African Art Beats

05/13/2026

05/13/2026

Here are a few snapshots of what I’ve seen in national pavilions. More later….
In the order:
India (1 & 2)
China
Senegal
Zimbabwe (1 & 2)
Ethiopia (1 & 2)
DRC (1,2 & 3)
Egypt
Canada
France (1 & 2)
Morocco
Spain
Japan
Austria

05/09/2026

“N’zenda” — the Door / the Way back home.
For a deeply spiritual and powerful experience, grounded in a profound connection to the ancestors, don’t miss the Cameroon Pavilion if you are in Venice.

Beautifully curated by Beya Gille Gacha, it brings together artists whose works speak to memory, ritual, and belonging.

Sorry to have missed the performance, itself a touching homage to Koyo Kouoh.

So proud of Bienvenue Fotso, whose work you might have seen at African Art Beats.

Listen to the music that accompanies the video.

Important: the location has changed to : Gervasuti Foundation (Google to find your way).

Artists:

05/05/2026

Venice, of course, looks like this…but I can’t resist sharing a few photographs.
The day though was about the African Art in Venice Forum cohosted by NMAfA (the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art) —with panels ranging widely, including “Queering African Art” and “Centering North Africa”.
Grateful for the enriching presentations and conversations, and major kudos to

05/04/2026

A glimpse of Verona’s riches where I’ve just spent three days filled with bliss and awe. Heading back to Venice for the Biennale preview that opens tomorrow, May 5.

Artworks shown:
Maïmouna Guerresi, The Black Mountains (2006). and
Fabrizio Piessi, Forests dinFuoco (2001),
at Fondazione Cariverona
Seini Awa Camara… in a gallery window

And the Arena, the Biblioteca Capitolare - the oldest library in the world still in operation, Giardino e Palazzo Giusti, Palazzo Maffei Casa Museo, and more..

A huge thank you to my friends Paola & Sergio who invited me to stay at their lovely place there, 2 minutes away literally from the arena and the historic center.

02/17/2026

Congratulations to Méné - not only did he have a sold-out presentation with the Bridge Gallery at 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair in Marrakesh, but three of his paintings (shown here) have just sold through African Art Beats.

With his exhibit at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Cente now concluded, collectors, and art lovers can experience his work in the more intimate setting of the gallery.

Visits are by appointment, and works are also available for acquisition online through our website.

Le Chant du Phénix (2025), acrylic on canvas, 55 x 43 in / 140 x 110 cm - private collection
Générations (2025), acrylic on canvas,43 x 43 in / 120 x 110 cm - private collection
Réminiscence (2025), acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36 cm /92 x 92 cm — private collection

12/05/2025

CELEBRATE THE SEASON WITH US !!!
Gallery Holiday Open House, this Saturday, December 6, 11 AM to 6 PM.
Bring friends and family, enjoy the festive atmosphere, and celebrate creativity with us.

We are thrilled to open our gallery doors for a special open house, focusing new works by Méné and 3-D alongside a curated selection of pieces from our past exhibits.
This is a wonderful opportunity to experience, explore and connect with the artworks in our current collection.
Private tours are available if you’d like to learn more about the stories, inspiration, and processes behind each piece.
If you’re not free that day, we’ll be happy to welcome you at another time. Just let us know.
Questions? Text us 202-766-2608 or write to [email protected]

10/30/2025

Yesterday, at NMWA (the National Museum of Women in the Arts, in Washington, DC), I was swept away by Tawny Chatmon‘s luminous and deeply meaningful work — where storytelling, resilience and beauty intertwine.

Tawny Chatmon « Sanctuaries of Truth, Dissolution of Lies »
NMWA, through March 8, 2026.

10/03/2025

Golden leaves shimmering on a tree…and Bienvenue Fotso’s art comes to mind.

Fotso’s experiences and interests animate her work. She comes from a family where traditions are respected and alive, and as far as she can remember traditional medicine and the use of medicinal plants have always been part of her environment. The plants that she paints often have medicinal properties; they might alleviate an ailment, reinforce the immune system, or improve one’s well-being. She chooses each one for its core properties, once she has decided on a theme to explore. Current events, a recent experience, or a visit to the village and a talk with her uncle— a traditional healer — are sources of inspiration.

Trees, flowers, and leaves take center stage in Fotso’s paintings as they capture both the beauty and the fragility of our environment. Her work raises awareness of our interdependency with the world around us and reminds us that nature — like art — feeds and regenerates our bodies and souls; our very survival depends on its conservation. Fotso encourages each viewer to ponder their individual actions and the impact we, as a collective, are having on the environment around us. What we do today creates the world of tomorrow.

Fotso paints with acrylic on canvas. She builds her paintings slowly and works meticulously with a palette that is very clean, harmonious, and bright. Her brushstrokes are fluid, and the contours are precise. She creates an effect of transparency and symbiosis by allowing us to peer through the main subject.

Fotso was born in 1989 in Bandjoun, Cameroon, and lives in Douala.
She has exhibited in Paris, Lomé, Dakar, Libreville, and Washington, DC. Her work has already sparked the interest of collectors internationally.

Bienvenue Fotso, Never Die (2022)
Acrylic on canvas, 39 x 31 in / 100 x 80 cm
Now in a private collection

To view more of Fotso’s art, visit African Art Beats in Washington, DC (by appointment), or explore our website.

09/30/2025

Burnt trunks on the trails in Montana…Doff’s textured works in the gallery. The same dialogue of destruction and renewal, spoken in different languages.

Wherever I am, art comes to mind.

Would you like to view Doff’s powerful work? Come to the gallery, or visit our website.