#west-african-modernity

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Design
fromwww.dw.com
1 day ago

Senegal: The Goethe-Institut opens its new building in Dakar

The Goethe-Institut in Dakar features a sustainable building designed by Francis Kere, blending modern architecture with local cultural elements.
Fashion & style
fromwww.aljazeera.com
20 hours ago

Young South Sudanese models take up space' in quest to showcase talent

Khloe Nyanda defies conservative norms in South Sudan to pursue a modeling career, inspired by successful figures like Adut Akech.
Berlin
fromArchDaily
1 day ago

Kere Architecture's Goethe-Institut in Senegal Opens as a Landmark for Cultural Exchange in West Africa

The Goethe-Institut in Dakar, designed by Kéré Architecture, strengthens cultural ties and supports creative industries in West Africa.
Photography
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 days ago

A ruined building, five Ghanaians and an elegant horse: Ron Timehin's best photograph

Labadi showcases the vibrant community life of Accra, emphasizing local fishing traditions and the pride residents take in their heritage.
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 days ago

This scene is alive': Abidjan art week showcases city as growing cultural hub

The after-hours special showcase was first tested in January 2024 on the sidelines of the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament hosted and won by Cote d'Ivoire.
Arts
World politics
fromwww.dw.com
4 days ago

Why Africa remains divided over Macky Sall's UN bid

Burundi nominated Macky Sall for UN Secretary-General, but his bid lacks support from Senegal and many AU member states.
#senegal
Fashion & style
fromCN Traveller
3 days ago

An insider's guide to shopping in Dakar, Senegal's understated, fashionable capital

Senegalese design is gaining global recognition, showcasing unique artisan crafts and vibrant culture in Dakar.
Digital life
fromRoughMaps
1 week ago

Why Digital Nomads Are Wearing Out Their Welcome - RoughMaps

Remote workers have significantly impacted local housing markets, leading to increased rents and displacement in cities like Lisbon and Mexico City.
World news
fromwww.aljazeera.com
1 week ago

In Ghana Town, a stateless' future for hundreds born and raised in Gambia

Residents of Ghana Town, Gambia, lack citizenship and ID documents, impacting their access to education and legal recognition.
fromArtnet News
4 days ago

The "Next Asian Art Hub" May Be the Wrong Question

In both places, there was a sense of energy building that was not yet fully visible. The experiences made me realize that, while sales totals and fair brands can serve as benchmarks of centrality, slower, structural transformations are taking place throughout Asia that merit closer attention.
Arts
Fashion & style
fromwww.aljazeera.com
5 days ago

Nigerian artisans preserve handwoven fabric amid rising global demand

Nigerian artisans resist mechanisation to preserve the authenticity of aso-oke, a handwoven fabric gaining global fashion recognition.
fromArchDaily
2 weeks ago

Choreographing Lagos: Dele Adeyemo on Dance, Cosmology, and Spatial Practices

Eshu's proverb tells both a story of reparation and of ancestrality by joyfully bending spacetime conventions and accessing subjects from the past with present actions.
Social justice
Wearables
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

Prosthetics aren't made for people like us': the brothers creating innovative artificial limbs for Africans

Ubokobong Amanam and his brother created realistic prosthetics tailored for Africans, addressing a significant gap in accessibility and suitability.
Liverpool FC
fromwww.aljazeera.com
2 weeks ago

Diop debut for Morocco adds latest twist in Senegal post-AFCON dispute

Issa Diop debuted for Morocco after switching nationality from France, rejecting Senegal's advances amid controversy over the Africa Cup of Nations title.
fromArchDaily
3 weeks ago

The First Pan-African Biennale Establishes a Platform for a Decolonized, African-Led Architectural Future

The inaugural edition is organized around the central theme "Shifting the Center: From Fragility to Resilience," reclaiming African architecture's place as a site of spatial intelligence and cultural memory.
Renovation
Education
fromApp Developer Magazine
3 weeks ago

UNESCO AI initiatives driving sustainable development in Africa

Artificial intelligence in Africa focuses on practical solutions, reliable data, and local constraints rather than just large models and global headlines.
Social justice
fromwww.independent.co.uk
3 weeks ago

What to know as Africans welcome UN vote on slavery reparations but questions remain

The U.N. resolution on trafficking of enslaved Africans calls for reparations and restitution of cultural items, widely welcomed across Africa and by advocates.
fromwww.archdaily.com
2 weeks ago

Ivory Coast Embassy / GLH Architects

The Embassy of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire in Pretoria is a contemporary diplomatic landmark that expresses unity, identity, and openness, set among Pretoria's mature jacaranda trees.
Design
World news
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 weeks ago

Nigeria takes its place on world stage in quest to become regional superpower

King Charles acknowledges painful colonial history while emphasizing future cooperation between the UK and Nigeria for trade and growth.
Arts
fromVogue
2 weeks ago

In Tribeca, a Pillar of Cape Town's Artistic Community Finds New Ground

Southern Guild opens a new gallery in Tribeca, New York, after learning from its previous Los Angeles location, emphasizing fresh energy and confidence.
Soccer (FIFA)
fromwww.dw.com
1 month ago

'Value of African football to drop' after AFCON final u-turn

Senegal's AFCON title was stripped and awarded to Morocco, prompting Senegal to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport amid widespread criticism of CAF's credibility.
fromMedievalists.net
3 weeks ago

New Medieval Books: African Landings - Medievalists.net

Egypt was one of the great crossroads of the medieval world, with many travelers journeying there and recording their impressions of the country and its people.
History
Graphic design
fromColossal
1 month ago

Myth, Masks, and LEGO: Ekow Nimako's Elaborate Afrofuturistic Sculptures

Ekow Nimako creates Afrofuturistic sculptures from black LEGO bricks, exploring African diaspora mythology, folklore, and spiritual traditions through figurative and allegorical forms.
fromwww.aljazeera.com
4 weeks ago

Senegal and Morocco tied by religion and trade but divided by AFCON fallout

CAF's appeals board on Tuesday ruled that Senegal forfeited the final by leaving the field of play without the referee's authorisation, and it awarded Morocco a default 3-0 win. The game was delayed for 14 minutes as most of the Senegalese players and staff returned to their dressing room, while Senegal fans battled stewards behind one of the goals in protest against a controversial penalty call for Morocco after Senegal had a goal ruled out.
France politics
Social media marketing
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

Nigeria powers Africa's $3.1B creator economy - but platform economics ensure Silicon Valley captures the value - Silicon Canals

Nigeria's creator economy produces world-class content but most creators earn modest incomes due to structural inequalities in how global platforms distribute value and revenue.
#africa-cup-of-nations
Arts
fromHyperallergic
3 weeks ago

Ghanaian Artist Ibrahim Mahama Allegedly Assaulted by State Police

Ibrahim Mahama threatens legal action against Ghana's police after alleged assault following Eid al-Fitr prayers.
Social justice
fromCN Traveller
1 month ago

"Black excellence is everywhere, Black connection is not": Inside the event designed to connect, unite and inspire Black thinkers

The Diaspora Salon in Marrakech convenes African and diaspora intellectuals, artists, and entrepreneurs to discuss culture, power, and economic futures across multiple disciplines.
fromenglish.elpais.com
1 month ago

Rhythms that cross the borders of Africa

Oumy is a leading figure in contemporary Senegalese music. Her style, which blends hip-hop, African R&B and global pop, makes her one of the most exciting artists on the country's urban scene. Beyond her music career, she has also been involved in social projects within her community, participating in cultural festivals and campaigns related to the environment and equality.
Music production
European startups
fromComputerWeekly.com
1 month ago

Public and private sector key to Digital Realty in West Africa | Computer Weekly

Digital Realty and Equinix are expanding datacentre operations across sub-Saharan Africa, with new facilities in Ghana and Nigeria driven by subsea cable infrastructure and growing regional demand.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
3 weeks ago

Despite Uncertainty, Gulf Art World Projects Normalcy

Cultural heritage faces threats amid ongoing conflicts, despite some museums and galleries remaining open.
Fashion & style
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Why wearing traditional dress will always be political

The wearing of traditional African clothing varies dramatically across the continent, from everyday staples in Sudan and Nigeria to rare ceremonial wear in Kenya and South Africa, influenced by colonial history and cultural diversity.
Paris food
fromFrenchly
1 month ago

10 Cities Outside France Where You Can Practice Your French - Frenchly

Over 320 million people speak French across five continents, with colonial history establishing French as an official language in many countries, making immersive French learning possible in diverse cities worldwide.
Miscellaneous
fromFortune
1 month ago

"Technology is our superpower"-Africa and India take seat at top table as AI revolution spreads | Fortune

Nigeria transformed from a communication desert with 0.4 telephone lines per 100 people in 2000 to 200 million mobile connections by 2025, exemplifying Africa's wireless revolution and leapfrogging development through mobile technology.
fromwww.aljazeera.com
1 month ago

Poor in an oil-rich country: Republic of Congo's youth hope for change

We are told that the country is rich in oil. But I don't see that wealth in my daily life. Look at Pointe-Noire, formerly nicknamed as Ponton la Belle [Beautiful Pointe-Noire]. Today, the city is unrecognisable. Around the Grand Marche, the main roads are potholed, and when it rains, the streets get flooded, making it almost impossible to drive.
France politics
fromThe Nation
1 month ago

The Global Politics of Kwame Nkrumah

In the park's center is an eye-catching bronze statue of a larger-than-life Nkrumah, clad in royal kente cloth, with an outstretched hand pointing ahead and one foot in front of the other as if he were advancing forward. Erected on top of a pedestal at the spot where Nkrumah stood to declare Ghana's independence from Britain, it channels the slogan of Nkrumah's political party: 'Forward ever, backward never.'
History
Arts
fromHyperallergic
1 month ago

Islamic Futurism Here and Now

Contemporary Islamic artists advance visual traditions through calligraphy, installation, and speculative image-making, while global art institutions face boycott demands and labor disputes.
World news
fromwww.aljazeera.com
1 month ago

Nigeria: Renewed Hope' or Hopelessness'? | Mehdi Hasan and Daniel Bwala

Nigeria's President Tinubu faces scrutiny on delivering his Renewed Hope agenda addressing violence, poverty, and corruption ahead of next year's elections.
US politics
fromTruthout
1 month ago

As the Status Quo Shatters, Afrofuturists' Visions Offer a Way Forward

State violence has expanded beyond Black communities to target white protesters, journalists, and politicians, while right-wing authoritarianism threatens multiracial democracy and prompts reimagining of Black freedom beyond the United States.
Film
fromBerlin Art Link
2 months ago

Interview with Karimah Ashadu | Berlin Art Link

Tendered centers on MUSCLE, exploring Nigerian masculinity's ties to labor, class, patriarchy and colonial afterlives through intimate cinematic focus on Black male bodies.
E-Commerce
fromPractical Ecommerce
2 months ago

How Ecommerce Succeeds in Africa

Ecommerce delivery in many African markets is inefficient and costly due to informal addresses, unreliable infrastructure, and consumer distrust, making low-value shipping unprofitable.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
1 month ago

Amoako Boafo Takes His Studio on the Road

Amoako Boafo's exhibition combines 22 portraits with seating areas and a recreated studio model, creating an immersive space that transports visitors from Los Angeles to his hometown of Accra, Ghana.
fromwww.aljazeera.com
2 months ago

18 Senegalese detainees from AFCON final in Morocco go on hunger strike

Eighteen Senegalese football fans detained in Morocco over hooliganism during last month's Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final have begun a hunger strike pending their trial. Lawyer Patrick Kabou said his clients told him they have been waiting to learn the charges against them since January 18, the day they were arrested after a heated AFCON final in which Senegal beat Morocco in Rabat.
Soccer (FIFA)
Photography
fromThe New Yorker
2 months ago

Photographs of Mali on the Cusp of Independence

Seydou Keïta's studio portraits juxtapose ornate subjects with visible Malian soil, conveying place, identity, and a society undergoing transformation.
Design
fromArchDaily
2 months ago

Architecture as Nation-Building: Modernism and Independence in Africa

Mid-20th-century African architecture adapted Modern Movement principles and technologies to local contexts, reflecting designers' efforts during decolonization.
Digital life
fromBuzzFeed
2 months ago

People Are Pointing Out The Parts Of American Culture That Are Changing Before Our Eyes

Widespread convenience technologies let people avoid leaving home, reducing everyday face-to-face interaction and increasing social isolation, division, and hostility.
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Seven in 10 Africans are under 30 invest in them and they will change the world | Monica Geingos

For the first time in our history, more than 70% of Africans are under the age of 30. This, along with entrenched inequalities, poverty, unemployment and socioeconomic fault lines, is reshaping how our societies interact with one another and the world. This is Africa's most consequential decade. Leaders who take office over the next 10 years will have to deliver on difficult mandates within a political, economic and social landscape that has been fundamentally altered.
World news
fromArchDaily
2 months ago

Civic Architecture Opens to the City as Global Attention Turns to Africa: This Week's Review

Across this week's broader architecture news landscape, a central theme emerges around the advancement of civic architecture conceived as open, publicly engaged infrastructure, with cultural and institutional projects increasingly designed to strengthen their relationship with the city and everyday urban life. At the same time, renewed global attention turns toward Africa, where large-scale transport infrastructure and the conservation of modernist landmarks reflect interests in the region and the reassessment of the continent's architectural heritage.
Design
World news
fromwww.dw.com
2 months ago

The key elections in Africa in 2026

Elections across multiple African countries in 2026 will determine domestic leadership, policy direction, democratic legitimacy, and influence regional alliances and international security cooperation.
Fashion & style
fromwww.kaltblut-magazine.com
1 month ago

Unity in Design Global Network (UDGN) x Fashion Scout: Anthology of African Stories The People. The Land. The Heritage

Three African designers showcase heritage-inspired collections at London Fashion Week 2026, transforming traditional textiles and cultural narratives into contemporary high fashion through sculptural silhouettes, landscape-informed tailoring, and personal storytelling.
Soccer (FIFA)
fromESPN.com
1 month ago

Can Africa's footballers make an impact in MLS the way they have in the NWSL?

African players, led by stars like Denis Bouanga and Kévin Denkey, are poised to shape the 2026 MLS season significantly.
World news
fromwww.aljazeera.com
2 months ago

Colonial-era classism': Residents decry demolitions in Nigeria's Makoko

Lagos authorities demolished homes in Makoko, displacing thousands, destroying livelihoods and belongings, and causing deaths while exceeding the government’s stated 100-metre safety boundary.
Fashion & style
fromKALTBLUT Magazine
2 months ago

Backstage at Orange Culture Fall/Winter 2026 - Backyards of Memory - KALTBLUT Magazine

Orange Culture's FW26 'Backyards of Memory' revisits childhood nostalgia through gender-fluid, sculptural designs that honor memory, warmth, and resilience after loss.
fromWIRED
3 months ago

Why Everyone Is Suddenly in a 'Very Chinese Time' in Their Lives

In case you didn't get the memo, everyone is feeling very Chinese these days. Across social media, people are proclaiming that "You met me at a very Chinese time of my life," while performing stereotypically Chinese-coded activities like eating dim sum or wearing the viral Adidas Chinese jacket. The trend blew up so much in recent weeks that celebrities like comedian Jimmy O Yang and influencer Hasan Piker even got in on it. It has now evolved into variations like " Chinamaxxing" (acting increasingly more Chinese) and " u will turn Chinese tomorrow " (a kind of affirmation or blessing).
World news
fromHyperallergic
2 months ago

The African Diaspora Pictures Itself

Walking through Ideas of Africa: Portraiture and Political Imaginationat the Museum of Modern Art, I noticed that the exhibition didn't have definite sections or texts, and the wall labels abstained from naming the nationalities of the photographers. It was an invigorating experience to be in a show that eschews geographic boundaries set up by Western nations, as well as rejects a cause-and-effect narrative that centers Western colonialism as a framework for understanding African aesthetic production.
Arts
Arts
fromArtnet News
2 months ago

Africa's Art Market Is Shifting as Competition in the Middle East Heats Up | Artnet News

1-54's Marrakech fair shrank to 22 galleries as Art Basel's entry into MENASA intensifies regional competition and pressures gallery participation choices.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
2 months ago

Et Tu, South Africa?

South Africa's culture minister canceled Gabrielle Goliath's Venice Biennale performance about Gaza, prompting accusations of censorship and erasure of Palestinian suffering.
fromHyperallergic
1 month ago

Koyo Kouoh's Final Show

Each artist functions almost as a musical key signature of their own, which together 'refuse the orchestral bombast and goose-step military marches and come alive in the quiet tones, the lower frequencies.' That description comes from Rasha Salti, one of the exhibition advisors who spoke at yesterday's announcement of the roster. It's an apt invitation to think of curation as an act of composition, with Kouoh's vision singing at every turn.
Arts
Arts
fromHyperallergic
2 months ago

Remembering Richard Gorman, Seyni Awa Camara, and Bjorn Roth

Notable artists and arts leaders from diverse backgrounds and disciplines have died, including painters, sculptors, educators, and two members of the Florida Highwaymen.
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