Beyond the Scoreboard: Why Africa’s World Cup Legacy Transcends the Final Stages
As the 2026 World Cup heads into its final, the intensity on the pitch is palpable. While the tournament brackets may no longer feature African teams in these closing rounds, looking strictly at the scoreboard misses the grander narrative. Long before the semi-finals were decided, a completely different victory had already been claimed. It wasn’t […]
The Internet Thought Jay-Z Was Channeling Basquiat. The Truth Was More Powerful.
For years, the internet has been obsessed with Jay-Z’s hair. His wicks became a recurring topic of conversation, generating everything from jokes and memes to think pieces about wealth, status, and Black identity. Some saw them as a rejection of corporate respectability. Others viewed them as an homage to Jean-Michel Basquiat, the artist Jay-Z has […]
Beyond the Aesthetic: From Cubism to Painted by Esther and Patrick Ta, What Can We Learn About The Battle Between African Creative Influence and Market Monetization
A visual representation of contemporary African portraiture and digital creative expression. Look around the global cultural landscape today, and one thing is undeniable: African and Diaspora creativity is the world’s ultimate engine. From avant-garde textiles gracing European runways to the bold visual languages dominating international art galleries, Black culture dictates the global mood board. But […]
Capital Art: Mastering African Art Collection Management
If you’ve been following our exploration of art collection management, you know that being the guardian of art is no ordinary task. In a previous article, we delved deep into the nuances of art collection management, shedding light on its pivotal role in safeguarding cultural heritage and nurturing artistic legacies for generations to come. Now, […]
Echoes of Resilience: African Artists and Ecological Consciousness
In an era marked by the far-reaching repercussions of climate change, Africa finds itself grappling with its profound ramifications, bearing a disproportionate burden due to its unique geographical positioning, economic complexities, and limited capacity. The continent is now grappling with an intensified frequency of droughts, floods, and other erratic weather patterns, compounding preexisting vulnerabilities […]
‘Black beauty, pride and excellence: A Tale of Reappropriation’: Pavillon54 in collaboration with the Black In Business club (LBS)
Black beauty, pride and excellence: A Tale of Reappropriation is all about representations of black culture and community. The product of a true collaboration between the Black in Business club at London Business School and Pavillon 54 from conception to the desinstallation. It’s no secret that during the course of history, Africans have been […]
Pavillon 54 in conversation with collector Liesle Barrath
Joburg-based collector Liesle Barrath takes Pavillon54 on a walk through her private art collection. Housed in her leafy home, it is a cool and eclectic mix of works featuring heavy-hitting names such as Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi and Nandipha Mntambo together with street-art inspired works courtesy of artists Khaya Witbooi and Vusi Beauchamp. Walking through […]
7 Kenyan Artists You Should Know
In recent years, Kenya has emerged as a key hub for contemporary art in East Africa. Nairobi is becoming an ever-more important hub for art in the region with a growing list of contemporary art spaces. These include the prominent Circle Art Gallery as well as GoDown Arts Center, Kuona Artists Collective, Nairobi Contemporary Art […]
Bâ Simba and the power of storytelling
Bâ Simba speaks slowly, intentionally, and every word that comes from his brain seems to be hand-crafted and specifically selected for the sentence he wishes to convey. His words have a weightiness and authority that belie his humble nature, but they are well-suited to his body of work, a painterly practice that employs vivacious colour, […]
The African Art Review 2022
Image courtesy of Artxlagos Perhaps it was the contemporary art withdrawals from the Covid-19 era finally being fed with passionate vigour, or perhaps a flagrant denial of the current global economic hardship with inflation and a potential recession on the horizon, but the contemporary art world has been absolutely buzzing in the latter half of […]