Gallery Tour—Ritual Expressions: African Adornment from the Permanent Collection

Experience Ritual Expressions: African Adornment from the Permanent Collection with LACMA curator Sharon Takeda and the de Young Museum's Natasha Becker, inaugural Curator of African Art at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, where she stewards the arts of Africa collection and curates exhibitions that highlight the evolution of African artistic traditions. Gain insights into the cultural significance of African adornment as they explore the history, craftsmanship, and symbolism of the exhibition’s diverse objects.

Natasha Becker is the inaugural Curator of African Art at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, where she stewards the arts of Africa collection and curates exhibitions that highlight the evolution of African artistic traditions. Since 2020, she has energized the Arts of Africa gallery with exhibitions like Lhola Amira: Facing the Future and Leilah Babirye: We Have a History, which explore the ways contemporary African artists critically engage with African art legacies through their work. Becker has also expanded the collection with works by influential artists such as Yinka Shonibare, Elias Sime, and William Kentridge, among others. Originally from South Africa, she has over a decade of experience as an independent curator and art historian, having worked in Cape Town and New York City. She co-founded Assembly Room in NYC and The Underline Show in Johannesburg, and previously served as Assistant Director for Mellon Initiatives in Global Art History at the Clark Art Institute. Becker holds a Master’s degree in History from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa, and has completed art history coursework at Binghamton University.