The fundraiser gala, themed 'Art & Opulence', will see notable figures from the art, fashion, film and entertainment industries join Zeitz Mocaa to celebrate contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora.
Gucci states that it has long been a supporter of the arts and this partnership speaks to its commitment to promoting culture and preserving heritage. The Zeitz Mocaa x Gucci Gala marks a return for the museum’s continuous fundraising efforts and it is poised to become an annual highlight on the social calendar of the African continent.
The gala will be inspired by 'When We See Us', the new exhibition opening at the institution on 20 November. The 'When We See Us' exhibition is a large-scale, global exploration of Black self-representation through figurative painting and portraiture spanning more than a century.
In the lead-up to the exhibition opening, the museum will host various programmes that speak about global Black experience, including a series of webinars that began on 29 March. These programmes, as well as the gala theme, will address the exhibition’s key themes of perpetuation, essence and radicality of Black joy and celebrate the continent of Africa, Africans and African-ess in all its forms across the global African diaspora. Gucci’s partnership extends to the travelling of the exhibition to major museums across the United States and Europe.
In addition to supporting When We See Us as a travelling exhibition, the funds raised from the Zeitz Mocaa Gala will go towards the institution’s mandate of a civic space that furthers the contemplation of and education about art from Africa and its diaspora as a crucial and unique catalyst for the analysis of our societies.
“The Zeitz Mocaa Gala and its theme is a celebration of excellence, triumph and affirmation of the global Black experience, and is true to our relationship with the larger art and culture field,” says Koyo Kouoh, executive director and chief curator, Zeitz Mocaa.
“We are thankful for our longstanding partnership with Gucci. At a time when many institutions across the globe are continuing to feel the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, this event provides Zeitz Mocaa with an opportunity to further its goals and continue to strive towards access for all and the education and celebration of art from Africa and its diaspora.”
“In its role as a site for public dialogue, exhibitions, research and collection, and storytelling that contemporary art enables, the institution promotes narratives that are important to the building of communities and we see this gala as a significant milestone in working towards this vision,” concludes Kouoh.
