
When We See Us
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10 Aug.'25
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A Century of Black Figuration in Painting
How have artists from Africa and its vast diaspora depicted daily life over the past century? This landmark exhibition offers a rich variety of answers to the question, presenting a kaleidoscope of Black figurative painting from the 1920s to the present day.
Inspired by Ava DuVernay's series When They See Us, the exhibition title When We See Us reflects a fundamental perspective exploring Black self-representation and global Black subjectivities. The approximately 150 works by around 120 artists are grouped into six themes: The Everyday, Joy & Revelry, Repose, Sensuality, Spirituality, and Triumph and Emancipation.
By focusing on these themes, the exhibition offers a rich, nuanced view of Black life and thought, emphasising the resilience, essence, and political charge of Black joy. It highlights relationships between artists and artworks across geographic, generational, and conceptual contexts, fostering a deeper understanding of a complex and underrepresented genealogy rooted in African and Black modernities. When We See Us encourages discussion on Black liberation and intellectual movements and celebrates experiences from Africa and the African diaspora contributing to the art historical canon.
The exhibition was curated by Koyo Kouoh, Executive Director and Chief Curator of Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, who tragically passed away in May 2025. All at Bozar mourn her loss.
On this exhibition, she worked closely with co-curator Tandazani Dhlakama. Listen to them talk you through the exhibition via our podcast.
This exhibition is conceived and organised by Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) In Cape Town. When We See Us is presented at Bozar under the Patronage of Her Majesty the Queen.
Highlights Tour - in Dutch
Highlights Tour - in French

Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi, Ceremony, 2020, © Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi. Courtesy of Stevenson, Amsterdam/Cape Town/Johannesburg. Photo Nina Lieska

Esiri Erheriene-Essi, The Birthday Party, 2021© Esiri Erheriene-Essi and Galerie Ron Mandos

Tiffany Alfonseca, Espero que ya le dijiste a tu madre de nosotras, 2020, © Tiffany Alfonseca

Zandile Tshabalala, Two Reclining Women, 2020, Courtesy of the Maduna Collection © Zandile Tshabalala Studio

Cinthia Sifa Mulanga, Wait your turn – Competitive Sisterhood, 2021 © Courtesy African Arty Gallery

Roméo Mivekannin, Le modèle noir, d'après Félix Vallotton, 2019 © Sabam2024

Aaron Douglas, Boy with a Toy Plane, 1938, © Heirs of Aaron Douglas/VAGA at ARS, NY and DACS, London 2022 ©Sabam 2024

Zéh Palito, Que Se Chama Amor, 2022, Courtesy the artist, Simões de Assis © Courtesy of the artist

Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi, Ceremony, 2020, © Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi. Courtesy of Stevenson, Amsterdam/Cape Town/Johannesburg. Photo Nina Lieska

Esiri Erheriene-Essi, The Birthday Party, 2021© Esiri Erheriene-Essi and Galerie Ron Mandos

Tiffany Alfonseca, Espero que ya le dijiste a tu madre de nosotras, 2020, © Tiffany Alfonseca

Zandile Tshabalala, Two Reclining Women, 2020, Courtesy of the Maduna Collection © Zandile Tshabalala Studio

Cinthia Sifa Mulanga, Wait your turn – Competitive Sisterhood, 2021 © Courtesy African Arty Gallery

Roméo Mivekannin, Le modèle noir, d'après Félix Vallotton, 2019 © Sabam2024

Aaron Douglas, Boy with a Toy Plane, 1938, © Heirs of Aaron Douglas/VAGA at ARS, NY and DACS, London 2022 ©Sabam 2024

Zéh Palito, Que Se Chama Amor, 2022, Courtesy the artist, Simões de Assis © Courtesy of the artist
Practical information
Dates
Friday 7 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 8 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 9 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 11 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 12 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 13 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 14 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 15 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 16 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 18 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 19 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 20 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 21 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 22 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 23 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Monday 24 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 25 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 26 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 27 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 28 February, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 1 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 2 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 4 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 5 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 6 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 7 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 8 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 9 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 11 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 12 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 13 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 14 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 15 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 16 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 18 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 19 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 20 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 21 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 22 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 23 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 25 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 26 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 27 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 28 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 29 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 30 March, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 1 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 2 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 3 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 4 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 5 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 6 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 8 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 9 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 10 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 11 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 12 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 13 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 15 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 16 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 17 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 18 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 19 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 20 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Monday 21 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 22 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 23 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 24 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 25 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 26 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 27 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 29 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 30 April, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 1 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 2 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 3 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 4 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 6 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 7 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 8 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 9 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 10 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 11 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Monday 12 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 13 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 14 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 15 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 16 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 17 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 18 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 20 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 21 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 22 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 23 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 24 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 25 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Monday 26 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 27 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 28 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 29 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 30 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 31 May, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 1 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 3 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 4 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 5 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 6 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 7 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 8 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Monday 9 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 10 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 11 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 12 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 13 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 14 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 15 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 17 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Wednesday 18 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 19 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 20 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 21 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 22 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 24 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Thursday 26 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Friday 27 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Saturday 28 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Sunday 29 June, 10:00 → 18:00
Tuesday 1 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Wednesday 2 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Thursday 3 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Friday 4 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Saturday 5 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Sunday 6 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Tuesday 8 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Wednesday 9 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Thursday 10 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Friday 11 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Saturday 12 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Sunday 13 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Tuesday 15 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Wednesday 16 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Thursday 17 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Friday 18 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Saturday 19 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Sunday 20 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Monday 21 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Tuesday 22 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Wednesday 23 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Thursday 24 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Friday 25 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Saturday 26 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Sunday 27 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Tuesday 29 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Wednesday 30 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Thursday 31 July, 11:00 → 19:00
Friday 1 August, 11:00 → 19:00
Saturday 2 August, 11:00 → 19:00
Sunday 3 August, 11:00 → 19:00
Tuesday 5 August, 11:00 → 19:00
Wednesday 6 August, 11:00 → 19:00
Thursday 7 August, 11:00 → 19:00
Friday 8 August, 11:00 → 19:00
Saturday 9 August, 11:00 → 19:00
Sunday 10 August, 11:00 → 19:00
Location
BOZAR/Centre for Fine Arts
Rue Ravenstein 23 1000 BRUSSELSEvery Monday the exhibition is closed, including Monday 12 May, except Monday 9 June (exceptionally open from 10am to 6pm).
From Tuesday 1 July to Sunday 31 August = summer opening hours:
- Exhibition open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 7pm.
- Closed on Mondays.
♿
The exhibition is accessible to people with reduced mobility with the assistance of the reception staff at Bozar (access through a private lift).
We kindly ask you to announce your visit in advance.
📚
The catalogue is available for purchase at Bozar Bookshop by Walther König in English. Published by Thames & Hudson.
📖
You can also read the visitors' guide digitally via the Bloomberg Connects app and the Kids Guide using this link.
🎧
We invite you to listen to the podcasts on When We See Us
Podcast When We See Us
Rates
Standard
€ 18
< 30 year
€ 9
>65 year
€ 16
< 6 year
€ 0
< 18 year
€ 2
ICOM
€ 0
museumPASSmusées
€ 0
Carte press / Perskaarten : VVJ, AJP, IFJ, API-IPA, AICA
€ 0
Carte PROF | Lerarenkaart - Klasse
€ 9
Brussels Card
€ 0
Card : Preferential Reimbursement / EU Disability
€ 9
Wheelchair
€ 0
Companion wheelchair
€ 0
National Lottery Club
€ 15
Thalys Club & Club +
€ 9
Bozar Conseil d'Administration | Raad van Bestuur
€ 0
Groups & Guided Tours
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Watch ✕ Read ✕ Listen

Published on
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Published on
When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting

Published on
Bozar mourns the unexpected death of Koyo Kouoh
Published on
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Organised by
- Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA)