HOW AFRICAN ARTISTS ARE BREAKING THROUGH THE GLOBAL STAGE
BY CYRUS BLOT
CADA (Contemporary African Diaspora Art), a multimedia platform based in Miami, champions the visual art culture of the African Diaspora. As one of the world’s foremost Art Advisory, Creative Industry Development, and Art Brokerage firms, CADA operates under the leadership of Ludlow Bailey. Known for its engaging offerings such as art panel discussions, lectures, exhibitions, seminars, videos, and films, CADA has become a beacon in the art world.
Ludlow Bailey, with his profound connection to the art community, aids individuals and institutions in curating significant black art collections. His expertise extends to wealth and investment planning in contemporary Black Art. Bailey played a pivotal role as the lead curatorial consultant for the Art of Black Platform, initiated by the Greater Miami Convention Bureau. His influence also reaches into creative industry development projects across St. Lucia, the United States Virgin Islands, and Nigeria.
CADA is renowned for hosting premier black art talk events at Art Basel Miami Beach, the largest commercial art fair globally. These events take place during the first week of December each year. The 2023 event at the Art Deco Museum featured the art exhibition “Black Euphoria,” showcasing works from artists across the African diaspora, including Nigeria’s Ibe Ananaba and Prince Adetomiwa Gbadebo, Jamaican-Haitian artist Mark Delmont, and Ghanaian artist Theophilus Tetteh, among others.
Bailey moderated two insightful panel discussions at the event. Topics included the global Black art market, Black Fashion as art, the Global African Diaspora Renaissance Movement, and highlighting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) art collections from institutions like Florida Memorial University, University of Virgin Islands, and Spelman College.
CADA offers access to an impressive assortment of blue-chip black art, featuring pieces by luminaries such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Manuel Mendive, Wifredo Lam, and Purvis Young. Currently, Bailey is the lead curatorial consultant on an exhibition in London titled “Continued Legacy,” focusing on Nigerian artists Oliver and Ben Enwonwu.
Additionally, the “Symbols of Spirit” exhibition is being hosted at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center. Running through December 2024, this exhibition features the African collection from The Paul and Mary Rosen Collections of Central and West Africa.
This dynamic engagement with the African Diaspora’s art not only enriches the cultural landscape but also fosters a deeper appreciation and understanding of Black art’s significance globally.
