A contemporary artist for today’s art post: by Njideka Akunyili Crosby (born 1983), “Dwell: Me, We,” 2017, acrylic, transfers, colored pencil, charcoal, and collage on paper, 96 x 124 inches, ©️ Njideka Akunyili Crosby. She is represented by the David Zwirner art gallery. #womanartist #womenartists #africanart #AfricaArt

From her website, which I will share as a comment: “Drawing on art historical, political and personal references, Njideka Akunyili Crosby creates densely layered figurative compositions that, precise in style, nonetheless conjure the complexity of contemporary experience. Akunyili Crosby was born in Nigeria, where she lived until the age of sixteen. In 1999 she moved to the United States, where she has remained since that time. Her cultural identity combines strong attachments to the country of her birth and to her adopted home, a hybrid identity that is reflected in her work.

On initial impression her work appears to focus on interiors or apparently everyday scenes and social gatherings. Many of Akunyili Crosby's images feature figures - images of family and friends - in scenarios derived from familiar domestic experiences: eating, drinking, watching TV. Rarely do they meet the viewer's gaze but seem bound up in moments of intimacy or reflection that are left open to interpretation. Ambiguities of narrative and gesture are underscored by a second wave of imagery, only truly discernible close-up. Vibrantly patterned photo-collage areas are created from images derived from Nigerian pop culture and politics, including pictures of pop stars, models and celebrities, as well as lawyers in white wigs and military dictators. Some of these images are from the artist's archive of personal snapshots, magazines and advertisements, while others are sourced from the internet. These elements present a compelling visual metaphor for the layers of personal memory and cultural history that inform and heighten the experience of the present.”

Today's purchases from Harrison Antiques and Auction House - an African tribal mask and letter opener. Unsure of age or specific tribe these two items originate from. Judging by the distinct styles of these objects it's likely they derive from two different tribal groups.

#africanart #tribalart #ethnography #ethnoart #africa #african

“Seydou Keïta: A Tactile Lens” opened at the Brooklyn Museum in October and runs through May 17, 2026. I found out about this Malian portrait photographer in the 2010s and used this photo on the cover of eighth issue of #ShotgunSeamstress which came out in 2015 and is included in the anthology book.

https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/seydou-keita

#photography #AfricanArt