Museum of Modern Art · New York · US

Architects of Liberation: Modernism in Western Africa

Jul 5, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027

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During the unprecedented period of liberation and decolonization across Africa, many dreamed of a continent with a boundless future. Ghana gained independence from British rule in 1957, and in 1960—often called the Year of Africa—17 nations struggling for self-determination achieved political autonomy. This upheaval ushered in a boom in cultural production and experimentation in visual art, dance, and music. Architects of Liberation: Modernism in Western Africa is the first major museum exhibition to examine the role of architecture in shaping this historic change.