Richard Kofi (b. 1988, Wageningen) is a Dutch-Ghanaian artist and curator working at the intersection of speculative futures and decolonial heritage practices. His multidisciplinary approach weaves together drawing, collage, video, performance, and public ritual to explore the layered entanglements between past, present, and future. Central to his work is a belief in art as a collective tool for collective reimagining and cultivating community-led futures.

As an illustrator Kofi published numerous drawings. Most recently he designed the cover for Volg het Spoor, a widely distributed publication based on years of archival research on the Dutch slavery past in Arnhem and the province of Gelderland. He also made the design for a monumental community tapestry as part of Draden van ons Nederlandse Slavernijverleden project (“Threads of Our Dutch Slavery Past”), a province-wide initiative involving hundreds of volunteers who collectively bring his vision to life using techniques such as quilting, embroidery, and tufting.

Kofi is the founding director of The Museum of Black Futures, a nomadic and community-based museum platform that explores alternative models of heritage education, digital archiving, and institutional transformation. Through podcasting the museum challenges conventional notions of ownership, restitution, and cultural stewardship. In 2025, Kofi will launch an English-language podcast series that deepens its engagement with Black speculative world-building.

He is also the co-creator of Project Wiaspora, a podcast produced with Simone Zeefuik and La Fam Productions. The show weaves together art, theory, and personal storytelling to foster new forms of cultural exchange and understanding.

Richard Kofi’s work resonates with fields such as Afrofuturism, decolonial museology, and memory activism, shaped by a commitment to radical imagination as method.

About Me.

Download CV

Work experience

Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, Programmer. 2023-present.

Bijlmer Parktheater, Head of Programming. 2019-2022.

Shebang, Guest-curator. 2020-2021

National Museum of World Cultures, Exhibition Maker. 2012-2019.

Independent Artist and Curator. 2015-present

Individual awards and nominations

Thami Mnyele Foundation Residency Award (2021)

Amsterdam City Illustrator (2021)

NRC 101 New Talents (2020)

Nominee Museum Talent Award (2019)

Nominee &Award (2019)

Exhibitions

Draden van ons Nederlandse slavernijverleden (2025-2026) -

Pretu, Zwart in het Nederland van de 21e eeuw (2024) - Stadsgallerij, Heerlen.

Black Imaginarium (2023) - Welcome to Our Guesthouse, Theater Rotterdam, Rotterdam.

Kemet (2023) – Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden.

La Sirene (2023) – Erasmus Huis/Komunitas Salihara, Jakarta, Indonesie.

Concerning violence (2022) – Theater Rotterdam, Rotterdam.

Krusada (2022) – Bureau Postjesweg, Amsterdam.

Force Times Distance, On Labo rand its Social Ecologies (2021) – Sonsbeek Biennale, Arnhem.

The Situation is Fluid (2021) – Capital C, Amsterdam.

Becoming (2021) – Motormond Art Gallery, Amsterdam.

Pidgin Imaginarium (2019) – Chale Wote Festival, Accra, Ghana.

Living here for minutes now (2019) – Erfgoed Centrum Rozet, Arnhem.

Social Aspects #4 (2018) – Derde Wal, Nijmegen.

Spirit of Collection #1 (2017) – Notre Dame des Artes, Ubbergen.

Folktales & Taboos (2017) – Galerie Sanaa, Utrecht.

Residencies

Water Holds Memory at the Terra Foundation(2024) - Giverny, France
Komunitas Salihara (2023) – Jakarta, Indonesië.

Bureau Postjesweg (2022) – Amsterdam.

Thami Mnyele Foundation (2021) – Amsterdam.

Derde Wal (2018) - Nijmegen

Exhibits (co-)curated

World Receiver (2022) – Omstand, Arnhem.

Trailblazers (2021) – Paleis op de Dam, Amsterdam.

Transformation of Innocence (2019) – Expoplu, Nijmegen.

Helende Kracht (2019) – Museum Volkenkunde, Leiden.

Heden van het Slavernijverleden (2017) – Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam.

Spirit of Collection (2017) – Merleyn, Nijmegen.

Carnaval Wereldwijd (2016) – Afrika Museum, Berg en Dal.

Rhythm & Roots (2015) – Afrika Museum, Berg en Dal.

Events Curated

Keti Koti Festival (2025) - Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, Amsterdam.

Festival Lieve Stad, (2025) - Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, Amsterdam.

Spirit People (2024) - Theater aan de Rijn, Arnhem.

Keti Koti Festival (2024) - Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, Amsterdam.

Festival Lieve Stad, (2024) – Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, Amsterdam.
Museum of Black Futures #2 (2023) – The Mansion, Nijmegen.

Keti Koti Festival (2023) – Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, Amsterdam.

The Non-Aligned (2023) – Oude Kerk, Amsterdam.

Museum of Rejected Alter Egos (2022) – Bijlmer Parktheater, Amsterdam.

The Black (W)hole (2022) – Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam.

Museum of Black Futures #1 (2022) – The Mansion, Nijmegen.

Radical Space (2022) – Shebang, Amsterdam.

#KillmongerTheInstitute (2019) – Hogeschool van de Kunsten Artez, Zwolle.

Film festivals for Imprenta

Afrobrix Festival. 09-11-23, Brescia, Italie.
Eastern Nigeria International Film Festival. 21-11-23, Enugu, Nigeria.
- Genomineerd voor best narrative short film
Hayti Heritage Film Festival. 06-03-23, Durham, Noth Carolina USA.
Afro Civilization Fair. 12-05-23, online festival.
Encontro de Cinema Negro Zozimo Bulbul. 18-10-22, Rio de Janeiro, Brazilië.
African Diaspora Cinema Festival. 15-06-22, Florence, Italie.
- Winnaar beste dansfilm
Urban Mediamakers Film Festival. 10-10-22, Linburn, Georgia USA.
Fresh: Expectations vs. Me / XL. 01-10-22, Rotterdam.
Charlotte Black Film Festival. 23-06-22, Charlotte, North Carolina USA.
- Genomineerd beste internationale film

Film festivals for Drapetomania

East London Film Festival. 15-11-23, East London, Zuid-Afrika.
Summer Dance Forever. 27-08-23, Amsterdam.
Afro Civilization Fair. 12-05-23, online festival.
African Diaspora Cinema Festival. 28-06-23, Florence, Italie.
Schittmacher Festival. 05-03-23, Heerlen.
Encontro de Cinema Negro Zozimo Bulbul. 18-10-22, Rio de Janeiro, Brazilie.
Urban Mediamakers Film Festival. 10-10-22, Linburn, Georgia USA.
Urban Film Festival. 02-09-2022, Miami, Florida,USA.
Black August Film Festival, 13-08-22, Pasadena, California USA.
- Genomineerd beste korte film
Cinedans Fest'22. 24-06-22, Amsterdam.
Wintertuin Festival. 06-04-22, Nijmegen.

RICHARD

KOFI

About Me.