Kings, Queens, And Cultural Bridges: Africa’s Story Shines In The UAE | africa.com

author: Sokhu Sibiya

Uniting over 300 exceptional works from across Africa, Kings and Queens of Africa: Forms and Figures of Power marks a historic first for the UAE—and the wider Middle East. This groundbreaking exhibition tells a vivid story of leadership, artistry, and identity that resonates far beyond borders. The exhibition closed on a triumphant note, Africa.com caught up with Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, to reflect on the significance of this landmark moment in the region’s cultural landscape.

Africa.com: “Kings and Queens of Africa” marked a regional first for the UAE. Why was it important for Louvre Abu Dhabi to bring this narrative of African leadership, power, and artistry to the heart of the Arab world?

Louvre Abu Dhabi was founded with the mission of telling universal stories through art, bringing cultures into dialogue and celebrating shared connections. We are committed to showcasing narratives that transcend boundaries and offer audiences new ways to connect with global culture. 

Bringing the Kings and Queens of Africa: Forms and Figures of Power exhibition to Abu Dhabi was both a cultural milestone and a natural extension of our curatorial vision. It was the first exhibition of its kind in the region dedicated to African art, and it opened a space for audiences here to engage with Africa’s extraordinary history of leadership with its many artistic forms. It was important for us to honour that by presenting an exhibition that not only celebrates Africa’s visual and material heritage but also invites deeper understanding of the continent’s diverse power structures from empires to chiefdoms, divine kings to warrior queens.

The overwhelming response to the exhibition saw over 185,000 visitors which highlighted the public’s deep curiosity and enthusiasm for African history and artistic expression. 

In the context of the Arab world, and particularly in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, this exhibition bridged important historical and cultural ties between the continent and the region. It allowed us to explore these intertwined legacies while offering a platform to celebrate the diversity, sophistication, and enduring influence of African sovereignty and creativity.

Africa.com: This exhibition featured more than 300 objects spanning centuries and cultures. Can you share how the curatorial team approached building a cohesive story that celebrates Africa’s diverse royal traditions while also resonating globally?

The strength of this exhibition lay in its multidimensional curatorial vision. Rather than impose a single, linear narrative, the team constructed a multi-thematic, geographically grounded exhibition that reflects the plurality of African histories. 

Curated under the direction of Hélène Joubert, General Curator and Head of the African Collections at the Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Paris, with contributions from El Hadji Malick Ndiaye, Associate Curator and Head of the Museums Department at IFAN – Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, and Cindy Olohou, Associate Curator and Head of Collections at the Regional Collection of Contemporary Art, Île-de-France, with the support of Mariam AlDhaheri, Curatorial Assistant at Louvre Abu Dhabi, this exhibition brings together leading voices in both ancient and contemporary African art.

Organized into three main sections, the exhibition explored the art and influence of Africa’s great kingdoms. West Africa highlighted the legacies of Ife, Benin, Akan, Yoruba, and Danhomè through intricate sculptures and royal regalia. Central Africa focused on the Kongo, Luba, and Teke kingdoms, illustrating the connection between art, spirituality, and leadership. Southern and Eastern Africa featured the Zulu and Ethiopian kingdoms, celebrating the region’s rich artistic traditions.

What gave the exhibition a truly contemporary voice was the presence of African and Afro-descendant artists whose works spoke to the ongoing resonance of these themes. The curators presented more than 350 objects that invited visitors into conversations about authority, symbolism, ancestry, and artistry. Objects ranged from regalia and thrones to ancestral figures and ceremonial instruments, each serving as an entry point into broader social, political, and spiritual contexts. These pieces such as Abdoulaye Konate’s monumental textile ensured that the past was not simply remembered, but reinterpreted and reimagined. The connection between the past and the present continued with striking self-portraits by Samuel Fosso and Ayana Jackson. Samuel assumes the roles of African rulers to reclaim identity and power, while Ayana centres African women in reimagined historical scenes such as Sea Lion, where she embodies Queen Elizabeth I. Together, these works reimagine the past with bold, visionary storytelling.

Africa.com: With programming like your symposium, this exhibition went beyond display and invited conversation. What kind of impact have you seen, particularly from African audiences and scholars engaging with the works in Abu Dhabi?

The symposium Encounters & Connections: African Museums Today & Tomorrow was the cornerstone of the exhibition and a defining moment for us. Commissioned by Louvre Abu Dhabi and produced by France Muséums, it brought together more than 30 institutions from across Africa, featuring over 23 speakers from Africa and other international experts from Germany, France and US for dynamic dialogue on topics ranging from decolonial narratives to youth engagement in museum practice creating a dynamic space for reflection, critique, and collaboration. This was not just an academic exercise, it was an invitation for long-term partnership and co-creation.

We’ve seen extraordinary responses from African audiences and scholars, who have embraced the exhibition as a thoughtful and respectful celebration of their heritage sparking a deep sense of pride, ownership, and critical engagement. This is a clear sign that the exhibition has succeeded in nurturing meaningful cultural exchange, not just representation.

Africa.com:Collaboration with institutions across Africa and Europe was central to this exhibition. What lessons has Louvre Abu Dhabi drawn from this cross-continental exchange, and how might it shape future exhibitions?

One of the clearest lessons from this cross-continental exchange was the value of partnership. Louvre Abu Dhabi was honoured to present this exceptional exhibition thanks to Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac and the invaluable contributions of the curators, lenders, and partners from Africa. These partnerships made it possible to exhibit works never before shown internationally, as well as contemporary pieces that extended the historical dialogue into the present creating a dynamic tapestry of African art, highlighting its cultural richness and global connections.

Looking ahead, this experience and forums like the symposium Encounters & Connections: African Museums Today & Tomorrow will serve as models for future exhibitions at Louvre Abu Dhabi. We see this as an essential step in evolving global museology, one that recognizes the legitimacy of multiple centres of knowledge and celebrates diversity through collaboration.

Africa.com:With the culmination of “Kings and Queens of Africa”, how do you envision this exhibition contributing to Abu Dhabi’s broader cultural mission—and to deeper ties between Africa, the Arab world, and the global community?

More than just a cultural moment, this exhibition is a celebration of the power of art to unite and inspire. This exhibition has helped audiences in the UAE and beyond see Africa through the lenses of innovation, dignity, beauty, and sovereignty. In doing so, the exhibition laid the groundwork for continued exchange between African institutions, Arab audiences, and global partners, offering a platform for cultural dialogue, renewed museum narratives, and future international collaborations. 

In that sense, Kings and Queens of Africa was not an endpoint, but a beginning point of departure for further conversations, collaborations, and cultural bridges that we will continue to build.