Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu, Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
THE ARAK Collection, the Gulf Region’s pre-eminent repository of contemporary African art, has unveiled its distinguished 2026 Curatorial Advisory Committee.
The newly formed board, tasked with guiding the collection’s influential fellowship initiatives, brings together a formidable group of international curators, academics and art professionals, including renowned Zimbabwean academic and curator, Thembinkosi Goniwe.
The committee’s primary mandate is to evaluate applications for the prestigious ARAK Annual Residency Fellowship Programme and provide invaluable expertise to the cornerstone initiative.
The five-member board comprises Heba El Kayal (Chief Curatorial Consultant, Norval Foundation): A Cairo-born specialist in MENA art, with extensive experience across auction houses and institutions globally, Tandazani Dhlakama (Chief Curatorial Consultant, Zeitz MOCAA): Representing Cape Town’s iconic museum dedicated to African art, Sven Christian (Chief Curatorial Consultant, Nirox): Bringing expertise from the renowned South African sculpture park and arts foundation, Goniwe (Academic, Curator, Art Historian): A leading voice in contemporary African visual arts, post-colonial critique and black radical thought, based at Rhodes University, South Africa and Ashraf Jamal (Author): Completing the panel with his literary and critical perspective.
Goniwe’s inclusion underscores the ARAK Collection’s commitment to deep scholarly engagement and pan-African perspectives. An acclaimed art critic, curator and educator, Goniwe is celebrated for his innovative approaches.
His recent direct involvement with the collection was highlighted in September when he led the intensive three-day art writing workshop, “Zimbabwe on My Mind,” co-hosted by ARAK and the National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) in Harare. His academic background, spanning the University of Cape Town and Cornell University and his extensive curatorial record across South Africa, the US, Venice and Edinburgh, bring critical weight to the advisory board.
Housed in Doha, the ARAK Collection is a significant cultural force, boasting over 3 800 works by 280 artists from 28 African nations. It stands as the largest collection of African art in the Gulf region, actively positioning itself as a vital, “Afro-Asian cultural interface.”
“ARAK Collection is delighted to introduce the esteemed members of the ARAK Curatorial Advisory Committee, a dedicated team entrusted with overseeing the ARAK fellowship initiative. The committee’s primary role is to evaluate applications for the ARAK fellowship, offering valuable guidance and expertise in this significant endeavour,” the collection stated in a communiqué.
Beyond amassing artworks, ARAK’s mission is deeply rooted in knowledge production and challenging established art world hierarchies.
“While the art world strives to maintain its northern hemispheric centres, the global south is as avidly redefining value for a radically changing world. The ARAK Collection and its board members are devoted to the continued strength of African creativity. This includes a deliberate focus on nurturing interregional African cultural exchange and carefully calibrating “indigenous and exogenous knowledge,” the Collection emphasised.
The advisory committee’s key responsibility revolves around the ARAK Collection Annual Residency Fellowship Programme. This program is central to the collection’s goal of deepening understanding of contemporary African art.
It invites guest curators and writers to conduct in-depth research within the collection, resulting in curated exhibitions, scholarly catalogues and publications. All curatorial concepts developed through the fellowship undergo review and approval by this new advisory board.
“This exceptional group . . . brings a wide range of expertise and experience from across the globe,” the Collection noted.
“Drawing on their knowledge of contemporary African art, modern and historical practices, and the broader art ecosystem, the Advisory Board offers guidance and strategic insight . . . Their contributions provide valuable perspectives that help enrich our programmes, support ongoing projects and foster dialogue across curatorial and artistic practice.”
The Fellowship Programme directly supports ARAK’s mission of nurturing emerging artists and curators, promoting rigorous research, and creating impactful exhibitions accompanied by robust public programming. Exhibitions generated through this process are designed to be significant cultural events.
The full advisory board reflects a truly global perspective with deep roots in African art discourse.
Founded by AbdulRahman Al Khelaifi, the independent ARAK Collection is dedicated to fostering critical dialogue around contemporary art, with a specific focus on African art. Based in Doha, Qatar, it enriches global art discourse through exhibitions, publications, research and educational programs like the fellowship and workshops.
Its status as the Gulf’s largest African art collection makes it a unique and vital platform for cultural exchange between Africa and Asia, actively working to amplify African voices and redefine artistic value from a Global South perspective. – Follow on X @MbuleloMpofu
Bongani Ndlovu