In the 1930s and 1940s, Paris was a mecca for Black artists, writers, musicians, and intellectuals from around the world. Swept up in the horrors of World War II, these circles intensified their calls to end colonialism across Africa and the Caribbean, emphasizing the role Black soldiers played in liberating Europe. From this crucible, in 1947 Alioune Diop founded Présence Africaine, a journal devoted to redefining the importance of Africa’s contributions to the modern world. With the aim of fostering human fraternity and cultural dialogue, the publication featured a diverse, transatlantic network of contributors interested in Africa and its artistic expressions.
In this spirit, this gallery assembles a range of artists, including those who appeared in its early issues, those whose work borrows from African visual culture, and those who found connections to their African heritage. Together, these artworks demonstrate the varied and sometimes conflicting ways artists responded to the circulation of African ideas and values shortly before WWII and immediately after.
Organized by Smooth Nzewi, The Steven and Lisa Tananbaum Curator, Department of Painting & Sculpture with Erica DiBenedetto, Curatorial Associate, Department of Painting & Sculpture and Rachel Remick, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Painting & Sculpture and Curatorial Affairs
