Groundbreaking exhibition comes to Basel

Over 200 works of art by 156 artists represent what has been neglected until now: the history of Pan-African art in the 20th and 21st centuries. The show When We See US. A Century of Black Figuration in Painting fills this gap and could serve as a model for many others. It is divided into six chapters entitled Everyday Life, Joy and Exuberance, Tranquillity, Sensuality, Spirituality and Triumph and Emancipation. The exhibition was first shown in 2023 at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town, for which the team led by Director Koyo Kouoh conducted years of research. The museum opened in 2017 and is the world's largest museum focusing on contemporary African art. The show, which has been described as groundbreaking, can now be seen at Kunstmuseum Basel: When We See US. A Century of Black Figuration in Painting runs from May 25 to October 27.

The title is inspired by the highly acclaimed mini-series When They See Us (2019), which made waves a few years ago. The reinterpretation of They to We brings the artists' perspectives to the fore: black people depict their own life experiences, the artworks are not views »from the outside«. Among the more than 150 artists exhibited are Michael Armitage, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Ben Enwonwu, Joy Labinjo, Jacob Lawrence, Danielle McKinney, Chris Ofili, George Pemba, Sungi Mlengeya, Mmapula Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi, Chéri Samba, Amy Sherald, Cyprien Tokoudagba, Zandile Tshabalala, and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye.