On 10 October 2025, the Khanenko Museum will launch the exhibition Africa: Direct – the first museum project of Ukraine’s independence era dedicated to African history and cultural heritage.
The exhibition will feature over 40 artefacts from the 19th–21st centuries from 18 African countries, as well as the documentary film Ukrainian Peacekeepers: Africa. Ukrainian and Western scholars, museum curators, and representatives of African cultural communities have joined the project, preparing commentary on topics such as slavery, colonialism, decolonisation of knowledge, restitution of heritage, xenophobia, and racism.
The exhibition is based on the private collection of Tetyana Deshko and Andriy Klepikov, Ukrainian public health specialists who have worked in various regions of Africa for over 20 years. After the exhibition closes, most of the artefacts will be added to the national museum collections. The National Museum of Ukrainian History has also joined the project, providing examples of authentic African weapons.
The curators of the exhibition are Dariya Sukhostavets and Yuliya Fil, with Hanna Rudyk serving as mentor. The exhibition also features works by contemporary artists: Adelaide Damoah (Ghana–United Kingdom), Christian Nyampeta (Rwanda–Netherlands–United States), Seyni Awa Camara (Senegal), and Esther Mahlangu (South Africa).
The organisers emphasise that the project should serve as an impetus for Ukrainians to become more familiar with African history and culture and to critically re-examine established stereotypes.