By Jaer Vogelland
As the curator of Our Collective Future, I brought together a collection of works exploring the connection between our Black past, present, and the vision for a collective future. Rooted in the African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child'', the exhibition focused on themes of community, care, and resilience within Black,
African diaspora, and Black queer communities.
The artworks on display invited visitors to engage with the richness of our cultural heritage, highlighting how ancestral wisdom continues to shape a more inclusive future.
Each piece reflected the collective dreams of the artists—Jamal Denzel, Drown, Christina Rateau, Audrey Witkamp, Kate Dix, Malaika Obiefule, and Chimira
Obiefule—and their vision for a world where shared narratives lead to collective action.
Through this exhibition, I aimed to create a space for reflection, healing, and inspiration, inviting visitors to consider how we can build a brighter, more equitable future together.
Exhibition A collective offering, February 2024
A Collective Offering was born from countless conversations between myself, Jaer Vogelland, and Naema Abdi, where we discussed art, politics, emancipation, and liberation. This creative collaboration aimed to share our dreams through visual art and photography while creating momentum with our community.
https://www.instagram.com/forthefuturists/reels/
The exhibition spanned three weeks and featured artist talks, screenings, art-making, and reflections on pasts, presents, and futures.
We were joined by artists including Roslin Sirajudeen, Nechma Mukhtar, Aylin Öcalan, Chimira Obiefule, Malaika Obiefule, and many others who contributed to our events.
A special thank you to Team Bario for hosting us.
See our efforts and events on @forthefuturist
Exhibition The collective thought, February 2023.
For Black History Month, I curated an exhibition that explored Afrofuturistic narratives through various mediums, including photography, collage, music, spoken word, and more. The exhibition showcased my personal work, which delved into themes of Black thought, Afrofuturism, and Black normality
.
Focusing on Black normality, I aimed to shift the perspective from individualism to collective identity—using my viewpoint to express, celebrate, and connect with others. The exhibition sought to reignite conversations about the surreal experiences within the African diaspora, emphasizing that these shared
experiences are part of a larger, collective reality.
Additionally, I set up a program to go along with the runtime of the position, featuring
Short films from Jadine Dowes and Kristoff West.
A pop-up from Bijlmer bookstore
An art market with soul2soul market
and a closing party with art collective BBB.
Recap: https://www.instagram.com/bar.bario/reel/CoZ2s8rIL7s/
