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“Narrative Wisdom and African Arts” tells a new story at the Saint Louis Art Museum

The latest special exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum offers an opportunity to delve deeper into the narratives woven throughout its permanent collection, encouraging both returning guests and newcomers to view the artwork from fresh perspectives.

Narrative Wisdom and African Arts will be on display at SLAM until February 16, showcasing “how historical and contemporary African arts illuminate narratives that stem from both collective and individual memories and wisdom.”

This exhibition has been curated by Nichole N. Bridges, Morton D. May Curator of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, alongside curatorial assistant Amy Clark and research assistant Elyse D. Schaeffer. Bridges remarks that it took about five years to conceptualize and bring this exhibition to life, drawing upon SLAM’s permanent collection and artwork from collectors globally.

“My aim with this exhibition was to assist our visitors, who are already well acquainted with our permanent collection, in contextualizing our museum’s holdings within a broader spectrum of African art,” Bridges states.

The extensive range of Narrative Wisdom is one of its standout features, providing a diverse array of artworks spanning various media and centuries. The exhibition features over 150 artifacts—including textiles, sculptures, paintings, and more—from the 13th to the 21st centuries.

Bridges hopes that visitors will leave with a renewed appreciation of storytelling and history through this thematic exhibition, which organizes its wide variety of objects into sections such as “Prelude: Oral Traditions,” “Leadership and Power Play,” and “Memory: Place and Commemoration.”

“I aspire for visitors to be captivated by the rich assortment and diversity of materials, techniques, genres, geographical origins, and historical contexts presented in African art,” Bridges expresses. “I hope they’ll be inspired to explore further.”

Alongside the exhibition, SLAM is presenting a series of events, including the November 1 SLAM Social with Afriky Lolo, where attendees can enjoy refreshments in Sculpture Hall followed by a drum and dance showcase, as well as Tales by Moonlight featuring Njideka Eke, celebrating the African oral storytelling heritage. The event schedule is extensive throughout the course of the exhibition, with complete details available at slam.org.

“I’m eager to receive feedback from visitors and observe how they engage with the galleries,” Bridges shares. “I simply hope that people are energized by the wealth of diversity on display, and I look forward to hearing their responses to this innovative presentation, as we haven’t experienced anything like it in St. Louis before.”

Narrative Wisdom and African Arts is available for viewing at the Saint Louis Art Museum until February 16, 2025. Tickets can be purchased at MetroTix.


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