AfriKin Welcomes Dr. Joseph L. Underwood

For the past decade, I have had the privilege of curating the AfriKin Art Fair with love, intention, and an unwavering belief in the transformative power of art. Guided by the principle of placing the right people in the right seats, I am honored to announce a new chapter for AfriKin: the appointment of Dr. Joseph L. Underwood, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Art History at Kent State University, as curator of the 2025 AfriKin Art Fair.

AfriKin Art Fair has grown to be recognized as one of the most sought-after cultural showcases during Miami Art Week and Art Basel, spotlighted by the New York Times, Deco Drive, NBC, ABC, and countless other media outlets. With each edition, our mission has been to present art not only as aesthetic, but as sustenance, spirit, and story — a vessel for history, resilience, and renewal.

A multidisciplinary exhibition of Global African art, the fair will unfold in three movements — Testimony, Remedy, and Reclamation — charting how creativity bears witness, heals wounds, and reclaims identity, memory, and land.

Why Dr. Joseph L. Underwood?

Dr. Underwood is a brilliant scholar and curator whose work illuminates the contributions of artists across the African continent and diaspora. His expertise spans modern and contemporary African art with a focus on Francophone West and North Africa, post-colonialism, nationalism, globalization, and biennialism.

He has brought his vision to global stages, contributing to projects at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, Musée Boribana in Dakar, the Dakar Biennale for Contemporary African Art, and the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. His writings have appeared in Art in America, World Art, SUNU Journal, Black Camera, and major academic volumes — cementing his reputation as both a thought leader and cultural bridge-builder.

A Sanctuary of Creation

Like the Calabash — cherished across African traditions as a container of sustenance, ritual, and story — the works presented in AfriKin Art Fair will hold memory, resilience, and resistance.

Alfonso D. Brooks — AfriKin Foundation

This year's programming will transform Miami into a sanctuary of creativity — a space where both artists and audiences can speak, heal, mend, and return.

Looking Ahead

As AfriKin enters this new chapter, my focus will expand toward building AfriKin's bigger vision — producing premium, communal, and ethically rooted experiences that have become our signature. Dr. Underwood's appointment affirms our commitment to excellence while also symbolizing AfriKin's growth and recognition within Miami's cultural landscape and beyond.