Black Mediterranean/ Mediterraneo Nero - Artistic Encounters and Counter-narratives / Incontri artistici e contronarrazioni seeks to call the field’s attention to the role played by the African continent in shaping Mediterranean aesthetics during the early modern period (14th - 17th centuries). Critically revisiting the histories and historiographies of the Mediterranean and placing it as the medial space for artistic interactions, while also focusing on the north-south meridians of longitude, Mediterraneo Nero capitalizes on I Tatti's location in Italy to provide the perfect setting for art historians and cultural historians to address forgotten Afro-Mediterranean narratives.
Mediterraneo Nero is a joint initiative with Avinoam Shalem, Columbia University, and generously sponsored by the Getty Foundation as part of their Connecting Art Histories initiative. Since its inception, this multi-year project has established cooperation with promising scholars from Africa through Fellowships, Visiting Professorships, Exploratory Seminars, Workshops, and Masterclasses.