11 African Arts Exhibitions to Kick-off 2025 - Europe
From Maggy Dago's solo exhibition at Gallery Brulhart to Omar Mahfoudi, Rolook, Roméo Mivekannin, Gavin Goodman, and Olga de Amaral, here are 11 captivating exhibitions and curations of African and South Contemporary Arts to discover this month in Europe.
“FRAGMENTS” Maggy DAGO, at Gallery BRULHART - 9 January - 8 March 2025
Gevena based gallery Brulhart kick start the year strong with Maggy Dago solo show ‘Fragments’ dedicated to the women that inspire the photographer. “This exhibition weaves a visual and critical dialogue around the unique yet interconnected journeys of Afro-descendant women, offering a space for reflection where their voices reverberate with strength and clarity. Initiated in 2021 and evolving through annual seasons, the Fragments project features approximately 150 black-and-white photographs of women across Europe. In this third season, Maggy Dago brings together the portraits and testimonies of sixteen women living in Geneva and Paris, creating a photographic series imbued with profound humanity. These images not only honour the individuality of each woman but also reveal the intimate threads of connection that unite them.” Mariame ABDOU
2. “MiLéLé Colors” at Ochola Gallery - Until 20 January 2025
MiLéLé Colors is a burst of joy and celebration imagined by Ochola Gallery to kick-off the year. The group show will gather the works of emerging and well known figures Lofénia, Rolook, Riddy Gema, Pierre Wilondja and Samuel Chibuikem live together. Artpéro on 10 January at Ochela Gallery in Brussels.
3. Spotlight on South Africa: A 10-Day Duo Exhibition at Filafriques - 3 - 12th February 2025
Filafriques Gallery proudly presents a 10-day exhibition showcasing the works of renowned South African artists, painter Reggie Khumalo and photographer Gavin Goodman. This special show, hosted in the gallery’s new location, offers a unique opportunity to experience Khumalo’s vivid canvases alongside Goodman’s captivating photography. Join one of the exclusive Artpéros sessions for an intimate encounter with the art at Filafriques
Dates: February 4th, 6th, 8th, and 11th
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
4. “Sur le Papier” group show at Christophe Person - Until 16 January 2025
Galerie Christophe Person hosts a special celebration centred around drawings. The exhibition features the works of eight talented artists: Ghizlane Sahli, known for her series 28x4 created across Dakar, Ouagadougou, and Porto Novo; Mamady Seydy, who brings illustrated proverbs to life; Paul Ndema, with his intricate braids on paper; Mouss Black, renowned for his fantastical monsters; Tsham, who blends traditional African statues with contemporary art; Fally Sène Sow, exploring themes of regeneration; Céleur Jean Hérard, who crafts anomalies with ballpoint pen; and Wilfried Mbida, capturing the essence of Cameroonian interiors.
5. “Lignes” group show at MAGNIN-A - 18 January - 8 March 2025
From January 18 to March 8, 2025, MAGNIN-A presents Lignes, featuring Rodrigo Armando Mabunda, Houston Maludi, and Mega Mingiedi. The exhibition explores urban spaces and narratives shaped by Africa's evolving cities. Mabunda maps chaotic stories with vibrant ballpoint pen drawings. Maludi's continuous line technique transforms two-tone compositions into intricate playgrounds. Mingiedi combines ballpoint pen and collage, blending cityscapes and shantytowns into layered, dynamic forms. Not to miss at the gallery.
6. POOL MALEMBO : Congo 1940 1980 at Villa Gallery - Michel Cloes - Until 30 January 2025
Dive into a time when the artistic world of Congo was in full bloom, where painters from diverse backgrounds managed to capture the essence of an era marked by history, traditions, and struggles. The works presented reflect not only the sociocultural reality of the country but also the diversity and richness of the artistic techniques employed. Find out more about the impressive collection at Villa Gallery.
7. Between Words and Worlds - Bridge Gallery - Until 25 January 2025
After two years as a nomadic gallery, The Bridge Gallery is proud to host in its new physical address the exhibition Between Words and Worlds. This show brings together South African artists Bulumko Mbete, Dale Lawrence, and Johno Mellish for the first time. Their diverse practices—spanning textiles, text-based works, and photography—explore the complex relationships between language, identity, and creativity. The exhibition delves into personal and collective stories, blurring the lines between the tangible and the abstract, and reflecting on how individual and shared narratives shape our worldview.
8. Olga de AMARAL - Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain - Until 16 March 2025
The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain is presenting the first major retrospective in Europe of Olga de Amaral, a key figure of the Colombian art scene and of Fiber Art. The exhibition brings together nearly eighty works made between the 1960s and now, many of which have never been shown before outside of Colombia. Beyond the vibrant goldleaf pieces for which the artist is renowned, the exhibition reveals her earliest explorations and experimentations with textile, as well as her monumental works. An absolute must-see.
9. “Ninfo, Te Quiero,”Juan Arango Palacios, at Galerie REVEL - Until 11 January 2025
Galerie Revel presents Ninfo, Te Quiero, the debut solo exhibition in France by Juan Arango Palacios. Born in Colombia and currently based in Chicago, Palacios' work delves into the intertwined histories of longing, belonging, and diaspora, within a visual landscape that merges dreams with reality. This exhibition reflects the uncharted terrain of a queer and immigrant journey, exploring the "what ifs" of the many possible narratives that could have shaped the artist's life.
10. L’ENVERS DU TEMPS, Roméo Mivekannin, at Louvre Lens (Cécile Fakhoury) - Until 2 June 2025
Roméo Mivekannin's exhibition invites visitors to explore the ongoing dialogue between history and contemporary art. Through his paintings and sculptures, Mivekannin reinterprets iconic works, particularly from the Louvre's collection, such as Théodore Géricault's The Raft of the Medusa. By inserting his own self-portrait into these reimagined masterpieces, he challenges our understanding of who is represented and who is missing from art history. The exhibition delves into themes of memory, colonialism, and the representation of Black figures, especially women and royalty, both in European and African contexts. Mivekannin’s geometric paintings, abstract reinterpretations, and ceramic sculptures offer new reflections on the intersection of history, presence, and absence.
11. “Waiting for the Light to Change”, Omar Mafouhdi’s solo exhibition at Afikaris - Until 15 February 2025
“In this new body of work, Omar Mahfoudi explores the dynamic relationship between light and its absence, embarking on a visual journey that merges landscapes with abstraction. Drawing inspiration from nature, he examines the shifting hues from dusk to dawn, capturing a dreamlike quest for the essence of light.”
