The National Museum of African Art identified 16 objects from its collection with direct links to the British army’s 1897 punitive raid on the Kingdom of Benin.
National Museum of African Art
Posted inNews
Former Staffers and Board Members Denounce Racism at Smithsonian National Museum of African Art
“In 2020, there are only five full-time Black employees on a staff of over 40. There are no Black curators in a museum solely dedicated to the arts and culture of Africa,” the letter reads.
Posted inArt
Hearing a Symphony in the Cacophony of a Lagos Market
Every city has its own sounds, its distinct murmur and roar of voices and traffic.
Posted inArt
The Sexist Politics of the Smithsonian’s Cosby Exhibition
WASHINGTON, DC — Upon entering the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, I made my way through the lobby and down a flight of stairs.
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What Museumgoers Think of the Smithsonian’s Cosby Exhibition
WASHINGTON, DC — Ever since the National Museum of African Art’s 50th-anniversary exhibition Conversations: African and African American Artworks in Dialogue opened last November, the show has sparked exactly what its name intended: fervent debate.
Posted inOpinion
An Open Letter to the National Museum of African Art Regarding Bill Cosby
I am writing to you today with a simple request: take down the pictures of Bill Cosby in your current exhibition Conversations.
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A Sign the Smithsonian Is Getting Nervous About Cosby Exhibition
In the wake of new controversy over AP’s discovery that the Cosbys bankrolled the entire show, the Smithsonian has finally mustered up the courage to take some visible form of action.
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Bill and Camille Cosby Funded the Smithsonian’s Exhibition of Their Art
Over the past few months, the Smithsonian has been criticized for not addressing the rape claims leveled against Bill Cosby.
Posted inIn Brief
Smithsonian: Exhibiting Cosby Collection “Does Not Imply Any Position on the Serious Allegations”
After last week’s radio silence, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art has released a new statement acknowledging the rape allegations against Bill Cosby.
Posted inOpinion
What Should the Smithsonian Do with Its Show of Bill Cosby’s Art Collection?
As rape allegations against Bill Cosby have continue to emerge this week, with a fifth and sixth woman stepping forward to publicly accuse the iconic comedian, the backlash has been swift. But Cosby’s collaboration with the art establishment remains alive and well.
Posted inArt
Rare Portraits of Kings and Commoners from 20th-Century Nigeria
For over five decades Chief Solomon Osagie Alonge photographed the royal court and everyday life of Benin, Nigeria. Drawing on their collection of over 2,000 glass plate and large format film negatives, as well as around 100 prints, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is exhibiting some of his rarely seen photographs.