Highly Anticipated 10th AfriKin Art Fair 2024: Vernissage - An All-White Affair Slated for December 1, 2024
The 10th annual AfriKin Art Fair will be kicking off with the AfriKin Vernissage: An All-White VIP Affair on Sunday, December 1, 2024, from 6-9pm at Maison AfriKin located at the Scott Galvin Community Center (1600 NE 126th St., North Miami, FL 33181).
Title: Illusion Artist by Chukes. Medium: Ceramic. Image taken by Chukes
This award-winning yearly event brought to you in partnership with The City of North Miami and Dutch Culture USA program has been recognized by the New York Times as one of the best fairs taking place during last year’s Art Basel Miami Beach / Miami Art week, and this year, this weeklong event is back with a full schedule of events that celebrate Global Africa and the Black world. This year’s event is themed ‘Threads of Life in Fragments of Time’ and will offer an unforgettable journey through humanity, art, pressing environmental issues and climate justice.
A key component of this year’s fair is the Dutch Kingdom’s exemplary efforts toward sustainability. We will highlight the Netherlands’ advanced infrastructure and environmental solutions that also serves as a blueprint for global conversations on how to tackle the complexities of water management—too much in some places, too little in others. The exhibit highlights how water, a life-giving yet destructive force, can be managed sustainably to benefit both people and the planet.
The All-White VIP Affair will have a dress code of white with a splash of African chic, and during the event, guests will experience visual and performing arts, film, food, talks, and more with artists from 33+ countries. We are proud to honor two distinguished artists—Cameroonian/Dutch photographer Angèle Etoundi Essamba and UK-based artist and frontman of Prodigy, Maxim—with the 2024 AfriKin Award of Excellence for their exceptional contributions to the arts.
Featured performances at the Vernissage on December 1st include: Aboubacar Camara (Guinea), Aboubacar “Amo” Soumah (Guinea), Braata Dancers (Belize), Connis Vanterpool (Sint Maarten), Delou Africa (Africa), Essynce of the Dutch Caribbean, (Kingdom of the Netherlands), JaShua Sa Ra (US), Morikeba Galiya Kouyate (Sénégal), Nadia Sol (Jamaica), Saturnin Ba (Ivory Coast), Yrneh Gabon (Jamaica), Zest Collective (US).
AfriKin Promotional Flyer. Artwork: Melodic by Chukes.
Then, on Wednesday, December 4th, the AfriKin Artist Talk – How They Underdeveloped the Black World will feature two distinguished artists—Cameroonian/Dutch photographer Angèle Etoundi Essamba and UK-based artist and frontman of Prodigy, Maxim, moderated by Jamaican Fullbright fellow and artist Yrneh Gabon. They will unpack how art heals emotional trauma, the impact of colonization on the Black world, and, why artists must use their art to foster peace, understanding and build bridges for our global kin.
On Thursday, December 5th, the fair will feature a panel discussion – Man’s Journey with Nature in partnership with Impact Edition magazine. In addition to the screening of ‘Ready to be a Warrior’ a film about Betye Saar followed by a Q&A with the director Angela Witherspoon and narrator CCH Pounder.
On Friday, December 6th, the program AfriKin: Guardians of Time—an evening of art and honor, which honors Miami-Dade first responders; featuring spoken word by Shamele Jenkins and the Miami Gardens Golden Poets (US), and the conversation “Echoes of the Earth: Reconnecting to Nature, Identity and the Warrior’s Path” by the artists Delphine Diallo and Chukes moderated by AfriKin’s guest curator from Botswana Atang L. S. Arnold.
On Saturday, December 7th, the AfriKin Artist Talk - Familiar Strangers, will unpack the role of art and culture in sustainable development by AfriKin featured women artist’s.
The Culmination on Sunday, December 8th will be the AfriKin Fashion Runway - Weave of Wonders- From Heritage to Horizon that will feature the designers Rama Diaw (Senegal), Lia Samantha (Colombia), Elisa Lejuez (Aruba), Zainabu Fashion House (Nigeria), Pleatz Miami (US), KaltuRal Roots (Haiti), Ruky Fashion (Ghana).
Additionally, the week will feature book signings by the artists Chukes (US) with his book “Identity Theft” and Angèle Etoundi Essamba (Cameroon/Netherlands) with her book “Everything is Connected”.
Each day of the fair will offer cultural workshops, and complimentary cocktails and African delicacies during programming hours for guests.