Aug 16

Aug 16 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?: Dynamite Show Representing Contemporary African Art

Halida Boughriet from the group show 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner', 2015. Courtesy of the Richard Taittinger Gallery.

The year 2015 has been a banner year for art coming out of Africa. Visible impactful strides include: Okwui Enwezor curating the 56th Annual Venice Biennale, solo exhibitions by notable artists such as Yinka Shonibare and El Anatsui, the inaugural New York edition of the African contemporary art fair 1:54, and the stellar exhibit 'No Such Place' held this past spring. The summer group show 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?', now on view at the Richard Taittinger Gallery, is another significant achievement in further amplifying art from Africa and the African diaspora. Curated by Ugochukwu-Smooth C. Nzewi, the exhibit aims to eliminate bias about African art by presenting the featured twelve artists as exciting new voices joining the global contemporary art stage. The show's catchy title references Sidney Poitier's groundbreaking film from 1967 - an unexpected dinner guest with a powerful message to deliver. The metaphor couldn't be more spot on, implying African artists have made their entry into the mainstream art world by offering remarkable contributions, which further echo art historian Chika Okeke-Agulu's statement. The works in the exhibit range from painting, photography, mixed media, collage, works on paper, etc 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?' will be on view through August 22nd at the Richard Taittinger Gallery in New York City.