The Archive · Visual Tradition
The
Artists
161 artists · shaping Africa in form and colour
African art does not begin on canvas or in bronze — it begins in the act of naming the world. Masks carry spirits. Adire cloth records cosmologies. Bronze plaques from Benin map an entire royal court. The artists gathered here inherit this tradition and push it into new forms.
Browse by name below. Each entry includes their country, medium, notable works, and exhibition history where available. The archive continues to grow.
Abdoulaye Konaté
Textile Art, Installation
Mali
▶ Video available
Abdoulaye Ndoye
Painting, Calligraphy
Senegal
▶ Video available
Aboudia
Photography, Video, Installation
South Africa
▶ Video available
Adama Delphine Fawundu
Photography, Video, Installation
Angola
▶ Video available
Aïda Muluneh
Photography
Ethiopia
▶ Video available
Aida Silvestri
Mixed Media, Performance, Video
Kenya
▶ Video available
Aime Mpane
Mixed Media, Installation, Performa…
Kenya
▶ Video available
Ajarb Bernard Ategwa
Photography, Installation
Angola/Portugal
▶ Video available
Alaa Awad
Photography
Nigeria/UK
▶ Video available
Aline Motta
Performance, Video, Sculpture, Inst…
Kenya/Netherlands
▶ Video available
Amadou Sanogo
Photography
Guinea/Switzerland
▶ Video available
Amalia Ramanankirahina
Painting, Drawing, Mixed Media
South Africa
▶ Video available
Andrew Tshabangu
Sculpture, Video, Painting
Kenya/USA
▶ Video available
Antoine Tempé
Sculpture, Photography, Performance
South Africa
▶ Video available
Asanda Kupa
Photography
South Africa
▶ Video available
Athi-Patra Ruga
Performance, Textile, Video
South Africa
▶ Video available
Ato Malinda
Performance, Installation
Nigeria
▶ Video available
Ayo Akinwande
Textile Art, Installation
Mali
▶ Video available
Barkley L. Hendricks
▶ Video available
Barthélémy Toguo
Painting, Sculpture, Installation, …
Cameroon/France
▶ Video available
Ben Enwonwu
Painting, Sculpture
Nigeria
▶ Video available
Berni Searle
Photography, Mixed Media
Côte d'Ivoire
▶ Video available
Beya Gille Gacha
Painting, Drawing
Sudan/UK
▶ Video available
Bili Bidjocka
Installation, Mixed Media
Cameroon/France
▶ Video available
Billie Zangewa
Sculpture, Installation, Performance
Ghana
▶ Video available
Bodys Isek Kingelez
Sculpture, Architecture
Democratic Republic of Congo
▶ Video available
Chéri Cherin
Painting
Democratic Republic of Congo
▶ Video available
Chéri Samba
Painting
Democratic Republic of Congo
▶ Video available
Chris Ofili
Painting, Drawing, Collage
Nigeria/UK
▶ Video available
Cyrus Kabiru
Installation, Video, Sculpture
Morocco/France
▶ Video available
David Goldblatt
Photography, Video, Installation
Algeria/France
▶ Video available
David Koloane
Performance, Film, Installation
Malawi/UK
▶ Video available
Dawit Abebe
Painting, Mixed Media
Nigeria/Germany
▶ Video available
Dawit L. Petros
Sculpture, Photography
Kenya
▶ Video available
Edson Chagas
Painting, Sculpture
Côte d'Ivoire
▶ Video available
El Anatsui
Sculpture, Installation
Ghana/Nigeria
▶ Video available
El Loko
Photography
South Africa
▶ Video available
Emeka Ogboh
Photography, Installation
Eritrea/Canada
▶ Video available
Em'Kal Eyongakpa
Photography, Textile Art
Ghana/Germany
▶ Video available
Emo de Medeiros
Photography, Video, Installation
Democratic Republic of Congo/Belgium
▶ Video available
Fathi Hassan
Painting, Mural Art
Egypt
▶ Video available
Frédéric Bruly Bouabré
Painting
Mali
▶ Video available
George Lilanga
Painting, Sculpture
Tanzania
▶ Video available
Géraldine Tobe
Street Art, Painting, Sculpture
Congo/France
▶ Video available
Gerald Machona
Painting, Mixed Media
Nigeria
▶ Video available
Gérard Quenum
Painting, Mixed Media
South Africa
▶ Video available
Gerard Sekoto
Painting, Music
South Africa
▶ Video available
Ghada Amer
Painting, Embroidery, Sculpture
Egypt/USA
▶ Video available
Godfried Donkor
Painting
Zimbabwe/UK
▶ Video available
Gonçalo Mabunda
Sculpture
Mozambique
▶ Video available
Hassan Hajjaj
Photography, Installation
Morocco/UK
▶ Video available
Hassan Musa
Photography, Activism
South Africa
▶ Video available
Helina Metaferia
Photography, Video, Installation
South Africa
▶ Video available
Hew Locke
Installation, Video, Sculpture
Canada/Tanzania
▶ Video available
Ibrahim El-Salahi
Painting, Drawing
Sudan
▶ Video available
Ibrahim Mahama
Installation
Ghana
▶ Video available
Igshaan Adams
Installation, Video, Sculpture
Algeria/France
▶ Video available
Ingrid Mwangi
Painting, Graphic Design
Morocco
▶ Video available
Jackie Karuti
Painting, Drawing, Installation
Nigeria
▶ Video available
James Barnor
Painting, Installation
Tanzania/UK
▶ Video available
Jelili Atiku
Photography, Activism
South Africa
▶ Video available
Joana Choumali
Painting, Drawing
Ethiopia/USA
▶ Video available
Joël Andrianomearisoa
Photography, Video
Madagascar/France
▶ Video available
Julie Mehretu
Painting, Drawing
Ethiopia/USA
▶ Video available
Julie Teehan
Sculpture, Installation, Painting
Nigeria/USA
▶ Video available
Kader Attia
Sculpture, Performance, Video
Zimbabwe/South Africa
▶ Video available
Kapwani Kiwanga
Performance, Video, Music
Angola
▶ Video available
Kara Walker
Painting, Installation, Printmaking
USA (African descent)
▶ Video available
Karo Akpokiere
Illustration, Graphic Design
Nigeria
▶ Video available
Kehinde Wiley
▶ Video available
Kelechi Amadi-Obi
Photography, Video, Installation
Sierra Leone/USA
▶ Video available
Kentridge William
Drawing, Film, Animation, Theater
South Africa
▶ Video available
Kiluanji Kia Henda
Painting, Installation, Social Prac…
Nigeria
▶ Video available
Kofi Setordji
Sculpture, Painting, Installation
Ghana
▶ Video available
Kouka Ntadi
Photography
Ghana/UK
▶ Video available
Kudzanai Chiurai
Photography, Multimedia, Painting
Zimbabwe
▶ Video available
Kudzanai Samanga
Painting, Installation
Zimbabwe
▶ Video available
Kudzanai-Violet Hwami
Painting
Zimbabwe/UK
▶ Video available
Laetitia Ky
Textile Art, Installation
Cameroon/France
▶ Video available
Lebohang Kganye
Sculpture, Installation
Nigeria/USA
▶ Video available
Lhola Amira
Photography, Video, Performance
Kenya/Germany
▶ Video available
Lina Iris Viktor
Painting, Photography, Performance
Liberia/UK
▶ Video available
Lubaina Himid
▶ Video available
Lubaina Himid
Drawing, Writing
Côte d'Ivoire
▶ Video available
Maimouna Guerresi
Installation, Sound Art, Performance
Cameroon
▶ Video available
Mame-Diarra Niang
Installation, Performance, Sculpture
Nigeria/Belgium
▶ Video available
Marlene Dumas
Painting
South Africa/Netherlands
▶ Video available
Mary Sibande
Painting, Installation
Tanzania/UK
▶ Video available
Meleko Mokgosi
Sculpture, Video, Installation
Morocco/France
▶ Video available
Meschac Gaba
Installation
Benin
▶ Video available
Michael Soi
Photography
Burkina Faso/France
▶ Video available
Mickalene Thomas
▶ Video available
Mikhael Subotzky
Performance, Mixed Media
South Africa
▶ Video available
Misheck Masamvu
Mixed Media, Drawing, Installation
South Africa
▶ Video available
Modupeola Fadugba
Mixed Media, Installation
Madagascar/France
▶ Video available
Moffat Takadiwa
Painting, Textile Art
Sudan/France
▶ Video available
Mohamed Bourouissa
Painting, Installation
Botswana/USA
▶ Video available
Mohamed Melehi
Painting, Graphic Design
Morocco
▶ Video available
Mohau Modisakeng
Photography, Multimedia, Painting
Zimbabwe
▶ Video available
Moke
Drawing, Painting
Nigeria/USA
▶ Video available
Monica de Miranda
Textile Art, Collage
Malawi/South Africa
▶ Video available
Moshekwa Langa
Multimedia, Installation, Performan…
Benin/France
▶ Video available
Mounir Fatmi
Textile Art, Collage
Malawi/South Africa
▶ Video available
Namsa Leuba
Photography
Ethiopia
▶ Video available
Nandipha Mntambo
Photography
Kenya
▶ Video available
Nástio Mosquito
Sculpture, Installation, Mixed Media
Cameroon/Belgium
▶ Video available
Nathalie Mba Bikoro
Video, Performance, Photography
Nigeria/UK
▶ Video available
Nicholas Hlobo
Sculpture, Installation, Performance
South Africa
▶ Video available
Njideka Akunyili Crosby
Painting, Collage
Nigeria/USA
▶ Video available
Nnenna Okore
Sculpture, Installation
Nigeria/USA
▶ Video available
Nontsikelelo Veleko
Sculpture, Installation, Mixed Media
Cameroon/Belgium
▶ Video available
Nyaba Léon Ouedraogo
Painting, Mixed Media
Ethiopia
▶ Video available
Olu Oguibe
Sculpture, Installation
South Africa
▶ Video available
Omar Ba
Photography
Senegal
▶ Video available
Omar Victor Diop
Performance, Video, Photography
South Africa
▶ Video available
Otobong Nkanga
Painting
Senegal/Switzerland
▶ Video available
Owanto
Painting, Collage, Printmaking
Ghana/UK
▶ Video available
Pascale Marthine Tayou
Photography
Burkina Faso/France
▶ Video available
Paul Sika
Painting, Drawing, Sculpture
Nigeria/USA
▶ Video available
Petrit Halilaj
Painting
South Africa/Netherlands
▶ Video available
Pieter Hugo
Photography, Video, Installation
South Africa
▶ Video available
Ransome Stanley
Sculpture, Installation
Kosovo (African descent)
▶ Video available
Romuald Hazoumè
Sculpture, Installation
Benin
▶ Video available
Rotimi Fani-Kayode
Installation
Ghana
▶ Video available
Ruth Ige
Textile Art, Installation
South Africa
▶ Video available
Sammy Baloji
Photography, Video, Installation
Algeria/France
▶ Video available
Sam Nhlengethwa
Painting, Collage
Nigeria/USA
▶ Video available
Samson Kambalu
Painting, Installation
Uganda/USA
▶ Video available
Senzeni Marasela
Painting, Embroidery, Sculpture
Egypt/USA
▶ Video available
Serge Alain Nitegeka
Performance, Video, Textile Art
South Africa
▶ Video available
Serge Attukwei Clottey
Photography
Eritrea/UK
▶ Video available
Sethembile Msezane
Painting
South Africa/Netherlands
▶ Video available
Seydou Keïta
Photography
Mali
▶ Video available
Shirin Neshat
▶ Video available
Sidy Diallo
Performance, Video, Textile Art
South Africa
▶ Video available
Sokari Douglas Camp
Sculpture
Nigeria/UK
▶ Video available
Solomon Omogboye
Illustration, Graphic Design
Nigeria
▶ Video available
Soly Cissé
Painting, Sculpture
Senegal
▶ Video available
Sophie Dakouo
Painting
Côte d'Ivoire
▶ Video available
Tebogo Makgatho
Photography
Senegal
▶ Video available
Tebogo Malope
Photography, Installation
Angola/Portugal
▶ Video available
Toyin Loye
Painting, Sculpture
Burundi/South Africa
▶ Video available
Toyin Ojih Odutola
Photography, Installation
Mali/France
▶ Video available
Tracey Rose
Textile Art, Installation
Mali
▶ Video available
Victor Ehikhamenor
Painting, Calligraphy
Senegal
▶ Video available
Victor Ekpuk
Sculpture
Mozambique
▶ Video available
Viyé Diba
Photography, Installation, Video
South Africa
▶ Video available
Vusi Beauchamp
Painting, Mixed Media
Cameroon
▶ Video available
Vusi Khumalo
Painting
South Africa
▶ Video available
Wangechi Mutu
Collage, Sculpture, Film
Kenya/USA
▶ Video available
William Kentridge
Drawing, Animation, Film, Theatre
South Africa
▶ Video available
Wosene Kosrof
Painting, Mixed Media
Ethiopia/USA
▶ Video available
Yinka Shonibare
Sculpture, Installation, Photography
Nigeria/UK
▶ Video available
Youssef Nabil
Painting, Sculpture
Zimbabwe
▶ Video available
Yto Barrada
Photography
Egypt/USA
▶ Video available
Zanele Muholi
Photography, Activism
South Africa
▶ Video available
Zina Saro-Wiwa
Photography, Video, Performance
South Africa
▶ Video available
Zohra Opoku
Photography, Textile Art
Ghana/Germany
▶ Video available