MADRID: AYANA V JACKSON

NOSCE TE IPSUM: Membrum Fantasma

April 30, 2025 - August 31, 2025

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ANTHROLOGY
C. de Alfonso XII, 68, Retiro
Madrid, Spain

On April 29, the National Museum of Anthropology (MNA) marks its 1800th anniversary with a bold step into the future, centered around a major new exhibition by African-American artist Ayana V Jackson. Curated by Marisol Rodríguez, this exhibition—Jackson's first in Europe—coincides with a transformative moment for the museum and is part of its special anniversary program in partnership with PHotoESPAÑA.

Jackson's timely exploration of the MNA's complex history addresses how its colonial past continues to shape the present. Her work challenges long-standing stereotypes and proposes new ethical perspectives for the museum's future. The exhibition features several new bodies of work:

• The Dance of the Devils, blending photography and costume;

• You Forgot to See Me Coming, a dialogue between Mexican guerrilla imagery and colonial rice paper paintings from the Museum of the Americas;

• Nosce te ipsum: Membrum Fantasma, created specifically for the MNA, which critiques racialized depictions in the museum’s casta paintings;

• and a large-scale audiovisual installation that brings the entire project to an immersive close.

This landmark show positions the MNA on the global stage and underscores its renewed commitment to innovation, critical reflection, and cultural accountability.

For more information, click here.