The Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art has opened 'Here: Pride and Belonging in African Art,' an exhibition curated by Kevin D. Dumouchelle and Serubiri Moses. Developed through years of direct dialogue with LGBTQ+ artists across Africa and its diaspora, the show foregrounds self-representation and community, ensuring artists defined the terms of their inclusion. It features contemporary works alongside historical precedents, creating a continuum of queer presence in African art history.
The exhibition matters as a significant act of historical restoration and visibility within a major institutional setting. It centers the agency of living artists while carefully situating their work within a longer, often-overlooked lineage, challenging monolithic narratives of African art. The curators' collaborative, consent-based approach sets a new standard for ethically engaging with communities whose stories have been marginalized or erased.