Tate today announced that renowned art collectors and philanthropists Jorge M. and Darlene Pérez have donated a group of 36 important works by artists from across Africa and the African diaspora. They include El Anatsui, Yinka Shonibare, Joy Labinjo, Bruce Onobrakpeya and Buhlebezwe Siwani, reflecting the outstanding quality of the Pérezes’ international collection and their commitment to African artists.
This forms part of a wider gift from Mr. and Mrs. Pérez to Tate. In April 2025, it was announced that the family would donate a vast Joan Mitchell triptych (now on free display at Tate Modern) and would support a curatorial post through a multi-million dollar donation to Tate’s new endowment. Osei Bonsu, curator of Tate Modern’s acclaimed exhibitions Nigerian Modernism and A World in Common, has now been appointed to the post of Jorge M. Pérez Senior Curator, International Art, Africa and Diaspora. His appointment reflects Tate’s dedication to curatorial research, ensuring that specialist knowledge remains embedded in future acquisitions, displays, exhibitions and commissions.
The 36 artworks announced today include several modern and contemporary painters who will join Tate’s collection for the first time: Chéri Samba (b.1956), a founding member of the Zaire School of Popular Painting; Amadou Sanogo (b.1977), a central figure in Mali’s contemporary art scene; and the young British Nigerian artist Joy Labinjo (b.1994).
The gift will also strengthen Tate’s existing holdings of work by several renowned contemporary artists. They include an outstanding example of Ghanaian artist El Anatsui’s (b.1944) wood-relief wall hangings, and a painting by Gavin Jantjes (b.1948), an artist at the forefront of anti-apartheid cultural activism in South Africa. Three works by Nigerian printmaker Bruce Onobrakpeya (b.1932) are included in the gift, alongside a pair of works on paper by Kenyan American artist Wangechi Mutu (b.1972), and a mixed media sculptural installation by South African artist Buhlebezwe Siwani (b.1987).
Alongside painters and sculptors, several artists working in photography and textile are represented in the gift. They include a significant group of works by Malian studio photographers Seydou Keïta (1921/23-2001), Malick Sidibé (1935-2016) and Adam Kouyaté (1928-2020), as well as influential Nigerian photographers J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere (1930-2014) and Rotimi Fani Kayode (1955-1989) building on Tate’s existing representation. Textile works include a sculptural mannequin clothed in Dutch wax-print fabric by celebrated British Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare (b.1962) and a tapestry of West African dyed textiles and fabrics by Malian artist Abdoulaye Konaté (b.1953).
Maria Balshaw, Director of Tate, said: “This generous gift recognises Tate’s longstanding commitment to telling a truly global story of modern and contemporary art. We ensure that the best artists from right across the world are recognised and represented in our galleries and that their work is made available to the broadest possible public for free. The Pérez family’s second major gift to Tate helps us continue that work now and into the future.”
“Art has the unique power to connect people across geographies, histories and experiences,” said Jorge M. Pérez. “Darlene and I are honoured to share these works with Tate and its audiences, ensuring that the extraordinary creativity of artists from Africa and its diaspora is celebrated and preserved within one of the world’s leading museums.”
Osei Bonsu, Jorge M. Pérez Senior Curator, International Art, Africa and Diaspora, Tate Modern, said: “It is a real privilege to be appointed to this role, which offers a unique opportunity to build on Tate’s commitment to curatorial leadership and regional expertise. Jorge M. and Darlene Pérez have developed a dynamic and significant collection of works by African and African Diaspora artists and have shown a deep appreciation for these artists’ contributions to art history. With their generous support, I look forward to further expanding my research and networks across Africa and its global diaspora, and to sharing this work with visitors to Tate Modern.”
Jorge M. Pérez is an American businessman of Latin descent and Founding Executive Chairman of Miami-based real estate company Related Group. Together with his wife Darlene, his efforts as a passionate collector and philanthropist have supported cultural institutions, organisations and individuals around the world. He has given or pledged over $215 million to Miami’s largest public art museum, which was renamed the Pérez Art Museum Miami in his honour in 2013. He also founded a not-for-profit contemporary art space in Miami – El Espacio 23 – dedicated to serving artists, curators and the general public with regular curated exhibitions, residencies and a variety of special projects drawn from the Pérez Collection.
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