,…
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From Geneva to Dakar: David Brolliet, a Collector of Art and Encounters
There are collectors who amass artworks, and others who build connections. David Brolliet belongs to the latter category: for him, art is above all a human adventure, a means of forging bonds. His collection, comprising over 1,000 works accumulated over more than 40 years, brings together both icons like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol and…
Bridging Africa and The World Through Contemporary Art 