The contemporary African art scene has experienced significant growth and recognition in recent years. This list highlights twenty influential artists who have made substantial impacts on the global art stage, based on their critical acclaim, market performance, and cultural influence.
El Anatsui (Ghana, b. 1944)
El Anatsui, Drifting Continents, 2009
Known for large-scale sculptures using recycled materials, El Anatsui's work has been exhibited at major institutions worldwide. His piece "Drifting Continents" sold for $1.5 million at Sotheby's in 2020
Julie Mehretu (Ethiopia, b. 1970)
Retopistics: A Renegade Excavation, 2001
Mehretu's abstract paintings address themes of urbanization and globalization. Her work "Retopistics: A Renegade Excavation" sold for $10.9 million in 2019, setting a record for a living African American artist
Njideka Akunyili Crosby (Nigeria, b. 1983)
“The Beautyful Ones” Series 1c, 2014
Crosby's mixed-media paintings explore cultural hybridity. Her work "The Beautyful Ones" sold for $3.4 million at Sotheby's in 2018
Kehinde Wiley (Nigeria/USA, b. 1977)
“Barack Obama” 2017
Known for his portraits reimagining classical European paintings with Black subjects, Wiley painted the official portrait of President Barack Obama
Yinka Shonibare CBE (Nigeria/UK, b. 1962)
“Woman Shooting Cherry Blossoms” , 2019
Shonibare's work explores colonialism and post-colonialism through sculpture and installation. He was elected as a Royal Academician in 2013
Marlene Dumas (South Africa, b. 1953)
The Visitor, 1995
Dumas' figurative paintings tackle themes of race and sexuality. Her painting "The Visitor" sold for $6.3 million in 2008
William Kentridge (South Africa, b. 1955)
Drawings from Waiting for the Sibyl, a pair, 2019
Kentridge's animated films and drawings address themes of apartheid and social injustice. He has had solo exhibitions at MoMA and Tate Modern.
Wangechi Mutu (Kenya, b. 1972)
Primary Syphilitic Ulcers of the Cervix, 2005
Mutu's collages and sculptures explore gender and cultural identity. Her work has been exhibited at major institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Chéri Samba (Democratic Republic of Congo, b. 1956)
Une Peinture à Défendre (A Painting to Defend), 1993
Samba's paintings often incorporate text to address social and political issues. His work gained international recognition following the 1989 "Magiciens de la Terre" exhibition.
Zanele Muholi (South Africa, b. 1972)
Somnyama III, Paris, 2014
A visual activist known for powerful photography focusing on Black LGBTQ+ identities in South Africa. Muholi's work has been exhibited at the Tate Modern and the Venice Biennale.
Amoako Boafo (Ghana, b. 1984)
"The Lemon Bathing Suit", 2019
Boafo's portraits celebrating Black identity have made waves in the art market, with his painting "The Lemon Bathing Suit" selling for $880,000 in 2020.
Ibrahim Mahama (Ghana, b. 1987)
Lady, 2013-2022
Known for large-scale installations using jute sacks, Mahama's work addresses labor issues and globalization. He represented Ghana at the 2019 Venice Biennale.
Aïda Muluneh (Ethiopian, b. 1974)
The weakness of power, 2022
Muluneh, known for her powerful portraits featuring face-painted African subjects in surreal settings, explores themes of African identity, gender, and social justice through an Afrofuturist lens. Muluneh's photographs are held in the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art.
Abdoulaye Konaté (Mali, b. 1953)
Vert Touareg et coquillages, 2023
Konaté creates large-scale textile works addressing political and environmental issues. His work has been exhibited at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art.
Barthélémy Toguo (Cameroon, b. 1967)
The Dancer on the Grass, 2007
Toguo's multidisciplinary work addresses global issues of migration and borders. He was nominated for the Prix Marcel Duchamp in 2016.
Pascale Marthine Tayou (Cameroon, b. 1967)
Plastic Tree, 2014
Tayou's installations and sculptures explore globalization and cultural identity. His work has been exhibited at the Serpentine Gallery and the Venice Biennale.
Lynette Yiadom-Boakye (Ghana/UK, b. 1977)
A Passion Like No Other, 2012
Yiadom-Boakye's figurative paintings of imaginary subjects have gained critical acclaim. She was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 2013.
Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga (Democratic Republic of Congo, b. 1991)
Pouvoir effacement (Loss of Power), 2020/21
Ilunga's paintings address the impact of technology on traditional Congolese culture. His work has been exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery.
Otobong Nkanga (Nigeria, b. 1974)
Unearthed – Abyss, 2021
Nkanga's multidisciplinary work explores themes of land and resources. She was awarded the Flemish Cultural Award for Visual Arts in 2019.
Kudzanai Chiurai (Zimbabwe, b. 1981)
Genesis [Je n'isi isi] I, 2016
Chiurai's multimedia work addresses political and social issues in Southern Africa. He was the first black recipient of a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Pretoria.
Mary Sibande (South Africa, b. 1982)
Let Slip The Dogs of War, 2015
Sibande's sculptures and photographs explore race, gender, and labor in post-apartheid South Africa. Her work has been exhibited at the Venice Biennale.