Southern African Contemporary Masterworks on Display at African American Museum, Dallas

Southern African Contemporary Masterworks on Display at African American Museum, Dallas

Curated from the Nando’s Collection of more than 25,000 pieces, “If You Look Hard Enough, You Can See Our Future: Selections from the Nando’s Art Collection” features the North American premiere of more than 60 pieces of exemplary contemporary art

DALLAS (May 15, 2023) — A one-of-a-kind exhibition, If You Look Hard Enough, You Can See Our Future, is on display at the African American Museum, Dallas in the city’s historic Fair Park. Made possible by the beloved restaurant group Nando’s, one of the largest collectors of contemporary Southern African art in the world, the exhibition features more than 60 pieces from 55 emerging, mid-career and established artists.

Open to the public at no cost, the exhibition runs through Sunday, August 13th. Some of the most notable Southern African-based artists with work on display include Zanele Muholi, Claudette Schreuders, Kagiso Patrick Mautloa, Igshaan Adams, Stephen Hobbs, Vivien Kohler, Anastasia Pather, Penny Siopis, William Kentridge, Portia Zvavahera and Samson Mnisi. The selection of work is drawn from the collection’s strengths in portraiture, landscape, cityscapes and abstraction.

“The response to this exhibition has been overwhelmingly positive. Our supporters and visitors have never experienced an exhibition about the unity of contemporary Southern African artwork like this before,” said Dr. Harry Robinson, Jr., president and CEO of the African American Museum, Dallas. “We are honored for Nando’s to debut an exhibition that embodies shared community, and culture at our institution.”

Curating an exhibition from a collection built over two decades and assembling pieces never seen together was an idea that came to life from the late philanthropist and businessman, Dick Enthoven, who tapped Laurie Ann Farrell to be the curator. One of the most important curators working to expose artists from Africa and the African Diaspora to the United States; Farrell served as a curator at The Africa Center (formerly known as The Museum of African Art) in New York City, an executive director at Savannah College of Art & Design, curator and head of modern and contemporary art at the Detroit Institute of Art, and briefly as senior curator at the Dallas Contemporary.

“Exhibiting exemplary pieces from the Nando’s art collection that have never been seen together before brings a broad range of South African talent to the United States,” said Farrell. “Attendees are immersed in the collections’ distinct aesthetics, while also engaging with universal themes of humanity, love, loss and hope for a better future.” “As a proudly African brand coming to Dallas, we consider the African American Museum 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. Home to the legendary South-African flamed-grilled PERi-PERi chicken and PERi-PERi sauces, the first Nando’s locations arrive in Texas this summer, with two locations opening in Houston and one in Dallas.

If You Look Hard Enough, You Can See Our Future

Runs Through Aug 13, 2023

African American Museum, Dallas

3536 Grand Avenue

Tuesday – Friday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday – Monday: Closed

About the Nando’s Art Collection

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 2001 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 25,000+ piece collection that is featured prominently at each location.

About the African American Museum, Dallas

The African American Museum, Dallas was founded in 1974 as a part of Bishop College. The Museum has operated independently since 1979. For more than 40 years, the African American Museum has stood as a cultural beacon in Dallas and the Southwestern United States. Located in Dallas’ historic Fair Park, the African American Museum is the only museum in the Southwestern United States devoted to the collection, preservation and display of African American artistic, cultural and historical materials that relate to the African American experience. The African American Museum incorporates a wide variety of visual art forms and historical documents that portray the African American experience in the United States, Southwest, and Dallas. The Museum has a small, but rich collection of African art, African American fine art and one of the largest African American folk-art collections in the United States. Learn more at aamdallas.org.

About Nando’s PERi-PERi

After making its 1987 debut in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nando’s has spread its flame to legions of fans in 24 countries on five continents who can’t resist the allure of succulent PERi-PERi chicken that’s been marinated for 24 hours, flame-grilled to perfection, and basted to their preferred flavor and spice. The restaurant is equally renowned for its spicy PERi-PERi – the Bird’s Eye Chili Pepper that indigenous Africans introduced to the Portuguese centuries ago.

Nando’s PERi-PERi entered the US market in 2008 with the opening of its first location in Washington, D.C., and now operates nearly 50 restaurants in and around Virginia, Maryland, Washington, and Chicago. For more information, visit www.nandosperiperi.com.