Iwalewahaus, African art center in Bayreuth, Germany.
The Iwalewahaus is a center for contemporary African art in Bayreuth that focuses on exhibitions and cultural research. The building houses extensive archives containing contemporary African music, video works, textiles, and visual art available for research and educational purposes.
The institution was founded in 1981 under Ulli Beier's direction and relocated to a new location in 2013, expanding its capacity for art presentation and research. This move allowed it to better display and study its growing collection of contemporary African art.
The name Iwalewa comes from Yoruba language and means 'character is beauty', reflecting the institution's approach to showing African art on its own terms. Visitors can see this philosophy in how the exhibitions center African artists and their creative voices.
The center is located at the University of Bayreuth and offers access to its archives for research and teaching purposes. Visitors should check opening hours in advance and plan ahead, especially if they wish to work with the collections.
The center holds one of Europe's largest public collections of contemporary African art, built through systematic collecting and private donations. This collection represents decades of dedicated work to support African artistic voices.
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