Exhibiting the Every Day of the African Diaspora in Greece
On display at the Benaki Museum until May 25, Africa Amongst Us is a multi-medium exhibition showcasing archival objects from Nigeria, Cameroon, and Kenya, alongside stories, artifacts, and art from the African diaspora in Greece. The exhibition illuminates the histories of the diaspora, presenting a timeline that braids together traditional and everyday items to highlight how African communities have grown, flourished, and shaped Greek society.
The exhibition and its accompanying series of guided tours, discussions, and performances have been co-organized and co-curated with ANASA Cultural Center for African Art and Cultures. ANASA has long worked to promote African culture in Greece, using its programming to open space for conversations often missing from mainstream cultural discourse—questioning the stereotypes around Greekness, Blackness, racism, and discrimination in contemporary Greek life.
In this episode, we speak with Béatrice Koumnta, an organizer with ANASA about the Africa Amongst Us exhibition and how the group uses cultural connection both a bridge and a challenge to entrenched stereotypes.