Since 2002, Nando’s teamed up with the Spier Arts Trust in South Africa to catalyze and empower over 350 artists from our homeland. Together, we run a ton of exciting artist initiatives that honor our Southern African roots and make a lasting investment in their creative communities.
Curated by Laurie Ann Farrell, and in partnership with the African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta (ADAMA), “If You Look Hard Enough, You Can See Our Future” has received strong critical acclaim from all over the world.
Located in the Pittsburgh community, a historically Black Atlanta neighborhood, ADAMA is an innovative museum that amplifies the art and culture of the diaspora through immersive experiences, cultivating shared learning, and facilitating meaningful points of connection.
Come out! The exhibition is open to the public at no cost and runs through Saturday, November 2nd.
“Securing a world-class collection from Nando’s is another testament to the mission of ADAMA of making art accessible and Atlanta’s position as a cultural capital,” said Dr. Fahamu Pecou, founder of ADAMA. “With this exhibition, the influence of the African diaspora will be felt through the quality and variety of artmaking from the best contemporary artists in the world.”
The selection of work is drawn from the collection’s strengths in portraiture, landscape, cityscapes and abstraction.
Several of the featured artists have received recent accolades.
Zanele Muholi is a ground-breaking Black queer photographer with a current survey on display at the Tate Modern in London.
Represented by the Stevenson Gallery in South Africa and David Zwirner in New York City and London, Portia Zvahera is a rising star that was recently featured at the 59th Venice Biennale.
Known for transforming drawings into sculpture, film and operas, William Kentridge has two works in the exhibition.
Profiled by CNN, Mbongeni Buthelizi known for his innovative work created from melted plastic is an artist activist who collects and repurposes litter into breathtaking portraits.
“It’s quite meaningful to be able to curate an exhibit from such an exemplary collection and bring an impressive range of talent from the African continent to Atlanta,” said Farrell, “Our hope is that all who visit will experience the universal themes of humanity, love, loss and hope for a better future as illustrated by the artworks.”
Home to the legendary South-African flamed-grilled PERi-PERi chicken and PERi-PERi sauces, the first Nando’s location in Greater Atlanta recently opened in the Perimeter area within the High Street entertainment district. Later in the year, a 3,500-square-foot location will open at the Forum at Peachtree Corners.
“As a proudly African brand establishing itself in Atlanta, we consider the African Diaspora Museum of Atlanta to be the perfect canvas for world-class expressions of the modern Southern African lived experience,” said Sepanta Bagherpour, Chief Brand Officer of Nando’s North America.
If You Look Hard Enough, You Can See Our Future Runs through November 2
African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta
Thursday – Saturday: Noon – 5 p.m.
Through the vision of the late South African businessman Dick Enthoven, Nando’s started collecting art in partnership with arts consultancy Spier Arts Trust in 2004 and has since become owner of one of the world’s largest collections of Southern African contemporary art and design. The collection is uniquely displayed in Nando’s restaurants globally, creating bespoke settings, providing access to millions of people, many of whom will never visit an art gallery, or museum. Visitors to Nando’s custom-designed restaurants also have the opportunity to see firsthand permanent artwork from the 27,000+ piece collection that is featured prominently at each location.
About African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta (ADAMA)
The African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta (ADAMA) showcases the diversity, creativity and innovation of the African diaspora. Through immersive experiences, cultivating shared learning and facilitating meaningful points of contact, we amplify the diverse voices of our global community. We recognize the boundlessness of African diaspora cultural expression and invite audiences to discover why ‘Every Where We Go, There We Are’.
