Images by Busse Lommers

Mid-November we had a wonderful intimate launch of the new publication by Rob Perrée, available in a Dutch and English edition: A Black Collage / Een zwarte collage.

This special, festive book launch took place at Kunsthal KAdE with an inspiring lecture by essayist Stephan Sanders and a musical contribution by singer Luyi and ud player Nawras Altaky, and a welcome word by publisher/editor Eleonoor Jap Sam and KAdE director Robbert Roos.

In this book, Rob Perrée tells the story of his involvement in African-American art through a chronological collage of new texts, linking texts, previously published articles, essays, interviews, reviews, columns and short stories from 1990 to 2023. Together, they show the development of African-American art and demonstrate how its appreciation and perception have changed over time, in the US, but above all in the Netherlands as well, among the public and institutions. It is a look behind the scenes, making his passion for this art visible.

Rob Perrée is a Dutch art historian, independent writer and curator, and founder of the online magazine Africanah.org. He lives and works in Amsterdam and Brooklyn.