Utopian Panafrica Show Drowns Art in Theory

The Barbican's exhibition on Panafrica in art and culture, inspired by the early 20th-century movements of Negritude and Panafricanism, has been met with criticism for its heavy reliance on theory. While aiming to present Panafrica as a utopian realm, the show reportedly buries its artistic merit under an "indigestible intellectual stew."

Artist Lynette Yiadom-Boakye contributes a new series of fictional portraits that capture contemporary individuals and idealised African ancestors, exploring the diaspora experience. Other featured artists include El Anatsui, whose carved wooden sculptures draw from ancient African traditions, and Agnaldo Manuel dos Santos.

However, the exhibition's structure, framed by essays and artworks chosen to illustrate arguments, is seen as overly academic. This approach, described as "leaden prosaicness," detracts from the potential of artists like Claudette Johnson and Liz Johnson Artur, whose works offer clarity and raw visual reporting.

The exhibition's focus on theoretical whimsy, such as defining Africa as a "state of mind," is criticized for abstracting millions of people. This excessive theoretical focus leads to an incoherent and tedious experience, according to critics, causing the show to miss its mark by turning a potentially impassioned discourse into dry academic discussion.