Shows
A Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazeRoméo MivekanninA conversation with Béninois artist Roméo Mivekannin, who works primarily in painting and installation. Roméo’s practice centres on marginalised Black figures in canonical European paintings, which he reimagines with his own self-portrait. His first exhibition in Italy, Black Mirror, at Collezione Maramotti in Reggio Emilia is on until the 27th of July. It features a new series of paintings on black velvet, marking a new chapter in his practice. In this episode, Alayo and Roméo discuss subjects including Italian cinema, the choreography of Pina Bausch, the universality of dance and his grandmother’s stories of Europ...2025-04-1319 min
A Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazeVictor EhikhamenorA conversation with Victor Ehikhamenor. Victor is a multidisciplinary artist based in Nigeria; his practice encompasses painting, installation, writing and unique forms of mark making, such as perforation. On the occasion of his solo exhibition ‘The Enigma of Time Remembered’ at Maruani Mercier gallery in Brussels in 2024, Victor and Alayo discuss his life and practice.Victor shares how his upbringing in Edo State, surrounded by rich cultural traditions of art-making, has influenced his work. From the sacred wall paintings by women born in his hometown, to his series of perforated drawings and innovative use of materials like rosa...2025-03-0240 minA Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazeTabita RezaireA conversation with Paris-born artist Tabita Rezaire. Rezaire is a new media artist, doula and cacao farmer based in French Guiana. On the occasion of her solo exhibition, Calabash Nebula at Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Rezaire has created an immersive series of installations, which are inspired by and honour the Yoruba water spirit Yemoja. Yemoja is the main water spirit of the West African Yoruba religion, who is considered the mother of rivers and oceans and the mother of all humanity. In this episode, Tabita and Alayo discuss Calabash Nebula, as well as Tabita’s meandering journey to...2024-11-1027 minA Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazePamela Phatsimo SunstrumA conversation with Botswana-born artist Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum. Sunstrum’s practice spans painting, drawing, and installation and is characterized by detailed narrative world-building, and figures who resemble the artist herself but are not self-portraits. On the occasion of her commission for The Curve at London’s Barbican, Pamela has created an installation titled 'It Will End in Tears', which consists of a series of interconnected film sets, inspired by mid-century colonial settings like her grandmother’s village in Botswana. Pamela speaks to Alayo about this exhibition, as well as her life and practice. They discuss Pamela’s experien...2024-10-2028 minA Black History of Art Presents: A Shared Gaze"Black Figuration" Today | Live Panel DiscussionThis episode is a live recording of a panel discussion which interrogated the position of so-called “Black Figuration” – in other words, work by Black artists which portrays Black figures – today. Alayo Akinkugbe is joined by writer John Baptiste Oduor, artist Anya Paintsil and curator, educator, writer and director of La Foundation for the Arts (LAFA), Chantel Akworkor Thompson. The discussion was held at Opera gallery in June 2024, in connection with an exhibition Alayo curated there, called ‘The Whole World Smiles With You’. Keep up with us:@lafa_foundationLAFAJohn Baptiste Oduor@an...2024-09-2935 minA Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazeKenturah DavisA conversation with Kenturah Davis, an American artist who splits her time between California and Accra, Ghana. Kenturah’s work explores an interplay of portraiture and design and spans drawing, textile, sculpture, and performance. On the occasion of her exhibition ‘clouds’ at Stephen Friedman Gallery, London, Kenturah speaks to me about her exploration of shadows and metaphysics, her desire to create works of art that encompass the viewer the way that music encompasses a listener, and some of the figures who have been inspiring her work lately: choreographer Katherine Dunham, composer Florence B. Price, theoris...2024-07-2825 minA Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazeIbrahim MahamaA conversation with Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama whose installations address themes of labour, circulation of goods and globalisation, and whose practice is charactarised by the use of materials collected from urban environments, which he manipulates and transforms in collaboration with communities in Ghana. On the occasion of his permanent site-specific installation at Palazzo Diedo in Venice Three Little Birds, and his exhibition If These Are The Things at APALAZZOGALLERY in Brescia, Ibrahim speaks to Alayo from within If These Are The Things about his childhood and experience of art education in Ghana, taking influence from everywhere and t...2024-06-1624 min
Woman's HourMusesFrom the Pre-Raphaelites to Picasso, Vermeer to Freud, some of the most famous Western artwork involves an artist’s muse. So who are the muses who have inspired great art? How do they embody an artist’s vision? And why has the muse artist relationship led to abuse of power? Nuala speaks to art historian and author Ruth Millington and to writer, curator and podcaster Alayo Akinkugbe.Penelope Tree was one of the most famous models of the 1960s and the muse of her then boyfriend, the photographer David Bailey. Despite appearing on the cover of Vogue and...2024-05-2757 min
A Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazeJohn AkomfrahA conversation with pioneering Ghanaian-born British artist, John Akomfrah on the occasion of his commission for the British Pavilion, at the 60th Venice Biennale. Akomfrah discusses early childhood memories in both Ghana and the UK, his love of filmmaking as a medium, and his experience with national representation at the Venice Biennale, having been part of the Ghanaian pavilion in 2015, and now being the sole artist to represent Britain in 2024. This episode also features a conversation with the brilliant curator of Listening All Night to The Rain, Tarini Malik.This episode was recorded at the British Pavilion...2024-05-0522 minA Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazeWoody De OthelloA conversation with artist Woody de Othello, whose practice spans sculpture, painting and drawing. Woody’s first UK solo exhibition, 'Faith Like a Rock ' is on until the 13th of April 2024 at Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. Woody recreates everyday, inanimate objects and transforms them into humanoid characters which elicit different emotions. The exhibition unfolds as an immersive mise-en-scène, with ceramic sculptures, paintings and drawings inhabiting each room. In this conversation, Woody speaks to Alayo from Stephen Friedman Gallery about the spiritual connection he has felt to clay since first working with it in art school, his love of...2024-03-3122 minA Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazeGideon AppahA conversation with Gideon Appah, a Ghanaian artist who draws on childhood memories, mythology and west African landscapes. This conversation was recorded on the 24th of March 2023. Our discussion centres on specific paintings in his first UK solo exhibition with Pace gallery, London in 2023 titled How to Say Sorry in a Thousand Lights. In this conversation, Gideon speaks to Alayo about his childhood and studies in Accra, the influences he takes from West African cinema and music videos, and his unique technique of painting with oils and acrylics. Gideon gives in-depth descriptions of the techniques he used t...2024-03-1020 minA Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazeAyo AkingbadeA conversation with Ayo Akingbade, an artist, writer and director based in London. She has directed 17 short films, which include documentary, fiction and those that blur the lines between the two. In this conversation, Ayo speaks to Alayo about their shared heritage and similar names, growing up in Hackney, her love of fashion & textiles and her exhibition ‘Show me the world Mister’, which is currently touring the UK. It was first shown at the Chisenhale Gallery, London and has travelled onto Spike Island, Bristol and John Hansard Gallery, Southampton. It is currently showing at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gates...2024-02-2547 min
The Creative Blood PodcastSo, Samuel de Saboia, contemporary art prodigy…tell us all about your community-based approach to creativity! (And P.S. What does 'peaceful loudness + fierce harmony' mean to you, in relation to getting your work seen and heard?)Welcome to the Creative Blood Experience. One culture-defining creative guest… One passionate host… And a deck of 50 question cards designed to yield incredible creative tips, real life experiences and untold stories from the artists working across the creative industries today! Travelling the world with just three briefcases, a backpack and his enormous canvases, Samuel de Saboia is considered by many to be a contemporary art prodigy. We caught up with the Brazilian creative nomad in the middle of an art residency in Italy where he was surrounded by birds and statues of deities from around the world. ...2023-10-2734 min
The Pearl Lam PodcastA Black History Of Art | With Alayo Akinkugbe | The Pearl Lam PodcastAlayo Akingube is an art historian and founder of the hugely successful Instagram page @ablackhistoryofart which highlights overlooked Black artists, sitters, curators and thinkers from art history. In this episode of The Pearl Lam Podcast, Pearl Lam sits down with Alayo to explore themes such as gender, racism, feminism and everything in between. Together they share their thoughts and discuss topics such as: Is there such a thing as black art? Does elitism still exist in the art world? This episode is an open, honest and at times deeply personal conversation about what it means to be a black artist...2023-09-2636 min
Front RowLise Davidsen, film Past Lives and Black Atlantic: power, people, resistance exhibitionPresenter Samira Ahmed is joined by the broadcaster and Chair of Judges Reeta Chakrabarti to announce the shortlist of the 2023 BBC National Short Story Awards with Cambridge University. Front Row will interview each of the shortlisted authors in the coming weeks, ahead of hosting the award ceremony live from the BBC Radio Theatre on 26th September.Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen has been described as possessing “a once-in-a-generation-voice.” Samira spoke to her between performances as Elizabeth of Valois in Verdi’s Don Carlo at the Royal Opera House, looking ahead to her starring role in the Last Night of the...2023-09-0742 minA Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazeNa Chainkua ReindorfA conversation with Na Chainkua Reindorf a Ghanaian artist who works across textile, painting, sculpture and installation. Her work is heavily influenced by the rich cultural history of West African, particularly Ghanaian, textiles, from the weaving traditions of Kente, to Fante Asafo flags and Yoruba masquerade dress (aka Egungun). Chainky has also garnered a following on her carefully curated Instagram page, which consists of fashion she has worn and art she has seen, organised in an impressive colour gradient. In 2022, Chainky was one of 3 artists to represent Ghana at the Venice Biennale in the pavilion Black Star: The Museum a...2023-08-0637 minA Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazeIsabel OkoroA conversation with Isabel Okoro, a Nigerian photographer and filmmaker based between Toronto, Canada and Lagos, Nigeria. Isabel’s practice is firmly rooted in world-building, she has invented a world called Eternity, which she describes as a “normatopia”. Normatopia is a word that Isabel coined to mean a space that exists at the sweet spot between harsh reality and utopia. She self-published her first monographic book in 2022, called Friends in Eternity and has produced work for clients including: Dazed, Essence, Vogue and Apple amongst many others. Two of her works were recently acquired by the Art Gallery of Toronto. In thi...2023-07-0231 minA Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazeTesfaye UrgessaA conversation with Tesfaye Urgessa, a painter based between Nurtingen, Germany and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Tesfaye's paintings are figurative, fleshy and dynamic. There is often -- amidst the business of his paintings -- an anchor point in the form of a piercing gaze. In this episode, Tesfaye speaks to Alayo from his studio in Nurtingen, about his life and his practice. *apologies for the low sound quality, Tesfaye's studio is large and echoey*Keep up with us on instagram:Tesfaye: @tesfayeurgessaAlayo: @ablackhistoryofart @alayoakinkugbe2023-06-1826 minA Black History of Art Presents: A Shared GazeAnya PaintsilA conversation with Anya Paintsil, a Welsh and Ghanaian artist based in the UK. Anya creates textiles using techniques of rughooking and embroidery. She often includes human and synthetic hair as a material and has explained that she finds many similarities between the act of weaving or “doing” afro hair and textile production techniques. In this episode, Anya speaks to Alayo about her life and her practice.Keep up with us on instagram: Anya: @anyapaintsil Alayo: @ablackhistoryofart @alayoakinkugbe"baby hair and afros": https://vortic.art/exhibitions/5288/?sceneId=3287&listview=false2023-06-0336 min
All About ArtA Black History of Art with Alayo AkinkugbeEPISODE 32 of 'All About Art': Interview with Alayo Akinkugbe, founder of A Black History of Art
In this episode, I had the joy of sitting down with Alayo Akinkugbe, the founder of an Instagram account that has been a game changer - Alayo founded A Black History Of Art in 2020 and she did so with the aim of providing a more diversified overview of art history when she realized that she hadn’t been taught about ONE black artist throughout her whole first year studying History of Art at Cambridge.
The account has now amassed ov...2022-07-0131 min
Athena Art FoundationAthena Asks - Costa Petridis with host Alayo AkinkugbeAlayo Akinkugbe, the Nigerian art historian and figure behind @blackhistoryofart, interviews Dr Constantine Petridis, Curator of African Art and Chair of the Department of Arts of Africa and the America at the Art Institute of Chicago. They focus on his new exhibition The Language of Beauty in African Art, which challenges Western framing of this art through the lens of modernist Primitivism, presenting it instead through ideas about beauty indigenous to the African communities which have produced it. They also discuss the exhibition in terms of current debates about restitution. 2022-06-2330 min
Young at ArtAlayo Akinkugbe, Young Art Historian and Activist21-year-old aspiring art curator Alayo Akinkugbe joins us this week at Young at Art. She discusses the Instagram account she created, @ablackhistoryofart, which showcases the talents of many undiscovered and overlooked black artists, sitters, curators, and thinkers from the fifteenth century to today.Since starting the account in February 2020, Alayo has graduated from The University of Cambridge with a degree in Art History, and she has spoken at The National Gallery about blackness in western art and why black sitters and artists have been ignored by the art world. In this episode, she shares with u...2022-05-2051 min
The Fitzwilliam Museum PodcastsPhysical/ VirtualDigital technologies are continually changing the way we engage with and relate to physical objects. In this episode of What Are Museums For?, Fitzwilliam Museum Director Luke Syson and Athena Art Foundation Director Nicola Jennings are joined by Alayo Akinkugbe, Dr Gus Casely-Hayford OBE and Daniel Pett, to discuss the current digital opportunities around museum collections and engagement. What role can virtual exhibitions play in connecting people to collections? How might digital and physical approaches be combined to generate new layers of meaning? How can social media help us to tell different stories and engage younger audiences? This podcast...2022-02-2435 min
Athena Art FoundationWhat Are Museums For? - Physical/DigitalDigital technologies are continually changing the way we engage with and relate to physical objects. In this episode of What Are Museums For?, Fitzwilliam Museum Director Luke Syson and Athena Art Foundation Director Nicola Jennings are joined by Alayo Akinkugbe, Dr Gus Casely-Hayford OBE and Daniel Pett, to discuss the current digital opportunities around museum collections and engagement. What role can virtual exhibitions play in connecting people to collections? How might digital and physical approaches be combined to generate new layers of meaning? How can social media help us to tell different stories and engage younger audiences?2022-02-2135 min
Wanna Be#127 Alayo Akinkugbe on Artistic HistoryWelcome to Wanna Be- the podcast takes you from where you are now to where you wanna be in 30 minutes or less. Happy Black History Month! I’m Imriel Morgan, Founder of Content is Queen a podcast community that specialises in empowering and amplifying underrepresented voices, specifically women, people of colour, and LGBTQIA+ people. Thank you so much for taking the time to be here! Wanna Be’s focus is to help you take consistent action to build a successful life and career in the creative and entertainment industry. But this month w...2021-10-2030 min
Calls with CURA: Stories from the Art WorldAlayo Akinkugbe - Art Historian Alayo Akinkugbe is currently reading history of art at Cambridge University, having grown up in Lagos, Nigeria. After studying she hopes to become a curator, whilst pushing the globalization of African Art. We met Alayo on Instagram, through her incredible account @ablackhistoryofart – which highlights the overlooked Black artists, sitters, curators and thinkers from art history and the present day. With growing need for reform in terms of diversity in the field of art history, we wanted to hear more from Alayo about her studies of the subject an...2021-03-0427 min
Stance Podcast with Chrystal GenesisStance Takes: Reframing The Black Image - Pioneers of The Past w/ Alayo Akinkugbe; Renata Cherlise; Theo Imani & Osei BonsuTo mark our fourth birthday Stance Takes is here with a special programme celebrating the black image in visual arts. Tired of the old interpretations of the black image and inspired by new forces that are redefining who gets to choose, view and critique the Black image, Stance brings you a podcast profiling the curators and visual researchers who are remapping how it's presented in art and culture. We juxtapose the work of two archivists - Alayo Akinkugbe from @ABlackHistoryOfArt in the UK, and Renata Cherlise from BlackArchives.co in the US - who are challenging dominant narratives surrounding t...2021-01-1542 min
The Great Women ArtistsNengi Omuku, Alayo Akinkugbe, Michaela Yearwood-DanIn episode 28 of The Great Women Artists Podcast, Katy Hessel interviews THREE brilliant guests: Lagos-based artist, Nengi Omuku, founder of @ablackhistoryofart Alayo Akinkugbe, and the amazing London-based artist, Michaela Yearwood-Dan.
Over the past six days some of the most exciting young names in art celebrating Black culture have been taking over @thegreatwomenartists Instagram account. To honour this takeover, this episode, and the next one will feature interviews with all six women about their practice and work.
And WOW. Were these women completely incredible to speak with. We first speak to Nengi Omuku, the Slade BA and MA graduate whose work explo...2020-06-101h 12