Mariane Ibrahim arrives at 12 Antwerp with a two-floor presentation of works by artists from its program.

On the building’s ground floor, Slimen Elkamel (b. 1983, Tunisia) presents a solo exhibition of new paintings. Drawing from a literary heritage rooted in the oral traditions of rural Tunisia, Elkamel creates mesmerizing tableaux in which lushly colored narratives unfold.

On the second floor, the gallery presents an individual presentation of works by Raphaël Barontini, following his major solo exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo and his participation in the MOMENTA Biennial in Montreal (2025). Barontini’s practice engages both the grandeur of Flemish Baroque painting and the visual codes of contemporary fashion. Through painting, exuberant costumes, and monumental textiles, he reconsiders the visual language of power and the construction of history.

A dedicated showroom completes the presentation with works by Amoako Boafo, Salah Elmur, Shannon T. Lewis, and others.

Together, these presentations bring the gallery’s program into dialogue with Antwerp and Belgium, offering the city a glimpse into the artistic voices shaping Mariane Ibrahim’s international program.

On the occasion of Mariane Ibrahim presents, Raphaël Barontini will lead a guided tour of his solo exhibition at 12 Antwerp.
Following his major solo exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo and his participation in the MOMENTA Biennial in Montreal (2025), Barontini uses painting, costume, and textiles to reconsider representation and the construction of history—shifting attention toward how images are authored, performed, and circulated.

In Antwerp, his work resonates strongly as he consciously draws from the visual language of Flemish Baroque painting. Monumentality and theatricality are central to his practice, and the rhetoric of portraiture—shaped through ornamental dress, sumptuous color, and material symbolism—is reactivated as a counter-baroque gesture, centered on the Caribbean and the reclamation of diasporic figures of power.

As part of Mariane Ibrahim presents, the gallery is pleased to host an artist talk with Peter Uka at 12 Antwerp.

Peter Uka (b. 1975, Nigeria; lives and works in Cologne, Germany) creates figurative paintings that draw from memories of his childhood in Nigeria. Trained in classical realistic figuration, Uka combines references to time-specific objects with images drawn from memory to convey timeless emotions.

Scenes of everyday life—afro hairstyles, bell-bottom jeans, expressive gestures, and local customs—appear in his paintings as vibrant visual narratives of growing up in Nigeria. Music and musicality are also central to Uka’s life and work.

The conversation will explore these themes before evolving into a listening session of vinyl records and music selected by the artist.

Mariane Ibrahim announces a two-floor presentation at 12Antwerp during Antwerp Art Weekend (May 14–17, 2026). Across the revitalized Art Nouveau building, the gallery presents solo exhibitions by Raphaël Barontini and Slimen Elkamel, alongside a curated selection of works by artists from the program. The presentation will extend past Art Weekend, until May 24, 2026.

Situated on Kattendijkdok-Oostkaai 12, 12Antwerp is a building reimagined by AIM Architecture. More than a venue, 12 operates as a space for exchange, a dialogue between art, design, and architecture; a bridge between disciplines, practices, and perspectives; a place where spatial experimentation and cultural programming coexist.