Perspectives on contemporary African art

Omar Victor Diop: When contemporary African art meets luxury fashion houses

© Allegoria 8, 2021 Luxury fashion houses opening their doors wide to contemporary African artists The rise of contemporary African art on the global stage is now undeniable, a phe...

The griots of Africa, guardians of the spoken word and masters of eloquence

© The Metropolitan Museum of Art The griots at the heart of the Mandinka Empire… As guardians of oral and musical tradition, poets, travelling musicians and messengers, the griots ...

Calligraphy in Islamic Art: The Harmony of Letters and Spirituality

Calligraphy, or the art of beautiful writing… Calligraphy is the art of elegant, stylised writing. It originated in Persia towards the end of the 14th century. This art form was in...

A conversation with the artist Tasneem: where art therapy meets creativity

From engineer to artist... Tasneem is a Sudanese mechanical engineer, poet and artist. Sudan has a complex history marked by prolonged conflict. The conflicts in Sudan have had dra...

5 Keys to Understanding the Mandala: Harmony, Creativity and Meditation

The word ‘mandala’ comes from India – in Sanskrit, the ancient language of Hinduism and Buddhism, it means ‘sacred circle’. These circular, colourful designs are centred around a f...

Exploring Afrofuturism: Redefining African Identity and the Future in Art and Culture

Daughter of the Rift, Osborne Macharia An African-American aesthetic movement Afro-futurism represents an artistic and aesthetic trend that emerged in the United States during the ...

African art for unique and inspiring interior design!

African art, with its vibrant colours, bold patterns and rich history, offers an endless source of inspiration for interior design. Incorporating elements of African art into our l...

Aïda Muluneh and contemporary African art: a blend of colour, culture and identity

Born in 1974, Aïda Muluneh is an Ethiopian photographer who spent much of her childhood in Yemen, Cyprus and England, before moving to Canada and the United States to study.…

Contemporary African Art: A Voice for Ecology and Sustainability

JP Mika: The art of spreading joy through his paintings

An early passion for art Jean-Paul Nsimbe Mika, born in 1980 in Kinshasa to a modest family, made the most of his artistic talent from a very young age. From the age of 13, he was ...

The art of wearing African jewellery: from past to present

Jewellery by Adele Dejak As you’ve probably noticed, I’m a huge fan of jewellery: gold, silver, costume jewellery – I love it all! For me, this fashion accessory is an absolute mus...

Hamidou Koumaré: a sculptor at heart – a legacy passed down from father to son

Hamidou Koumaré is a young painter and sculptor who lives and works in Mali. A graduate of the National Institute of the Arts (INA), he enrolled at the Balla Fasseké Kouyaté Conser...