Dubai exhibition sheds light on rich history of African art

J K Bruce-Vanderpuije's photo of the first prime minister and president of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, making a speech in 1957 when he announced Ghana's independence. All Photos: Efie Gallery

Efie Gallery’s new group exhibition is an enlightening insight into the history, diversity and the rich narratives of African art.

Entitled Ever-Present, the exhibition dispels the idea that African art is a new trend and concisely displays a glimpse into the history of art in the continent through a range of works by artists from all over Africa.

“Every artist in the exhibition is basically a timeline for African art history,” Efie Gallery co-founder Kwame Mintah tells The National.

Covering painting, photography and sculpture, the artists on show also encompass different generations as well as political and social eras that affected the continent. The oldest artist in the exhibition was born in 1899 and the youngest – nearly 100 years later – in 1992.

“The whole idea of the exhibition is trying to correct the message that almost all of the African art market has boomed out of nowhere, but we've been practising for years,” Mintah, who is British-Ghanaian, adds.

The range of work presents viewers with an overview on how contemporary African art has evolved over time. Read more