The African-American artist Philemona Williamson will be exhibiting for the first time in Europe at Semiose, Paris, France until December 30, 2023. (b. 1951) brings together personal and more universal narratives in her brightly colored, large format paintings that portray children and teenagers, often in mysterious situations. She paints directly onto her canvases without preliminary sketches and her paintings thus resemble palimpsests telling their own stories, with multiple layers, figures and scenes appearing across the support, before seemingly being abandoned. Williamson’s works are deep ..read more

Above: Uman | Untitled, 2022; Samone, 2023. Courtesy of the artist and Nicola Vassell Galley. Photo Lance Brewer. Nicola Vassell, Founder of Nicola Vassell Gallery, is pleased to announce the gallery’s representation of the artist Uman in equal partnership with Hauser & Wirth. In undertaking this collaboration on behalf of the critically admired Somalia-born, New York based painter and sculptor, Hauser & Wirth and Nicola Vassell hope to model a new kind of alliance between galleries operating at different scales—an approach wherein full transparency and intensive resourc ..read more

Ready for the Black and Basel 2023 Black art guide? It’s time to end the fourth quarter with a big sales push by over 20 international fairs and 1,000+ galleries and events. Navigating a region that is bursting at the seams with art from every corner is almost impossible, especially when it comes to Art Week Miami 2023. Every year, $400 to $500 million is pumped into Miami Dade as art businesses work overtime to sell artworks from all over the globe. The Week expands every year, with everyone trying to get a piece of the half-billion-dollar pie. Art Week Miami began with the first Art Miami fa ..read more

By Carey Brianna Hart Yankee Bajan, a play with music by Linda Parris-Bailey, recently at The Lehman Theater of Miami Dade College in early November, takes the audience on a poignant and timely journey, exploring the bonds of a family striving for safety and togetherness at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Set against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement and the racial tensions gripping America, the play presents a contrasting yet interconnected narrative of ancestral roots and personal transformation. From the moment one approaches the theater, the tropical sounds of Barbadi ..read more

Get ready for a literary extravaganza as the Miami Book Fair, a literary spectacle that has captivated bibliophiles since 1984, is set to unfold its magic from November 12 to 19, 2023. This year’s edition promises an electrifying start with an ensemble of some of the most dynamic Black authors gracing the bookshelves and stealing the spotlight. Join the ranks of literary enthusiasts as international sensation Jada Pinkett-Smith, acclaimed architect and designer Germane Barnes, and the maestro of horror and sci-fi, Tanavarie Due, converge at the Miami Book Fair. It’s a rare chance to be in the ..read more

From outside the Brooklyn brownstone at the threshold of Plastic On The Sofa: The Interior Lives of Black Folx night was hushed by the inside’s ardor. Exiting visitors and those taking fresh air breaks bordered the exterior staircase that led to the apartment’s door. To enter, you had to text someone who would personally welcome you. The front door’s head shelved stained glass and opened to a warm wood staircase leading to the HAUSEN gallery on the second floor.  The exhibit opened on Oct. 5 and will be open by RSVP at info@hausen.co through Nov. 20. Plastic On the Sofa: The Interi ..read more

The compilation of remarkable events this week is centered on the vast number of creatives on the continent and its diaspora, steadily climbing the rung of the ladder in their various fields of practice. While some of the stories this week comprise awards outrightly bestowed on a single achiever,  others reflect recognition for many writers of fiction, nonfiction, and visual artists who work across various mediums. The final news of who emerges as a winner excites, but it is worthwhile to note and explore those, regardless of whether they win or not, who have been distinguished enough to ..read more

From remarkable prize announcements in the visual arts and literature to exciting exhibitions in London, This Week in African Art features artists and writers, including El Anatsui from Ghana, Otobong Nkanga from Nigeria, René Tavares from Sao Tome and Principe, Keabetswe Molotsi from Motswana, Fiston Mwanza Mujila and Logan February —who are from Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria respectively. Delve into the details of this round-up to read their news … Otobong Nkanga Announced Winner of 2025 Nasher Prize The Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas has awarded artist Otobong Nkanga its Nasher ..read more

To address the escalating maternal health crisis in the United States, Dr. Ato Wright and Dr. Tonya S. Wright are set to present It Is True, I Was Created In You, a benefit exhibit slated for this Friday, Oct. 14, 2023 in Mechanicsburg, Pa. The exhibition will feature commissioned works by 29 contemporary artists of the African diaspora, all aimed at raising awareness about the challenges mothers face during pregnancy and childbirth. The exhibition seeks to initiate conversations and actions that contribute to better maternal healthcare outcomes in the United States. The event has its roots i ..read more

This Week in African Art and Culture captures heartwarming news of less-renowned artists and writers taking center stage in big spaces and places in recognition of their artworks and literary pieces. A Guinean artist earns first prize from over 700 entries, a Moroccan artist presents an ambitious installation at the most prominent African art fair, a Nigerian artist opens her first institutional exhibition in the U.K. … Abdoulaye Conde Wins $125K Grand Prize for Raining Wisdom at ArtPrize 2023 Guinean artist Abdoulaye Conde has been announced the winner of the ArtPrize 2023 public vote grand p ..read more