The Nue Black Aesthetic

What does it mean to be a Black designer working today?

Guest curated by author and journalist Charlene Prempeh, this major exhibition will showcase the work of some of the most innovative contemporary Black designers working today.

With over 100 objects on display across six sections, the show will demonstrate that Black design is not a monolith and that there is no single way to be a Black designer. By spotlighting diverse practices and voices, the exhibition invites visitors to rethink assumptions about what Black design looks like and who gets to shape design culture.

Many of the designers featured belong to diasporic communities, balancing shared experiences with the distinct traditions of their specific heritage. Their varied approaches to identity, culture and community reflect the myriad nuances of the Black experience.

The title of the show references the cultural movements of the ‘Black Aesthetic’ of the 1960s and the ‘New Black Aesthetic’ of the 1980s. But this exhibition proposes a ‘Nue’ era – one defined by nuance, where there is no single way to be a Black designer.

Designers featured in the exhibition:

Taiba Akhuetie
Ini Archibong
Tejumola Adenuga
Simone Brewster
Mac Collins
Foday Dumbuya
Feben
Phoebe Collings-James
Andu Masebo
Nifemi Marcus-Bello
Giles Tettey Nartey
Saul Nash
Tosin Oshinowo
Samuel Ross
Bianca Saunders
Rachel Scott

When you visit, don't forget to share your favourite designs with @designmuseum using the hashtag #NueBlackAesthetic

Background image: Eno Chandelier, 2023, by Ini Archibong. Àgbalàgbà (Elderly) Chair, 2022, by Tejumola Butler Adenuga. design by Polymode.