On December 15, 2024, the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) opened a new exhibition to the public: the vivid, explorative, and provocative Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit, as the architecture first-years began their second-semester studio with a visit to the museum. I watched curiously as museumgoers were pulled away from Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, Grant Wood’s American Gothic, and the many other great works housed in the upper floor of the AIC and towards the bright colors of Project a Black Planet’s display. Situated poetically at the culmination of the American Wing, the exhibit was beautifully arranged in a winding maze of alabaster halls, often leading to me and my friends getting lost among the art.
Upon entering the hall, we were greeted by six tall, colorful murals newly added to the entrance of the exhibit. The first thing we noticed was how there was immediately a wide diaspora of artistic mediums, messages, and backgrounds to explore. For anyone looking for a collection of art that’s not just old European paintings, I assure you, this is the exhibit for you. The artists whose work was displayed come from around the globe, including Paris, Dakar, London, Nairobi, and our very own Illinois. Our eyes were drawn everywhere. To our left was a circular collage of stars, animals, plants, and people that looked suspiciously like a target (Tavares Strachan’s Kojo). To our right was a beautifully constructed abstract statue of Africa that dominated the wall, dripping in ornaments and portraits and golden chains (Kerry James Marshall’s Africa Restored). We walked past a series of flowering coffins. We met eyes with ethereal portraits. We listened to the words of Marcus Garvey as a speech played over our heads. As we emerged from the exhibit, we were confronted by a wall of vibrant flags, a monolithic ode to the Pan-African LGBTQ+ movement and its members. My friends described much of the experience as not only a treat for the senses, but also incredibly visceral.
Anyone would describe the art as beautiful and evocative, and any artist would recognize the craftsmanship and skill as groundbreaking. But this was a museum as well, and there was a lesson to be learned. According to the AIC, the term Pan-Africanism most commonly refers to “political movements that have advanced the call for both individual self-determination and global solidarity among peoples of African descent.” This exhibition explored the artistic world that surrounds the movement, as the title suggested. We noticed this explanation come to life through the exhibition’s extensive inclusion of flags, such as David Hammons’ African-American Flag and Chris Ofili’s Union Black. It’s a fascinating investigation that spans 100 years of art, looking deeply into the world’s search for “decolonization, solidarity, and freedom”, as quoted by the AIC. We learned about the history of Pan-Africanism through the most unique means possible: ephemera. Records, books, magazines, and hymn cards all make an appearance.
We went in with low expectations – it’s not uncommon that quick-turnaround exhibits are small, repetitive, or even both – and yet, we left educated and moved. Currently, free winter weekdays for Illinois residents are Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays until March 14, 2025, and Project a Black Planet is open until March 30, 2025. For those searching for a newly studied niche of art rich in history, look no further than the AIC.
Resources
https://www.artic.edu/articles/1161/toward-a-borderless-imagination
https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/10157/project-a-black-planet-the-art-and-culture-of-panafrica
