AOCA moves into the Minnesota Street Project space that was previously home to Rena Bransten Gallery. Mark is the first new tenant in the complex after four galleries announced their closure in late 2025.
Mwass Githinji, ‘The Battle of Choice.’ (Courtesy of AOCA)
The artists featured in Afropop hail from Uganda, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Costa Rica and Barbados. They range in age from 25 to 90. And though the work in the show doesn’t always feel unified in style or theme, one gets the impression that Mark and Strydom are simply keen to show the Bay, right out of the gate, the wide range of what the contemporary African art world has to offer.
“A lot of the Afropop works have traditional elements to them but also have a modern, contemporary feel that gives the show an interesting energy,” Mark says. “[Afropop is] not supposed to be a representation of Africa as a whole. There’s one and a half billion people there! But by 2030, it’s estimated that 42% of the world’s youth will be in Africa. Their voice becomes extremely important globally. So I think you’re going to see more and more African [art] shows [in the U.S.]”