In developmentCultural infrastructure
A research library and reading room in Conakry dedicated to comparative art histories, critical theory, and artistic exchange.
01Mission
Special Collections is built to hold — for the long term — a comparative collection of texts, periodicals, monographs, and ephemera on African and Global South art histories, with a working reading room open to researchers, artists, and the wider public in Conakry.
02Why Conakry
Conakry is the historical and political heart of contemporary Guinea and a critical Atlantic port. The city is under-served by institutional research infrastructure and over-served by lived cultural intelligence. Special Collections is sited here for both reasons.
03Library and Reading Room
A growing reference library organised around art history, critical theory, postcolonial thought, textile and material culture, and West African archives — paired with a quiet reading room for sustained work.
04Research Access
Open by appointment to researchers, students, and artists. Some materials available in non-circulating reference; others held in working archive boxes for consultation.
05Artists and Cultural Workers
A platform for hosting artists, writers, and curators passing through or based in the region, with reading time, conversations, and occasional public programmes.
06Future Programming
Public reading sessions, seminars, residencies, and small exhibitions are being prepared for the coming cycles. Updates will be published here as programmes are confirmed.