The Contemporary African Art Initiative (CAAI) is a multi-year project that is aimed at expanding the Chazen Museum of Art’s holdings of contemporary African art. The Straus Family Foundation’s five-year gift has funded this dynamic effort by the CAAI. Using funds from the gift, curators at the Chazen purchased works created by contemporary African artists
The idea for the contemporary African art initiative was birthed in 2018 by University of Wisconsin professors: Scott Straus and Sara Guyer. They approached Director Amy Gilman with the idea seeing that The Chazen is a leading university museum of a large research institution and is well suited to host such an initiative that will expands its collection as well as cultivating global perspectives and partnerships.
Apart from diversifying and adding a global perspective to the museum’s permanent collection, the CAAI seeks to support contemporary African artists and build its connections to Africa through research and collaborations. The initiative is also committed to ensuring that the artwork selected is available for viewing, study and enjoyment by a wide swath of the public at the University, in the community and globally. Additionally, the initiative is part of an effort to help reshape the processes by which U.S. museums like the Chazen acquire works from the continent of Africa.
Building on a small selection of contemporary African artworks collected by the Chazen since the late 1990s, a major goal for the museum is to project a better representation of the complex and interconnected world we live in. So far, through the Contemporary African Art Initiative, the Chazen Museum of Art has purchased 36 works from 19 artists representing 12 countries in Africa.
The selection of the first group of works was informed by their individual power and interest, as well as the varied approach and media they employ to reflect trends in contemporary African art. These works were selected with the intention of forming relationships with these artists, many of whom are involved in the development of institutions in their local communities.
Some of the acquisitions include Exodus by Cameroonian artist Barthélémy Toguo, Sower in the field by Mary Sibande, works by a French Ivorian photographer, François-Xavier, a sculpture by Egyptian Moataz Nasr, multimedia work by Rwandan Collin Sekajugo, photography by Léonard Pongo from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, photography by South African Lebohang Kganye, sculpture by Péju Alatise from Nigeria as well as works by Senegalese painter Omar Ba.
