Frieze London 2025 introduces a new curated section titled "Echoes in the Present," organized by Nigerian art historian Jareh Das. The section features eight galleries and ten artists, exploring the bidirectional cultural influences between Africa and Brazil, rooted in the history of the transatlantic slave trade. Artists such as Bunmi Agusto present works that delve into personal and collective histories, including Agusto's paintings about her great-great-grandfather, a Nigerian man sold into slavery who later returned home. The section builds on recent exhibitions like "Afro-Atlantic Histories" and "Brazil and Africa: a shared history," which have similarly examined the African diaspora's impact on Brazilian culture.
This initiative matters because it addresses a historically underexplored yet profound cultural exchange, highlighting how enslaved Africans and their descendants shaped Brazilian society—from religion to music—while also influencing African cultures through return migration. By centering contemporary artistic responses, "Echoes in the Present" moves beyond simply documenting the transatlantic slave trade to examine its ongoing legacy in art and identity. The section reflects a growing institutional and curatorial focus on global narratives of diaspora and interconnectedness, positioning Frieze London as a platform for critical, historically grounded conversations in the contemporary art world.