The Nue Black Aesthetic

November 6, 2026 - August 8, 2027

The Design Museum, London, UK
The Nue Black Aesthetic

What does it mean to be a Black designer working today?

Guest curated by author and journalist Charlene Prempeh, this major exhibition will showcase the work of some of the most innovative contemporary Black designers working today.

With over 100 objects on display displayed across six sections, the show will demonstrate that Black design is not a monolith, and that there is no single way to be a Black designer. By spotlighting diverse practices and voices, the exhibition invites visitors to rethink assumptions about what Black design looks like and who gets to shape design culture.

Many of the designers featured belong to diasporic communities, balancing shared experiences with the distinct traditions of their specific heritage. Their varied approaches to identity, culture and community reflect the myriad nuances of the Black experience.

The title of the show references the cultural movements of the ‘Black Aesthetic’ of the 1960s and the ‘New Black Aesthetic’ of the 1980s. But this exhibition proposes a ‘Nue’ era – one defined by nuance, where there is no single way to be a Black designer.

 

VISIT MUSEUM WEBSITE (opens in a new tab)

WORK


Mfon, 2026

Ini Archibong

Mfon, 2026

Hand-engraved blown glass, patinated and polished brass elements, ceramic glazed beads with precious metals, oak beads
73 1/4 x 80 1/4 x 53 1/2 inches
186 x 204 x 136 cm

Ini Archibong

Mfon, 2026

Hand-engraved blown glass, patinated and polished brass elements, ceramic glazed beads with precious metals, oak beads
73 1/4 x 80 1/4 x 53 1/2 inches
186 x 204 x 136 cm


Samuel Ross

TRAUMA CHAIR, 2020

Fired OSB, burnished steel, molasses lacquer
54 1/4 x 18 1/4 x 19 1/2 inches
138 x 46 x 80 cm
Edition of 8


Samuel Ross

RECOVERY CHAIR, 2020

Laminated OSB, polished aluminum, steel
40 1/4 x 16 3/4 x 17 3/4 inches
102 x 43 x 45 cm
Edition of 8


SELECTED PRESS


Left Menu Icon