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.
This participation matters because it challenges the longstanding marginalization of African art—particularly West African Masquerade—within the contemporary art world, where it is often stereotyped as purely traditional or ritualistic. By bringing living, evolving masquerade practices into the Venice Biennale, the world's most prestigious international art exhibition, Homann and her collaborators are reshaping the definition of contemporary art to include conceptual, critical, and culturally dynamic works from Africa. The effort also honors the legacy of Andre Sanou, ensuring that African artists and their families are recognized as active contributors to global contemporary art discourse.