The Whitney Museum of American Art is celebrating the first solo museum exhibition of Coumba Samba, and it is a radiant celebration of art that connects continents. Coumba Samba: Stars and Stripes runs from September 19, 2026 through January 18, 2027, filling the museum’s galleries with bold color and powerful geometric forms.
Born in 2000, Samba creates installations inspired by architecture and the built environment, using the shapes and vivid hues of modernist abstraction. In Stars and Stripes, sculptures modeled after depleted uranium shells are painted in the flag colors of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Namibia, Niger, and the United States — turning national symbols into a vibrant conversation about the histories hidden inside them.
The exhibition invites visitors to discover how African nations became the world’s principal sources of uranium during the Cold War, and how those colonial-era geographies still shape today’s world. Through stripes, colors, and graphics, Samba deconstructs familiar symbols with imagination and courage, honoring the resilience of African people and places.
The show is organized by Rujeko Hockley with Antonia Pocock, and it marks a milestone for one of the most exciting young voices in contemporary art. Advance tickets are recommended for this standout fall exhibition at the Whitney.
Photo: Whitney Museum of American Art
