The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is participating as an academic partner in the exhibition When We See Us, which runs at Bozar until August 2025. The collaboration was initiated by the Centre for Literary and Intermedial Crossings (CLIC) in consultation with the University Library of VUB.
When We See Us offers a multifaceted perspective on one hundred years of Pan-African figurative painting. Central to the exhibition is the question of how artists from Africa and the African diaspora have depicted everyday life and Black experiences from the 1920s to the present. Over 150 works by approximately 120 artists are presented across six thematic sections: Everyday Life, Joy (and Celebration), Rest, Sensuality, Spirituality, and Triumph and Emancipation.
The title of the exhibition is inspired by Ava DuVernay’s series When They See Us and emphasizes the importance of self-representation within the Pan-African context. When We See Us explores how Black artists shape their own narratives and how these contribute to an expanded art historical perspective. The exhibition highlights both aesthetic and social dimensions of the artworks and invites visitors to reflect on Black modernities, identities, and heritage.
VUB is contributing to the partnership through public programs, lectures, and educational materials. In doing so, the university aims to contribute to the broader societal and intellectual discourse that the exhibition evokes.
The exhibition was curated by Koyo Kouoh, Director and Chief Curator of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) in Cape Town, in collaboration with Tandazani Dhlakama. Koyo Kouoh passed away unexpectedly in May 2025. Bozar, Zeitz MOCAA, and all partners involved honor her with respect and gratitude for her visionary contribution.
When We See Us is an initiative of Zeitz MOCAA and is presented at Bozar under the High Patronage of Her Majesty the Queen.
More information:
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Exhibition runs until August 2025 at Bozar, Brussels
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Visitor guide and podcasts available at Bozar
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Guided tours for individuals available in Dutch and French
Contact:
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Prof. Eva Ulrike Pirker – eva.ulrike.pirker@vub.be (CLIC)
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Steven Laporte – steven.laporte@vub.be (Universiteitsbibliotheek VUB)