EXPLORING AFRICAN ARTS EXHIBITION & CULTURE CENTRES
The contemporary art scene in Africa is dynamic and diverse, teeming with extraordinary talented and passionate artists using their work to reflect the continent’s cultural diversity, natural beauty, and long history. As such, one can art as one of Africa's greatest cultural export. There are a growing number of exceptional independent art galleries across the continent promoting and exhibiting the best of African contemporary art. We shall explore five of these galleries in the course of this article.
• Afriart Gallery, Kampala, Uganda.
Afriart gallery located in the East African country of Uganda exhibits an exquisite selection of Ugandan and African art, collected from well-established and rising artists. It also provides art consulting services and runs a craft shop selling art books, ceramics, statues, traditional fabrics, locally designed clothes and recycled glassware.
• Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa. South Africa's socio political history is extensively represented here at the Goodman gallery located in separate buildings in two of the country's largest cities. The gallery showcases prominent artists and up-and-coming creative talents from South Africa, the rest of the African continent, and international artists who potray the African context through their works.
• Banana Hill Art Gallery, Nairobi, Kenya.
Founded by Shine Tani, this gallery on the outskirts of Nairobi has showcased over 70 artists and sculptors principally from Kenya and East Africa. The gallery displays a variety of stunning and vibrant paintings and a few sculptures illustrating a range of subjects, uniquely captured through each artist’s personal interpretation reflecting day-to-day life in cities and rural areas, abstract art, cultural traditions, and Kenya’s rich wildlife and landscapes.
• Zoma Contemporary Art Centre, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
This art centre was listed by the New York Times in 2014 as one of the top places to visit in Africa. It is situated in a fascinating house made from mud, straw and stone. Designed by artist and founder - Elias Slime, the Zoma Contemporary Art Centre (ZCAC) seeks to promote multidisciplinary contemporary art, facilitate international exchange between artists, and inculcate a culture of environmentally conscious art projects in Ethiopia. ZCAC has an open studio for visiting artists and it also runs an artist-in-residence education program in collaboration with partner institutions. The ZCAC in Ethiopia seems like a good fit for young African artists looking to hone their skills.
• Eureka Galerie, Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
Situated in the Ivory Coast’s tropical bustling capital city, the Eureka Galerie is an outstanding gallery devoted to discovering, sharing and promoting appreciation of African contemporary art in Ivory Coast and the surrounding region. From paintings, wooden and bronze sculptures, to antique masks, traditional fabrics and textiles, the gallery spotlights a delightful collection of art pieces in its warm, earth-toned interior. The gallery has displayed artworks from both local artists and international collaborators.