Intertwined histories: An overview of the African art exhibitions at MASP

Abstract

The article aims to present a historical overview of the exhibitions of African art at MASP as well as some considerations on its African collections. Although the Museu de Arte de São Paulo is known for its European art collections, this institution has hosted and organized African art exhibitions since the 1950s. These exhibitions held at MASP can be understood basically, but not exclusively, from three different perspectives: those that responded to private interests, like the show Arte Negra (Black Art) in 1953 and that one which exhibited the Bank Boston African collection in 1976; those related to diplomatic rapprochement efforts between Brazil and Africa during the military dictatorship in the country, such as Arte Tradicional da Costa do Marfim (Traditional Art of Ivory Coast) in 1974 and Arte Contemporânea do Senegal (Contemporary Art of Senegal) in 1981; and finally those exhibitions that explored the African heritage in Brazil, like África Negra (Black Africa) held at MASP in 1988, that were based on Pierre Verger’s theory regarding the exchanges between Bahia and Benin during the slave trade.