Kunstmuseum Basel presents ‘When We See Us,’ a group exhibition originally organized by the Zeitz MOCAA and curated by Koyo Kouoh and Tandazani Dhlakama, on display until October 27th.
This exhibition highlights the contributions of Black artists from Africa and the African Diaspora over the past 100 years.
Inspired by the Netflix miniseries ‘When They See Us’ by Ava DuVernay, the exhibition features over 200 works grouped into six thematic categories: ‘The Everyday,’ ‘Joy & Revelry,’ ‘Repose,’ ‘Sensuality,’ ‘Spirituality,’ and ‘Triumph and Emancipation.’ These categories underscore the artists’ lived experiences and narrative autonomy.
Koyo Kouoh, a Swiss-Senegalian artist, has been the Director and Chief Curator of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa since 2019. She founded RAW Material Company in Dakar and has organized significant exhibitions globally. Kouoh is a prolific writer on the pan-African art community’s global relevance and was awarded the Prix Meret Oppenheim in 2020.
Tandazani Dhlakama, a Zimbabwean curator and art educator, has been working at Zeitz MOCAA since 2017. She holds a Master’s degree in Art Gallery and Museum Studies from the University of Leeds and a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and Political Science from St. Lawrence University. Dhlakama recently curated “Witness at El Espacio 23” in Miami, focusing on systematic oppression, intergenerational trauma, and emerging worldviews.
‘When We See Us’ offers a comprehensive view of figurative painting by Black artists from the 1920s through to the present. Enhanced by sound stations and atmospheric staging, these contextual elements add depth to the viewing experience. The exhibition is further enriched by a series of public programs designed in collaboration with external partners.
The exhibition showcases works by artists such as Michael Armitage, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Rose Bearden, Ben Enwonwu, Jay Labinjo, Jacob Lawrence, Danielle McKinney, Sungi Mlengeya, Mmapula Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi, Chéri Samba, Amy Sherald, Cyprien Tokoudagba, Zandile Tshabalala, and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye.
Source: Kunstmuseum Basel
