“Africa Amongst us*: A New Exhibition at Benaki Museum

In the space of the museum, cultural narratives and identities are bridged, and “difficult” issues are raised regarding Greekness, blackness, justice, representation, racism and discrimination in contemporary Greek society

A recent donation to the Benaki Museum, with objects mainly from Nigeria, Cameroon and Kenya, acted as trigger to collect stories of people of African descent born or living in Greece. “Africa Amongst us*” is a participatory exhibition which brings the afro-diasporic community of Greece to the forefront designed of, by and for over thirty members of the communities in Greece, carried out in collaboration with the ANASA Cultural Centre for African Art and Cultures.

The result of this collaboration and the creation of new content presents the richness of African, Greek-African and Pan-African cultural heritage through artworks, material culture, archival material, personal objects as well as the narratives that accompany them. This exhibition demonstrates the universal truth that objects can tell stories that empower us and help build strong communities.

The set of objects and testimonies, which constitutes the core of the exhibition, is accompanied by more than thirty activities, events, performances, guided tours, theatrical and musical performances, workshops, discussions, and a pop-up exhibition of artists of African origin active in Greece.The multidimensional exhibition “Africa amongst us*” highlights the cultural rights of people of migrant origin and gives voice to community members of African origin. In the space of the museum, cultural narratives and identities are bridged, and “difficult” issues are raised regarding Greekness, blackness, justice, representation, racism and discrimination in contemporary Greek society.

“Africa Among Us” is a two-way, anthropocentric exhibition

“Africa Among Us is a two-way, anthropocentric exhibition with two readings: depending on the route the visitor chooses, he or she can ‘read’ it from people to objects, or from objects to people.

Despite the wealth of objects on display, all from the John Phillipson Collection, “Africa Among Us*” is not an exhibition of African art. It uses objects as mediators to hear people’s stories.

The set of objects and testimonies that form the core of the exhibition is accompanied by more than thirty actions, events, performances, guided tours, musical performances, workshops and discussions, as well as a pop-up exhibition of artists of African descent working in Greece.

“Africa Among Us* is aimed at all visitors who are willing to “get to know” the works and, through them, cultural and historical facts about Africa – nuggets of knowledge in relation to the size and richness of the continent. The visitor can also get to know people of African culture who were born and/or live in Greece. In particular, the exhibition presents the richness of African, Greek-African and Pan-African cultural heritage through museum and archive documents, audio and visual material, as well as personal objects and the narratives that accompany them. It supports the universal truth that objects can tell stories that empower us and help build strong communities.

Sophia Chandaka, curator of the World Cultures Collections at the Benaki Museum, and Michael Afolayan, founder of the ANASA Cultural Centre for African Art and Cultures, worked systematically with 10 other members of the community to produce the exhibition, while at least 50 other contemporary artists of African descent will participate in the planned events.

The multi-dimensional exhibition “Africa Among Us*” attempts to create a framework for highlighting the cultural identity of people of African descent, who, like many Greeks of immigrant origin, are often outside the interest of Greek museums and society at large.

Curator Sophia Chandaka says: “Co-creation has been a central element of the exhibition since its conception. The process of getting to know and work with the community takes time and a willingness on the part of the curator to change the way she thinks and works, to ‘unlearn’ her position/relationship with the objects, knowledge and narrative of the exhibition and to function as part of a larger whole that obviously includes different voices and opinions. To listen and share in order to build solid and meaningful relationships of trust with the people she has invited to participate in the making of the exhibition. The curator becomes a facilitator and the content of the exhibition is created collectively”.

Michael Afolayan adds: “We wanted to tell some of the stories of the black diaspora in Greece, stories that show us the power of the human spirit and the universal human need for something better, using as a starting point some objects that, while they have their history, evoke memories and tell a parallel living story. Oral traditions that reveal elements of our identity. These memories take us on a journey to the Africa that is in our midst. Unsung heroes who pave the way for the new generation, helping them to define their identity, but also giving us all the opportunity to get to know each other a little better”.

A few words on the collector

John Phillipson was a Greek-Canadian mining engineer and exploration geologist, an avid and passionate collector, but also an accomplished translator of Cavafy’s poetry. He had lived in Africa since the 1960s and spent much of his life travelling around the continent, mainly in Kenya. He also lived in Mozambique and Yaoundé, Cameroon. He assembled most of the collection in the 1990s. He died in 2015 and his collection was donated to the Benaki Museum by his wife Connie in his memory, fulfilling the collector’s deeply personal wish to promote the appreciation of African cultures and artistic developments in Greece, the country of his birth.

Parallel events

The parallel events not only accompany the exhibition, but also enrich it. As a central element of the exhibition, many of these parallel events take place in a specially designed area of the exhibition, the “central square”, where the visitor perceives the “here and now” of the African presence in the Greek reality.

The first events for the months of February and March are as follows

Saturday 22nd February 2025, 17:00 – Benaki Museum Amphitheatre / 138 Piraeus St.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH & I HAVE A DREAM
A historical review of citizenship rights on the occasion of the exhibition “Africa among us*”. The campaign “No to racism from the cradle” was launched in 2005 on the initiative of the African Women’s Union and a broad coalition of immigrant communities, human rights NGOs and other actors, demanding the amendment of the Greek Citizenship Code and the granting of citizenship to the children of immigrants living in Greece. Focusing on the second half of the 2000s, the discussion analyses the imaginative actions and successful practices of the campaign in raising public awareness, influencing and lobbying policy makers, and emphasising the importance of active citizenship and civic participation.

Friday 28 February 2025, 19:00 – Discussion
Afro Link Up: Our Stories, Our Identity
Afro Link Up is an open discussion dedicated to the second generation of Africans in Greece, a platform to express, connect and tell personal stories. On the occasion of the Benaki Museum’s exhibition “Africa Among Us*”, the event focuses on objects and the memories they evoke. Each participant will share their own relationship with them, creating a unique “storytelling memoir”, a collective narrative. How can something so familiar connect people, even if the storytellers remain strangers to each other? This conversation will create a dialogue that bridges experiences and fosters a sense of community.
An Afro party with DJ Tony will follow.

Saturday 8 March 2025, 18:00
Gospel music at the Benaki Museum
One of the most charismatic choirs of the Afrodispersion in Greece with origins in Nigeria, the Royal Accord Gospel Singers will introduce us to Gospel music, in which clear musical influences from the spirits and blues can be found. Spirituals are traditionally associated with both blues and jazz music and are primarily an expression of religious faith.

Friday 14 March 2025, 17:00
Performance “The skies change like promises”
The performance “The skies change like promises” is about movement, a natural phenomenon, a universal human function. Since the beginning of man, movement has known no boundaries, only needs. It is a dramatized narrative that commemorates the importance of movement. Duration: 20′ – there will be 3 per day (with a 10-15′ break). Performer/interpreter: Michael Afolayan

Saturday 15 March 2025, time 12:00 & Saturday 29 March 2025, time 12:00

STREET EVENT at “Theatraki” of Fokionos Negri
On the occasion of the exhibition “Africa among us*”, the ANASA Cultural Centre for African Art and Cultures occupies the public space by presenting musical dance and theatrical events in the heart of Kypseli, at the “Theatraki” of Fokionos Negri. Selected artists of the Afrodispersal community will present the cultural heritage of the Black Continent in the most enticing way.

Thursday 20 March 2025, 18:30 – Benaki Museum Amphitheatre / Piraeus 138
Screening of the film George Bizos – Icon
As part of the exhibition “Africa Among Us*”, the Benaki Museum will screen the documentary “George Bizos: ICON”. The screening takes place under the auspices of the Embassy of South Africa in Athens.

It is an 87-minute contemporary documentary that chronicles the life and legacy of lawyer George Bizos, from his childhood in Greece and South Africa, to his dedication to the fight against apartheid and the defence of human rights in South Africa and worldwide. The documentary also highlights his enduring friendship with Nelson Mandela.
The screening will be followed by a discussion with the participation of:

AE Dr Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela, Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa | Dr Sotiris Mousouris, former UN Deputy Secretary-General | Dr. Simon Bizos, son of George Bizos | Mrs Sophia Bizou, granddaughter of George Bizou

Moderator: Professor Asteris Houliaras, holder of the Jean Monnet Chair on European Union – Less Developed Countries relations, at the Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Peloponnese.

Friday 28 March 2025, 18:30 – Benaki Museum Amphitheatre / Piraeus 138
Discussion on entrepreneurship in Africa
Event organized by the Hellenic African Chamber of Commerce in the framework of the exhibition, on entrepreneurship and trade relations between Greece and African countries. The following speakers will participate in the discussion:
Vassilis Takas, President of the Hellenic African Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Mr. Asteris Houliaras, Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Peloponnese.
Antonis Mavridis, Commercial Counsellor, Embassy of South Africa in Athens
Yannis Kourkoutas, Managing Director of MrexporttoAfrica (MRX)
Andreas Diamanteas, President of FINARTIX Fintech Solutions S.A.
Konstantinos Zaimis, Director of Business Development, Biochalco S.A.

A guided tour of the exhibition will precede the exhibition

Guided tours of the exhibition “Africa Among Us*” will be conducted by the curators of the exhibition and members of the African community throughout the exhibition in two languages (Greek and English).

The first ones are scheduled for:

Sunday 16 February 2025, at 12:00
Sunday 23 February 2025, 12:00 noon

Saturday 1 March 2025, 12:00 noon
Sunday 2 March 2025, at 12:00
Sunday 16 March 2025, at 12:00

Educational programmes

As part of the exhibition “Africa Among Us*”, the Education Department is planning educational activities for children and as part of the accessibility programmes for visitors with visual impairment.

Information: Monday-Friday, 10.00-14.00, T. 210 3671067-69, education@benaki.org

The exhibition “Africa Amongst us*” is part of the Action “The Collections of the Benaki Museum and Contemporary Design” of the Program “Attiki”, Partnership Agreement 2021-2027, and is co-funded by the European Union.

All photos © Benaki Museum / Leonidas Kourgiantakis