NOMA’s book club meets monthly to discuss fiction and non-fiction books related to art in the museum’s collection and exhibitions.

It is an informal group open to anyone on a month-to-month basis. You do not have to attend every meeting or read every book to participate. In addition to monthly book discussions, the book club meets periodically for curatorial programs related to the book selections. 

Books are selected in advance and planned according to the museum’s exhibition schedule. Participants are expected to procure their own copy of the titles. Selections are also available at the NOMA Museum Shop, where museum members receive a 10% discount.

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Meetings are held in person or via Zoom. All meetings begin at 12 pm. For more information or questions, please email programs@noma.org.

About the Book

New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations

Edited by Amanda M. Maples, Jordan A. Fenton, and Lisa Homann

An exploration of contemporary African masquerade that reveals its cultural contexts, artistic innovations, and intersection with museum collection practices

By placing masquerade at the forefront of contemporary African art, this volume shows how masquerade is a dynamic and urban phenomenon shaped by shifting global concerns. Essays examine the lack of institutional recognition offered to present-day masquerade artists and the methods used to curate masquerade art at the museum level. An international group of scholars and artists explore the motivations and creative decisions of masquerade artists, highlighting their stories and providing a nuanced understanding of masquerade as a contemporary expression of human experience.

This lavishly illustrated study includes more than 150 images, artist’s biographies, in-depth analyses of masquerade ensembles in relation to themes of collaboration, economics, and meaning, and a discussion of the methodologies for ethically commissioning and acquiring masquerade art.