The Reina Sofía museum in Madrid has installed Dumile Feni's 1967 drawing 'African Guernica' directly opposite Pablo Picasso's iconic 'Guernica' painting. This pairing is the centerpiece of the museum's new annual exhibition series 'History Doesn’t Repeat Itself, But It Does Rhyme,' which aims to place works from different cultural contexts in dialogue with Picasso's masterpiece.
This exhibition is significant for its deliberate effort to correct historical biases in art history by elevating African art from being relegated to 'handicrafts' or 'savagery.' It highlights the profound influence of African sculpture on Picasso's own work, particularly Cubism, while showcasing Feni's powerful response to the 'slow violence' of apartheid, contrasting with Picasso's anti-war statement. The show fosters a re-reading of canonical Western art through a global and post-colonial lens.