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Reframing Blackness: What’s Black about history of art?

Online Members' book club

Alayo Akinkugbe discusses her debut book at this online event
Date
Thursday, 24 July 2025
Time
6 - 7 pm BST
Available online only
Audience
Members

About

Black figures are an integral part of our collective art history. Founder of @ABlackHistoryOfArtAlayo Akinkugbe looks closely at the presentation of Black figures in Western art, bringing these figures to the foreground.

In her debut book, 'Reframing Blackness', Alayo asks, 'What’s Black about history of art'?'. And it begins with a visit to the National Gallery. 

This is a National Gallery Members’ book club event, with time for questions at the end of the discussion. Pick up a copy of Alayo's book from the National Gallery gift shop.

This is an online event. Details on Alayo's in person event are coming soon.

Image: Jan Gossaert (Jean Gossart), 'The Adoration of the Kings' (detail), 1510–15 © The National Gallery, London

Speaker

Alayo Akinkugbe is an independent writer and curator. She runs the Instagram platform, @ABlackHistoryOfArt on which she celebrates the contributions of Black artists, sitters, curators and thinkers globally and across time. She writes the column Black Gazes for AnOther Magazine. Her first book, Reframing Blackness explores the relationship between Blackness and Western art history.  

Watch again

A recording of this event will be made available to all ticket holders in the days following the event.

This recording will be available for two week

Closed captions

Automatic closed captioning is available for this event.

Talks & conversations

Reframing Blackness: What’s Black about history of art?

Online Members' book club

Alayo Akinkugbe discusses her debut book at this online event
Date
Thursday, 24 July 2025
Time
6 - 7 pm BST
Available online only
Audience
Members

Free for Members

This is an online event, exclusive to Members, hosted on Zoom. 

Members, please book your free ticket to access this event. You will receive an E-ticket with instructions on how to access your online events, films and resources via your National Gallery account. Only one ticket can be booked per account.

A recording of this event will be made available to all ticket holders in the days following the event.

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