When We See Us, A Century of Black Figuration in Painting

Featuring work by Tschabalala Self, this comprehensive show brings together works by 120 artists: a kaleidoscope of Black figurative painting over the last 100 years. Conceived and organised by Zeitz MOCAA and curated by Koyo Kouoh.

The title of the exhibition is inspired by the Netflix miniseries When They See Us (2019) by African-American director Ava DuVernay, which deals with how black youth are seen by white people as potential criminals and thus as a threat. The replacement of "They" with "We" in the exhibition title represents a reversal of perspective: the works on display focus on the artists' point of view. The more than 150 works of art are divided into six chapters. They are entitled "Everyday Life", "Joy and Exuberance", "Peace", "Sensuality", "Spirituality" and "Triumph and Emancipation".