The African Collection

The Argyll Collections hosts 12 modern artworks from East and South Africa, created and acquired between the 1960s and 1970s. Collected by Naomi Mitchison in Kampala, Nairobi, Lusaka, and Dar es Salaam, these works span a range of themes and media, offering insight into artistic production in East and Southernn Africa during the first decade of political independence.

CHARTS is working in continuous partnership with Dr Kate Cowcher (University of St Andrews), Dr Lucy Steeds (University of Edinburgh), and Prof. Christina Young (University of Glasgow), whose research has revealed new insights into the collection and supports the conservation of the artworks. CHARTS has also collaborated with organisations including the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2023), the National Galleries (2025), the University of Glasgow’s Advanced Research Centre (2025), the Fife African Caribbean Network and Cupar Arts (2025) to present the collection at events across Scotland.

Image: African Art for the People Open Day with the Argyll Collection, Fife African Caribbean Network, and Cupar Arts. Credit Goodwin Ogbuehi.