A groundbreaking exhibition confronts the past and spotlights African royal narratives at the heart of a global museum in UAE.
For the first time in the UAE and the region, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is making history and raising eyebrows, with “Kings and Queens of Africa: Forms and Figures of Power,” an ambitious exhibition that doesn’t just celebrate African royalty, but boldly challenges the legacy of how their stories were taken, silenced, and exported.
Created in collaboration with the Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, the showcase unveils an exceptional collection of royal regalia, sacred symbols, and artworks that trace the power and prestige of African kings and queens, from the empire of Mali to the courts of Benin. But behind every object on display lies a more complicated truth: many of these treasures were looted during the violent colonial incursions that carved up Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries.
“Africa, as the cradle of humanity and a continent with rich and diverse traditions, has long been a source of resilience and creative expression,” said Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi. “This exhibition sheds light on its enduring legacy and brings stories that transcend boundaries and connect cultures.”
Still, the timing and symbolism are impossible to ignore. Some pieces on loan from Musée du quai Branly arrived in Europe under dubious circumstances, plundered during military expeditions, or “acquired” by colonial agents. Today, efforts are underway to return some of these looted artifacts to their rightful African homelands.
Spanning from antiquity through to postcolonial memory, the exhibit doesn’t shy away from these tensions. It invites visitors to grapple with how Africa’s royal past was both celebrated and stolen, and how its legacy continues to pulse through contemporary African art and identity.
