Design, the African way
Greetings
In 2017, I had the opportunity to visit the Théodore Monod African Art Museum (Musée Théodore Monod d'Art Africain), formerly the IFAN Museum of African Arts, in Dakar, Senegal. Browsing the exhibits, I was particularly struck by the displays of traditional dress, fabrics, and textiles from countries such as Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Benin, and Nigeria. Looking at fabric design of some contemporary international fashion brands, one could make a connection to what I was seeing in the museum. The reality is that there is a rich history of textile and fabric design across the continent which needs to be documented.
It is great to see the creation and growth of Africa-focused art fairs, museums and galleries on the continent itself. In Morocco, the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden has become home to the 2,500-strong private Lazraq family collection of modern and contemporary African art. The main exhibition ‘Seven Contours, One Collection’ features over 150 works. ‘African art is not a fleeting trend’: Moroccan museum to celebrate rich creativity of continent’s artists
In September 2025, the renamed dEX Design Conference (formerly Artmosphere) is taking place in Accra, Ghana, with the theme The Evolution of Design in Africa: The Past, Present, and AI-Driven Future. Last held in 2022, the intention for 2025 is “honoring the foundations laid by pioneers, examining the role of contemporary creatives in shaping today’s industry, and envisioning an AI-driven future that redefines creativity and craftsmanship.”
Over the years I have tried, with varying degrees of success, to create a community of writers that stretches across the continent in the hope that opportunities and collaboration can flow across borders. Having jumped into the world of podcasting, I joined the Association of African Podcasters and Voice Artists (APVA) and there I have found a community of passionate and committed Africans all trying to carve a space for themselves in this new-ish world. APVA recently launched the Creator’s Rolodex as “Africa’s Largest and Growing Catalogue of Audio Creatives, Hubs, Studios and Agencies Across the Continent.”
As with all aspects of design, interior design in and inspired by Africa is evolved. Africans at the cutting edge of interior design. This evolution to a more contemporary design aesthetic feels like an expansion rather than a replacement of the way of doing things. More and more, we see fabrics, materials, colours, patterns, etc drawn from across the continent and the world and brought together in a beautiful, coherent manner. African-Inspired Interiors: 9 Amazing Designers You Should Know.
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Until next time.
Kojo