The Black Genius Harambe 10×10 series returns tomorrow with Nelly Wandji, founder of MoonLook and the Nelly Wandji gallery in Paris. Esteemed cultural curator, and advocate of Africa’s creative industry, Nelly transitioned in 2014 from managing selective distribution for international luxury brands like Tiffany & Co and Dior to creating her own platform to amplify African luxury brands.
As an African passionate about art, craft and design, Nelly created the Nelly WANDJI gallery to showcase the beauty and luxury of African creativity and talent, thereby expressing her deep love of African heritage. She uses her professional experience and passion to improve the African narrative, build bridges between continents and people, and to enable impactful business opportunities in global creative spaces across ART, DESIGN, FASHION & LIFESTYLE.
From her branding and retail background and education, she founded and currently acts as a managing director for MoonLook. Her over 14 years of management experience in luxury distribution empowered her to establish the multidisciplinary Nelly WANDJI gallery in the Paris golden triangle, walking distance from Avenue des Champs Elysées. There, she curated and shared with global collectors a range of collectibles from renowned artists and creatives such as Brathélémy Toguo, Aissa Dione and Imane Ayissi between 2016 and 2019.
Nelly continues to mobilize her resources and network to advance African cultural heritage, using her management skills and digital networks to scale creative businesses based on the African continent. With the gallery going virtual, her team currently curates nomad exhibitions and produces immersive experiences to celebrate culture, creativity and craftsmanship. She is also currently working with UNESCO to create programs serving African creatives and highlighting our creative economy.
To artists and curators alike, Nelly says, “Be authentic, don’t follow the crowd, bring your voice, do what seems good from your standpoint, be innovative and bring something new to the table. Every body has something very significant to offer, so don’t be afraid to go for it.”
Meet Nelly on Black Genius this Friday at 5pm EST by watching live on Youtube here.