Today we’d like to introduce you to Anja & Jumbe Sebunya. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Anja & Jumbe Sebunya spent over three decades living and working in a variety of vibrant cities all on the African Continent. Jumbe directed large regional offices for US and UK Humanitarian Organizations across the Continent. His work with CARE USA first brought him to Atlanta and upon Jumbe’s retirement, Anja & Jumbe decided to make Atlanta home. Anja works in the world of international education and continues to do so at the Atlanta International School.
Throughout their time in cities such as Dakar, Accra, Maputo, and Nairobi, Anja & Jumbe were always struck by the dynamic ecosystems wrought by contemporary artists, musicians, writers, and fashion designers in the cities they called home. In a nutshell, they decided to build a business, venue, and community space in which to host these kinds of creatives and create the same buzz in Atlanta and aKAZI.ATL was born out of this vision.
The contemporary art and design on show at aKAZI.ATL is curated, framed, and situated in a narrative that tells a story of agency, confidence, and pride. aKAZ!ATL in partnership with a variety of guest curators hosts and curates events that build community across Atlanta in Atlanta’s hugely important neighborhood of Sweet Auburn.
aKAZI.ATL is housed in the Historic District Development Corporations (HDDC) event space at Haugabrooks, 364 Auburn Ave, Atlanta, GA 30312. Critically aKAZI.ATL builds a client base for a large range of artists and creatives from the African Continent in Atlanta.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As in bringing any kind of vision to actual existence and fruition, there have been bumps along the road. Firstly, we had to find a home for our gallery. We started at CARE’s Global Innovation Hub downtown. The timing wasn’t right for this collaboration as CARE had not defined their vision for the Hub and then the pandemic struck.
Anja & Jumbe were so lucky to meet Mtamanika Youngblood (the then-CEO of the Historic District Development Corporation) at an Old4W Tour of Homes – in which they featured their own home.
She was excited about the artwork in Anja & Jumbe’s own home and upon hearing their dream of a gallery featuring this type of work in Atlanta, she so generously extended an invite to consider Haugabrooks as a possible home. The rest is history as they say and aKAZI opened its doors in September 2020 at 364 Auburn Ave.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
There are many art galleries in Atlanta and record numbers of new ones seem to open every month. This is a testament to the growth of Atlanta’s art market. What sets aKAZI.ATL apart is the sense of welcome and belonging it creates in its curated exhibitions and related events.
This has been noticed by organizations such as Emory’s Libraries and Carlos Museum, who have sponsored exhibitions as well as the French Consulate Office of Culture who have also collaborated and sponsored exhibitions and artists showing at aAKZI. aKAZI always draws a diverse attendance in the best sense of that word to their space on Auburn Ave and in some senses, they ride on the legacy of the pan africanist past of Sweet Auburn.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
There have been moments of luck that usually result from encounters and proximity to individuals who have incredibly and generously supported Anja and Jumbe’s mission and vision.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.akaziatl.com/
- Instagram: @akazi.atl
- Facebook: @akazi.atl
Image Credits
@iman_s_photography
