The Cornell Art Museum will host the opening of "Rodney Demps: The Surrealist of the Highwaymen" on Friday, May 1, 2026. The exhibition highlights the work of Rodney Demps, a contemporary artist whose surrealist style connects to the legacy of the Florida Highwaymen, a group of African American landscape painters active in the mid-20th century.
Lisa Homann, an Associate Art & Art History Professor at UNC Charlotte, will participate in the 2024 Venice Biennale (May 9–Nov. 22) alongside West African Masquerade artist David Sanou. Homann co-curated the traveling exhibition "New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations," which opened in New Orleans and will conclude at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. She was invited by Kevin Dumouchelle, the museum's main curator, to join the African Art in Venice Forum, a critical dialogue aimed at giving voice to contemporary African artists often excluded from mainstream contemporary art narratives. Homann's work with the Sanou family spans nearly two decades, beginning with David's father, Andre Sanou, in 2008.
Osservatori culturali. Dinosauri o soggetti in grado di interpretare il presente?
The Cultural Observatory of Canton Ticino has published a study on cultural observatories worldwide, including a map and list of surveyed organizations. The analysis reveals that cultural observatories are not a global phenomenon but are concentrated mainly in Europe and South America, with occasional presence in North America (especially Canada and Hispanic-oriented organizations in the US). Africa, Asia, and Oceania are almost entirely absent from the map. The study also highlights a high rate of inactive observatories: among the top 10 countries by active observatories, only Germany shows an effective activity ratio. Spain has 26 active observatories out of about 45 total, while Italy has 11 active out of over 20 inactive. The research defines observatories as non-profit organizations that combine cultural and statistical expertise to deepen and transfer knowledge about the cultural sector, and classifies as inactive those with no recent activity on web or social channels.
The Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria will host 'Between Here and Elsewhere,' an exhibition featuring the Top 10 artists from the 2025/26 Tlhagella Incubation Programme. Curated by Puleng Plessie, the show opens on 1 May 2026 and presents works that explore themes of presence, memory, and belonging through a polyphonic, multi-perspectival approach.
The Goethe-Institut Sudan, in collaboration with the Humboldt Forum Berlin, presents 'Scattered Memories,' a transcontinental exhibition at the Goethe-Institut Kairo from 1 to 3 May 2026. The show features Sudanese artists working across collage, film, music, performance, food, and storytelling to explore themes of loss, remembrance, and cultural memory. Public programs include discussions, guided tours, and a traditional coffee corner, transforming the exhibition into a space for communal gathering and exchange.
An exhibit at the African Diaspora Art Museum pairs the original sociological work of W.E.B. Du Bois with contemporary photographs of Black Atlantans, reimagining his early 20th-century data visualizations and writings through a modern lens. The show juxtaposes Du Bois's pioneering studies on Black life in America with current imagery, creating a dialogue between past and present.
Four African women artists are featured in the exhibition "Bread, Roses and Colors" in Lucca, Italy, exploring themes of identity, rights, and social justice through their work. The show brings together diverse perspectives from the continent, highlighting the artists' personal and collective experiences.