Albania has a turbulent past, with many influences incorporated into art and culture from invading countries. It has two distinct cultural groups, the Ghegs in the north and Tosks in the south. Geographically divided by the River Shkumbin and with distinct dialects, their cultural differences are substantial, though both are proudly nationalist. With no common written language until 1972, Albanian’s have passed their heritage through epic rural songs, both nationalistic and lyrical in style.

Most of the art during communist rule was socialist realism. This style continued after communism as Albanian artists wanted to inspire national pride in their countrymen. Today, Albanian artists continue to maintain a proud connection to their roots with contemporary music and arts with an international flavour.

Armenia has a rich artistic history and the national art market has up until recently been dominated by traditional arts, including sculptures, frescos, mosaic works, ceramics, metalworks, engraving, textiles, and carpet weaving. Yet, Armenia’s young creative generation and contemporary artists, including from the diaspora, are tireless, resilient, and unafraid of pushing boundaries towards establishing a contemporary art scene in the country. Whether their work means creating inclusive and activist art spaces, advocating for alternative arts education, putting Armenia’s emerging artists on the international arts scene’s radar, or promoting international exchange with artists, they are all united in one mission: pushing the country’s cultural scene to the cutting edge to keep it both alive and thriving.

The contemporary arts scene is clearly on the rise and curators and artists are helping to promote and develop an emerging art scene. Since 2018 Armenia has its own annual Art Fair. In addition, the Yerevan Art Week is a citywide event, which runs concurrently with the Art Fair and helps bring attention to Yerevan’s cultural attractions, museums, and galleries. There is also the Yerevan Biennal, which is also one of Satellites of Art’s partners. And yes – while the country may not be the first place you think of as a hotspot for contemporary art, in 2015 it even won the prestigious Golden Lion during the Venice Biennale!

The country is characterized by a mixture of diverse ethnicities and influences from all over the world. As one of the poorest countries in South America many artists seek to make “art for the people”. Colorful street art is hence omnipresent in Bolivia to improve the quality of life of ordinary people in their everyday lives.

Bolivia is home to a unique style of art and architecture known as Mestizo Baroque, created when the traditional religious art brought by the Spanish was combined with the styles of the indigenous Bolivian people. The combination of Indigenous and European cultural influences in Bolivia has produced a thriving artistic community, and Bolivian arts have gained prominence ranging from pre-Colombian indigenous works to sacrosanct religious art to colorful contemporary pieces. Many art galleries are in Bolivia’s main cities La Paz, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba. Bolivia has a small yet pulsating scene of emerging artists, some of whom have already made it to international prominence. However, many of the exciting works of emerging artists still remain underexplored. You are invited to explore them with us!

The Kingdom of Cambodia (កម្ពុជា) is located in Southeast Asia.

While the famous temple of Angkor Wat commemorates Cambodia’s glorious history, the country was ravaged by colonialism, the Indochina wars and the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, and is today one of the poorest in Asia. However, in the 21st century, it has begun to recover thanks to international aid and the two pillars of its economy, textiles and tourism.

While the country was beginning to struggle to recover, artistic practice resumed, most often as a weapon of resilience and testimony, thanks to the emergence of young self-taught artists, concerned with the social problems of Khmer society and more widely by climate change and its consequences on their environment (knowing that many of them live in the countryside).

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), located in Central Africa, is one of the largest and most populous countries on the continent. It is home to over 80 million people and boasts a diverse landscape, including the Congo River, dense rainforests, and expansive grasslands. Despite its abundant natural resources, including copper, cobalt, and diamonds, the country faces numerous challenges, including political instability, weak infrastructure, and ongoing conflict.

The DRC has a rich cultural heritage, with over 200 different ethnic groups, each with their own unique languages and traditions. Despite its challenges, the country is working to rebuild and create a brighter future for its people.

Cuba is the cradle of great art. Through a richness exemplified by rhythm, strength and an impressive fusion of multiple cultures, the art of this country is constantly exploring their roots, legacies and history. Due to its geographical location, Franco-Haitian, Chinese, Hindu, English, Spanish and African influences coexist, leading to a symbiosis of multiple cultures that is reflected in the art. The framework of definition of what Cuban culture implies is complex: it expresses a variety of overlapping traditions, flavours, values, convictions and artistic expressions.

Cuban art emerged from a national desire to see the culture represented in the international aesthetic currents. Therefore, Cuban art promotes the exploration of identity beyond foreign influences. Through the lens of contemporary art, one can see its continuous internal battles exemplified by the remnants of colonisation and the constant battle with modernity. Cuba in itself acts as a museum –the old cars, the almost non-existent buildings, the blurred slogans on the walls, the ocean that breaks against the dreams, and the people walking through the streets proclaiming hopes–, that is its own artistic manifesto.

Eritrea, officially known as the State of Eritrea, is a country located in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Sudan to the west, Ethiopia to the south, and Djibouti to the southeast. Eritrea is a multilingual country with nine recognised ethnic groups and nine different languages. The nation has no official language, as the Constitution establishes the “equality of all Eritrean languages”. Tigrinya, Arabic, and English serve as the three working languages. Eritrea’s ethnic groups each have their own styles of music and accompanying dances.Most people in the country adhere to Christianity or Islam, with a small minority adhering to traditional faiths. In 2017 the entire capital city of Asmara was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Human remains found in Eritrea have been dated to 1 million years old and anthropological research indicates that the area may contain significant records related to the evolution of humans.

One of the impressive facts about Eritrea is that it is the first country in the world to turn its entire coast into an environmentally protected zone. The country also produces a substantial number of major pearls export products including millet, sorghum, fabrics and livestock. The mining industry also contributes significantly as they export silver, gold, zinc and copper.

The art of Eritrea reflects the cultural, religious, and historical influences of the region, including indigenous traditions and those brought by various external forces over time. Eritrea has a history of ancient civilizations, and its art dates back thousands of years. Archaeological sites reveal artefacts and structures from ancient kingdoms. With the arrival of Islam to the region, art and architecture began to reflect Islamic styles and motifs. Italian influence can be seen in some architectural styles in Eritrea’s capital, Asmara, where there are notable examples of Italian modernist and rationalist architecture.

After gaining independence in 1993, Eritrea has continued to develop its contemporary art scene. Artists draw on traditional motifs, cultural heritage, and modern influences to create a blend of traditional and contemporary artwork. This includes paintings, sculptures, textiles, and various forms of mixed media. Eritrean traditional art is diverse and each ethnic group in Eritrea has its distinct artistic expressions, often rooted in their unique cultural traditions. Throughout its history, art in Eritrea has been a means of expressing identity, resistance, and solidarity. During the struggle for independence, art played a crucial role in uniting people and conveying messages of resistance and determination. Overall, Eritrea’s art history is a fascinating tapestry that weaves together ancient civilizations, diverse cultures, and the influences of external forces, showcasing a rich artistic heritage.

Ghana is a country with a rich history spanning centuries. Between the 17^th to the 19^th it was home to the sophisticated Ashanti Empire, which has fable-like origins linked to its founder Osei Tutu, his high priest Anokye and the famous Golden Stool. Ghana was also the first sub-Saharan nation to gain independence from a European power. The diversity of the land is reflected in the diversity of the people and languages spoken. There are more than seventy ethno-linguistic groups, each with its own individual language. Ewe, Ga, Mole-Dagbon are a few examples.

Ghanaian Art is as eclectic as any other art. From paintings, tapestries, installations and sculptures, the range is wide and spell-binding. El Anatsui is one of the most celebrated artists from the country. His mesmerising Kente cloths, his iconic bottle-top installations and his metallic textiles, have earned him and Ghanian art international acclaim. Moreover, Ablade Glover is another long-standing and well-known artist whose style has been described as a mixture “between abstraction and realism”. These few examples demonstrate that Ghanaian art’s diversity and vibrancy cannot be encapsulated in single words. Simply put, it’s captivating.

Iran, officially known as the Islamic Republic of Iran and also Persia, is a country in Western Asia.

Iran has a population of approximately 85 million people, making it the 18th most populous country in the world.

Iran has a rich cultural heritage and is known for its poetry, music, and art. Persian literature is among the world’s oldest and most influential, and Iranian music has a long history dating back to ancient times.

The History of Art Painting in Iran – Due to the existence of ethnic and racial diversity, political, social, cultural and religious developments, as well as influence from other countries and nationalities, Iranian painting has its own nature and character, which has preserved it in all eras and created the distinction of art. And Iranian painting has become with other world arts.

Among the characteristics of Iranian art which can also be observed in the paintings of Mogul style, we can enumerate subtleties, decorative compositions, and fine short lines. The style of the Iranian paintings is linear and not dimensional. Artists in this field have demonstrated particular creativity and genuineness. Artists of the Mogul royal court honored not only the techniques but also Iranian themes. A part of their work consisted of illustrating Iranian literary masterpieces such as: “The Shahnameh” of Ferdowsi the great Iranian poet.  Among the themes, portraits were of utmost interest.

Ivory Coast’s contemporary arts scene has been on the rise over the last ten years and more following many years of conflict and crises. While traditional Ivorian artworks such as masks and statues remain prominent in art museums and exhibitions, the country’s leading contemporary artists have introduced a multitude of styles and schools. A considerable number of fine artists have built an international reputation both on the African continent’s art fairs such as the Dak’Art Biennale as well as in leading art fairs, museums and galleries all over the world including the 1-54 Contemporary African Artfair, the Guggenheim, Bilbao, Mori Art Museum Tokya, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, and Hayward Gallery, London.

In spring of 2021, MuCAT, Ivory Coast’s first museum of contemporary art, opened its doors in the capital Abidjan to make art by established and emerging artists more visible to the wider population. In their work, many young Ivorian artists seek to express the actuality of their daily lives in the aftermath of the more than a decade long crisis. However, contemporary art is still perceived as the domain of the educated elite as a significant part of the population considers contemporary art to be less valuable than traditional Ivorian art techniques. Many artists, artist collectives and galleries seek to change this by advocating for arts education in schools as well as financial support to the promotion contemporary art in urban and rural areas. Join us in supporting their efforts!

The Lebanese art scene is in a perpetual state of contradiction, midway between collapse and rebirth. Beirut’s urban chaos and the continuous threats of violence appears to encourage richly dynamic artistic production. In the last twenty years, many galleries have opened in Beirut, giving a vital platform to generations of artists experimenting beyond the conservative restrictions purported by Lebanese official education.

Moreover, art in Lebanon is constantly utilised as a way to demonstrate resilience. For instance, after the 17^th of October Revolution, the streets, which were utilised as an active protest site, were covered with urban art. Members of the Lebanese artistic scene use their practice as a form of political engagement and resistance; openly criticising the corruption. In support to this, several cultural organisations, private foundations and NGOs fund a variety of innovative art projects, such as visual and moving image projects. Art centres have also become hubs for production and research. In parallel to the framework of exhibitions, they also host performances, and round-tables for reflection and exchange about contemporary artistic production. In short, the challenges presented to Lebanese artists does not stop them from thriving. Through independent dance, film, theatre and art festivals, contemporary Lebanese artists keep the artistic scene alive, and disruptive.

Libya – with its capital city Tripoli – is the fourth-largest country in Africa and is predominantly desert. It shares borders with Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, Algeria and Tunisia to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north.Arabic is the official language, and English and Italian are also widely understood, especially in urban areas. Islam is the predominant religion, with Sunni Muslims comprising the majority of the population.Libya is known for its abundant oil reserves, which have played a crucial role in its economy. Other natural resources include natural gas, gypsum, and limestone.Libya has a rich cultural heritage influenced by its history, including the ancient civilizations of Carthage and the Roman Empire. Traditional music, art, and literature play important roles in Libyan culture.

Leptis Magna and Sabratha, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, boast well-preserved Roman ruins. The Libyan Desert contains rock art dating back thousands of years. With the spread of Islam, Libya became a centre for Islamic art and architecture. Mosques and palaces were adorned with intricate geometric patterns, calligraphy, and decorative tiles. During the Ottoman period, which lasted for several centuries, Libyan art and architecture reflected a mix of Ottoman and local influences.In the 20th century, Libyan art began to take on more modern influences. Artists incorporated elements of realism, expressionism, and abstraction. The establishment of art institutions and galleries contributed to the development of a contemporary art scene. However, political instability and economic challenges have sometimes impacted the growth of the art community. Despite the challenges, efforts are ongoing to celebrate and preserve Libya’s rich artistic and cultural legacy. Initiatives that promote cultural exchange, education, and the protection of historical sites are crucial for sustaining Libya’s diverse artistic heritage.

Nigeria is home to many iconic artists. The country has a long history of art, spanning across the beautiful bronzes of the sixteenth century Kingdom of Benin to the Nsukka School and Yoruba-inspired art (Onaism). Nigerian artists have now found their voice in the international arena and incorporate a medley of techniques in their art.

Nigeria’s contemporary art scene has flourished over the last decade. Lagos, Africa’s most populous city, is now a globally acclaimed contemporary art destination, with the ART X Lagos fair, galleries and art spaces as magnets for African and international collectors and art enthusiasts. What is striking is that the contemporary arts scene’s dynamism is largely a result of the push by NGOs, artist collectives and private support as governmental support for the arts is largely non-existent. In the visual arts sector, there are still insufficient educational resources and art-funding like sponsorships for residencies, funding of studio spaces, support for art exhibitions, festivals, archives, museums, etc., while at the same time there is an abundance of talented young artists in the country who are yet to be discovered and/or promoted. Do this with us!

The Palestinian art scene is a vibrant and an active hub. Individual artistic productions such as exhibitions, workshops, and activities converge with collective productions through groups, and initiatives in the field of visual arts. Moreover, there is a wide array of private and public galleries and visual arts schools which are spread all over the country.

Due to the displacement after the 1948 occupation, many Palestinian artists are located all around, leading to an international and multi-cultural diversity in Palestinian artistic production. Moreover, after The Oslo Accord many artists were able to return to their home land, creating a distinct form of expression. Over the past several decades, Palestinian art has invented different and distinctive ways of expression, and has moved from realism into abstraction, and from direct expression into symbolism, making these symbols a representative sign of the Palestinian identity and struggle.

All this has led to the emergence of an active art movement across historical Palestine and in the diaspora, where art has played the role of resistance and fight, and has been an important tool in resisting the occupation.

Since its inception, Peruvian art has been influenced by diverse cultural threads, leading to a distinct use of colours, tonalities and textures. In the last few years, Peru has transformed into one of the most vibrant artistic hubs in Latin America. Its capital, Lima, offers a variety of spaces to explore. From traditional museums exploring the pre-Columbian and colonial era, to galleries dedicated to the exploration of contemporary and emerging art, Peru has something to offer to all types of art enthusiasts.

Peruvian painters are diverse in their styles. Yet, jointly, they demonstrate a complex sense of self-awareness: through a balanced combination of tradition and modernity, each artist uses their personal perspective to acknowledge and work within the contrast of national identity and western modernity. Rhetorically, Peruvian artists are interested in exploring complex topics such as social conflicts, political criticism and inequality. Collectively, their art is an active reflection of the complex history of their country.

Only a long time after the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, towards the end of the 2000s, did the first galleries reopen its doors in the country. Emerging artists basically needed to start almost from scratch with close to no material available in the country and a lot of knowledge of the previous generation’s artists lost. What is striking is that Rwanda brings together a rich variety of art forms and techniques, such as traditional geometric artwork (“Imigongo”), wood carving, weaving, sculpture, painting and photography. Kigali’s streets are also colorful and full of socially aware street art.

While the contemporary arts scene has been thriving since, and quite a number of artists have attained international recognition, there are still only few limited physical spaces for contemporary artists and art collectives to get together and exhibit their work in Rwanda. Also, education about contemporary arts will require to be spread to a wider audience to take root. It is hence the mission of many art collectives’ in Rwanda to communicate the role and potential of art as an income-earning activity to the community, but also as a contributor to the productive means to the wider Rwandan society. Many young artists seek to contribute to social change processes in contemporary Rwanda and have strong social missions, with programmes dedicated to supporting people living in poverty and passing on skills to the next generation of artists. Please join us and support their mission!

The culture of Senegal, in West Africa, refers primarily to the cultural practices of its currently 17,000,000 inhabitants.

From the most isolated villages to the trendy places of the capital Dakar, Senegalese culture is characterized by its taste for traditional sports, music, dance, clothing, the creative and ingenious work with any materials at hand, the conviviality of meals and celebrations, not to mention – from the palaver tree to mobile phones – an undeniable attraction for exchange and communication.

Political activists used art in the 1970s and 1980s to draw attention to the apartheid regime in South Africa. In the post-apartheid period, South African contemporary artists have increasingly participated in an international and continental arena for presentation and debate, fueled by global interest in the complex history and contemporary realities of the country. South Africa has become the continent’s art and design hub with its annual art fairs in Johannesburg and Cape Town, and vibrant gallery scenes that have been steadily growing for the last decade. In Cape Town and Johannesburg artists and gallery owners created their infrastructure – and where art now has a firm place in the fabric of these cities. A nucleus for people who want to try or create something new. Since 2017 the country is also home to the world-class Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) in Cape Town.  

Yet, there is a huge gap between the educated, affluent strata of society, that can easily afford to buy art and even fly to international art fairs, and those who simply burn for art without having the privilege of studying it and or being in the financial position to buy it. The legacy of colonialism, race relations, emancipation, sexuality, precarious living conditions and corruption is a cause many contemporary emerging artists speak about in their works. Many artists and artist collectives work towards making art more accessible for all parts of the South African population, a mission we encourage you to support together with us!

The heritage and influences of the arts have been impressively diverse in Tanzania. The social scenes depicting elongated people and animals, which were declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 2006, are only one of the many examples of the interactivity between art and humanity in Tanzanian history. For instance, in the second half of the 20^th century, the self-taught artist Edward Tingatinga developed a unique painting style which was named after him: ‘Tingatinga’, and which broadly influenced the art movement in the region. He later gathered a group of apprentices and he taught them how to make art out of low-cost recycled materials such bicycle paint, and ceramic fragments. This tradition of originality still remains in the region, as contemporary independent and self-taught artists in Tanzania are bringing a new sense of innovation with an activist angle, where art is being utilised to expose social issues and to fight for freedom of expression.

Thanks to its exceptional geographical location, Tunisia has always been an important crossroads of different civilizations and offers until today a very strong link between many cultures (Berbers, Phoenicians, Romans, Ottomans, French, Italians, etc.). It impregnates the spirits with its luminosity, its diversity and its audacity. Since 2011, the date of the Democratic Revolution, the country has been subjected to multiple increasingly complex challenges to which only the artistic scene seems to know how to give meaning. Tunisian Art, in all its richness and diversity, can be felt and experienced firsthand in the many galleries and art centers that have sprung up in recent years. Tunisia, faithful to its heritage, is today an important center for the promotion of contemporary Arab and African Art.

A mix of traditional Old World Europe and modern urban life, gourmet and street food, magnificent nature and lovely people, modern culture and folk art, ancient history and an almost crazy pace of life in the big cities. It’s Ukraine. Ukraine is a sovereign state located in Eastern Europe. It gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, becoming one of the largest countries in Europe by land area. The country is strategically positioned, sharing borders with Russia to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west, and Romania and Moldova to the south. Ukraine has a diverse landscape, ranging from fertile plains to rugged mountains, with the Carpathian Mountains in the west and the Crimean Peninsula in the south.

Ukraine boasts a rich cultural heritage, with contributions to literature, music, art, and cuisine. Traditional Ukrainian culture is characterized by folk traditions, including embroidery, dance, and festivals such as Easter and Ivana Kupala. The arts scene in Ukraine is vibrant, with renowned composers like Mykola Lysenko and artists such as Kazimir Malevich making significant contributions to global culture. Today Ukraine is a place where the creative elite is born. The place where hundreds of thousands of talented people live and work. Artists, designers, musicians, illustrators, architects, videographers. Ukraine is rapidly becoming a global hub for visual arts and artists owing to the number and variety of its many public and private art institutions, museums, galleries, underground artist-run spaces, creative hubs and art residences. Artists, curators and institutions are moving forward together creating a promising ecosystem.

Under the influence of the European directors that led the country’s main academic arts institution at the beginning of the 20th century, Makerere University, arts education and visual arts were heavily influenced by an external European perception of what constitutes “authentic” national art. Following the country’s Independence, artistic productivity appeared to increase through state-funding and a critical response to the social problems at the time. After the civil wars, and in parall to the increased political and economic development, the domestic art market has evolved. Uganda is now becoming a fast-growing cultural hub in East Africa and many acclaimed contemporary artists have exhibited internationally and have gained a significant international collector base.

Contemporary art events that have been created to broaden the audience nationally as well as internationally have gained considerable national and international traction. These include Kampala’s contemporary art festival KLA ART and the Kampala Biennale. However, the majority of this generation’s artist and also galleries struggle to make a living from art. Public funding for the arts has been on the decline and only a small fraction of the Ugandan middle class has a keen interest in the work of the contemporary arts scene in the country. It is against this background that artists, art collectives and art institutions have joined forces to ensure educative and interactive, public art is now part of public life with the objective of building and supporting sustainable alternative structures for artistic practice and debate in Uganda. We engage with these art collectives, come join us!

Paintings, masks, images and stone sculptures, both ancient and modern are central to Zimbabwean art. Materials artists use range from granite stones, ceramics, metals, beads, fizzy drink cans and woods. Contemporary stone sculpture from Zimbabwe is oriented towards the traditions of their ancestors and the belief in the soulfulness of nature, as well as towards current Western art discourses. The National Gallery of Zimbabwe, the center of recognition of Zimbabwean artists in the world, has been in existence for almost 60 years. The gallery is devoted both to the presentation of contemporary art and to the preservation of Zimbabwe’s visual heritage.

Many contemporary artists in the country are inspired by the culture and people of their country but also by the international arts scene. Post Mugabe, a new wave of young artists in Zimbabwe is attracting attention from collectors and curators worldwide. Although the number of artists in Zimbabwe is comparably small a lot of these artists have risen to international fame. However, many contemporary artists are not able to sell their work in the country as it is not considered an indigenous tradition by wider parts of the population. Major obstacles for artists are the lack of exhibition spaces, limited opportunities to sell artwork at fair prices and difficulties obtaining basic art supplies. For this reason, many promising artists sell their work as street artists across the border in Namibia and South Africa, hoping to be able to make a living and to be discovered there. For Zimbabwean artists art is a way to express and think through what they experience in their daily lives. Connect and engage with them through our platform!