South Africa Hosts Historic G20 Summit 2025: Driving Solidarity for Africa’s Future
Johannesburg pulses with energy as South Africa gears up to host the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit from November 22 to 23, 2025. This event stands out as the first G20 gathering on African soil, a powerful moment that amplifies the continent’s voice in global talks. President Cyril Ramaphosa leads the charge, steering discussions under the […]
How Studio Lani champions African craft and connection
Nigerian designer Lani Adeoye blends African heritage with contemporary innovation through her brand, Studio Lani, creating pieces that are both functional and artistically striking. Her work spans furniture, lighting, and accessories, with each piece telling a cultural story through its form and materials. For instance, Adeoye’s Ekaabo collection, inspired by Abeokuta, Nigeria, showcases pendant lights, lounge […]
Touria El Glaoui: Driving African art onto the global stage
Driven by a mission to amplify underrepresented artists, Touria El Glaoui founded the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, now a powerhouse event in London, New York, and Marrakech. Her inspiration stemmed from witnessing the challenges her father, a celebrated Moroccan painter, faced in gaining international visibility. The fair was created to dismantle these barriers, providing a […]
Addis Girls Skate: Female skateboarders defy gender norms in Ethiopia
In Addis Ababa, a group of female skateboarders is defying stereotypes and carving out space in a male-dominated sport. Known as Addis Girls Skate, the group uses skateboarding as more than recreation—it’s a tool for empowerment, freedom, and self-expression. Despite facing ridicule and skepticism in public, the women encourage one another, creating a strong sense of sisterhood. […]
Nigeria’s new museum to open without its looted bronzes
Nigeria’s new Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), opening on November 11, was set to showcase the returned Benin bronzes, looted by British forces in 1897. Instead, visitors will see clay replicas created by contemporary artist Yinka Shonibare, as the repatriated original bronzes remain off public display. This surprising situation stems from a complex restitution process where […]
Pharaoh’s frontier: Ancient Egyptian fortress unearthed in Sinai
Archaeologists have uncovered a 3,500-year-old Egyptian military fortress in the northern Sinai Desert, near the Mediterranean, revealing a rare glimpse into New Kingdom defense and daily life. Likely built during Thutmose I’s reign, the roughly 2-acre site includes a zigzag-patterned wall, 11 defensive towers, soldiers’ residences, and ovens with fossilized dough, suggesting meals never eaten. Pottery, stamped […]
Dream-keepers: New film series captures Africa’s living heritage
Ethiopian-American filmmaker Sosena Solomon is reshaping how the world sees Africa through Africa Reframed, a 12-part film series commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the World Monuments Fund. Shot across 18 months in sacred and historic sites—from Nigeria’s Osun-Osogbo Grove to Botswana’s Tsodilo Hills—the films celebrate Africa’s cultural heritage through the voices of local scholars […]
Art unleashed: A global project turns city streets into playful canvas
This October, the global public art project “uncommissioned” is transforming 35 cities across the world into vibrant playgrounds of creativity. Helmed by Nōvo Collective, the initiative features 54 artists who are slipping playful and defiant gestures into the cracks of everyday urban life. In South Africa’s Stellenbosch, Strijdom van der Merwe’s sun-activated phrases blur the line between […]
From matatus to murals: Kenya’s graffiti artist changing public art
For Kenyan graffiti artist Phunk Bantu, every wall is a canvas for connection. Once a fine artist, he was inspired by Nairobi’s colorful matatu buses, leading him to transition to street art to reach a wider audience. Through his Street Gallery project, Bantu transforms neglected walls across East Africa into vibrant public galleries that spark pride and […]
Across the line: Exploring Africa’s vibrant border towns
From the deserts of Moyale to the riverbanks of Rundu, Africa’s border towns are sites where nations and cultures blend into dynamic hubs of activity. These crossings—linking nations like Namibia and Angola, Kenya and Uganda, or Senegal and The Gambia—offer travelers more than just entry points; they are living stories of unity and exchange. In Kasumbalesa, […]
