As galleries and museums prepare for their spring programming, an exciting wave of publications has risen. These new book releases celebrates the rising global prominence of African figuration. From Nairobi to Harare, São Paulo to Los Angeles, artists are releasing groundbreaking books that document their evolving practices .Moreover, they invite a deeper engagement with African diasporic experiences. These four essential publications represent some of the most compelling voices in contemporary art today.
Methali na Maana by Mwadzame Omar
Nairobi-based artist Mwadzame Omar makes his publishing debut with Methali na Maana. This vibrant book is a reinterpretation of Swahili proverbs through contemporary art. The multidisciplinary artist transforms forty traditional sayings into striking mixed-media works that pulse with Nairobi’s urban energy. Each composition layers archival photographs with bold graphic elements such as a rooster superimposed on a matatu bus, market women framed by geometric patterns etc. With this, he creates visual metaphors that honor cultural memory while speaking to modern Kenya. With over 40 Swahili proverbs, he blending his signature neon color palettes with profound reflections on collective identity.
(It’s better to take things slow).Image-courtesy of the artist
Portia Zvavahera, Zvakazarurwa,
Zimbabwean painter Portia Zvavahera receives her first major European catalog with Zvakazarurwa. This publication will debut after her exhibition at the Fruitmarket Gallery, from May 25, 2025. The 164-page volume showcases 41 works revealing her technical mastery of oil-based printmaking techniques developed over fifteen years. Readers will discover how Zvavahera builds her dreamlike compositions through successive layers of printed patterns and gestural brushwork. They will also get to see her textured surfaces that seem to vibrate with spiritual energy. Curator Tamar Garb’s extended interview with three leading African art scholars provides crucial context for understanding the artist’s exploration of feminine spirituality, Shona cosmology, and the body as sacred vessel.
Njideka Akunyili Crosby by David Zwirner Gallery
Anticipation builds for the May 2025 release of the first comprehensive monograph on Nigerian-American artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby. This definitive 256-page survey traces her innovative photo-transfer technique from early experiments to recent large-scale domestic interiors. Five chronological chapters reveal how Crosby synthesizes family snapshots, Nigerian magazine clippings, and art historical references into psychologically charged scenes of cultural hybridity. The book includes never-before-seen studio photographs showing her intricate collage process. Moreover, it will include new critical essays analyzing her impact on contemporary portraiture.
Zéh Palito-Um Lugar ao Sol
Brazilian artist Zéh Palito‘s Um Lugar ao Sol bursts with the same radiant energy as his acrylic paintings. This 200-page monograph documents his international rise through 150 works celebrating Black Brazilian life. Readers will appreciate full-page reproductions showcasing Palito’s distinctive approach. This includes his flattened perspectives, saturated hues, and recurring motifs of carnival, soccer, and family gatherings. The inclusion of preparatory sketches reveals how the artist develops his narrative compositions, while critical texts position his work within broader conversations about Afrodiasporic representation.
These publications collectively demonstrate how African and diasporic artists are reshaping global contemporary art . It also showcases the deeply personal yet universally resonant visual languages. From Omar’s proverbial Nairobi to Zvavahera’s spiritual dreamscapes, each book offers insight to creative processes that challenge, delight and inspire. As institutional recognition grows, these volumes ensure these vital artistic voices will be studied and celebrated for generations to come.
