UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Department of Art History Dickson Lecture Series will host a screening of the film “We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe,” followed by a Q&A with director Fred Kudjo Kuwornu, on Tuesday, March 25, 5–7 p.m., in 112 Borland.
Kuwornu is a multi-hyphenate, socially engaged artist, filmmaker and scholar whose work is deeply influenced by his background as a person of African descent. Born and raised in Italy, Kuwornu earned a master of arts degree in political science at the University of Bologna and is now based in New York. He holds triple-citizenship in Italy, Ghana and the United States.
In 2007, Kuwornu worked as a production assistant on Spike Lee's film "Miracle at St. Anna," which, he said, inspired him to pursue documentary filmmaking. He made his directorial debut in 2010 with the documentary "Inside Buffalo," which reconstructs and highlights the significant contributions of African American soldiers to the liberation of Europe during World War II. His other films include "18 Ius Soli" (2012), which explores the complex issue of citizenship for children born to immigrant parents in Italy, and "Blaxploitalian: 100 Years of Blackness in Italian Cinema" (2016).
"We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe" (2024) is his latest documentary and sheds light on the presence and contributions of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe, challenging traditional historical narratives.
In 2024, "We Were Here" was selected to be exhibited at the Central Pavilion of the 60th International Art Exhibition, “Foreigners Everywhere,” of the Venice Biennale.
Kuwornu’s works have also been exhibited at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York, Library of Congress, Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, George Eastman Museum and numerous international film festivals.