Overview

Africa is an immense continent, abundant with diverse cultural expression. Yet, despite the vast and varied nature of Africa’s people, often only a singular interpretation is available — and in many cases from the skewed perspective of an outside observer. 

It is critical that the narrative of Africa be shaped by those who are born of or have inhabited it, otherwise much will remain unknown, unsaid, and incomplete. Focusing on various mediums of art, Afr-i-can Contemporary Art aims to create a visual portal to the continent and its diaspora as told and curated by African artists themselves.  

Afr-i-can Contemporary Art focuses on the artworks produced after 1970 that compel the audience to stop, look, and in some instances, listen.  Art that tears in the fabric of our habits and beliefs.  Three generations of artists — those born before, during, and post independence — constantly converge, encompassing the past, present, and future. Together they will tell the stories of Africa today, the individual and collective stories of Africans as they are lived right now. 

Art in content, character, and context reflects its milieu. Afr-i-can Contemporary Art seeks to provide a sincere presentation of the diversity of African art and experience. Art is presented in the context of a living space chosen for the purpose of becoming a live-in gallery. It is in this environment that patrons have the opportunity to interact with the art intimately, to let the work linger and come alive in a way not possible in a museum or traditional gallery setting.  Afr-i-can Contemporary Art challenges not just the status quo of what is presented but how art is traditionally exhibited, with the particular intention to help a new audience and clients visualize how they might live with the art.