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Art, Ancestry, And A Bold Pivot Conversation with Serial Entrepreneur Nkenge Adams
Manage episode 515189094 series 3668830
A phone call, a building rehab, and a question: do you want these? That’s how 90 African artifacts—masks, ritual pieces, and carved figures—arrived and changed the path of serial entrepreneur Nkenge Adams. What could have been a quick sale became a long bet on community, culture, and the living artists who shape both. We walk through the decision to steward rather than liquidate, the ancestry research that linked the collection to Cameroon and Nigeria, and the practical steps that turned private objects into public learning through exhibitions, grants, and youth programs.
We dig into the felt and measured power of art. Beyond beauty, art delivers health: stress reduction, better mood regulation, richer social ties, and stronger cognitive engagement. That’s why we designed hands-on experiences where kids become junior curators—choosing materials, writing labels, presenting their work, and touring gallery storage to see how shows come to life. When children witness their names on a placard and their ideas in a frame, something shifts. Confidence grows. Curiosity takes root. And the gallery becomes a place they can claim.
We also talk investment—NFTs and tokens versus the irreplaceable presence of objects—and why fair pay for living artists is overdue. Institutions are starting to fund community curation and stipends, and we share how those models can scale. The conversation moves from personal pivot to public value: art as a vehicle for wellness, identity, and memory, and as a catalyst for the next cultural renaissance. Want to see the work, host an exhibition, or bring a youth program to your city? Visit nKengeGallery.com and connect with Kenge Adams on LinkedIn. If this story moved you, follow, share with a friend who loves art, and leave a review to help others find the show.
Drive, Ambition, Doing, Leading, Creating... all good until we forget about our own self-care. This Village of All-Stars pays it forward with transparency about misses and celebration in winning. We cover many topics and keep it 100. We are Proven Not Perfect™️
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Chapters
1. Warm Reunion And Setup (00:00:00)
2. What Art Means: Freedom And Joy (00:03:37)
3. From Tech PM To Art Steward (00:05:23)
4. The 90-Piece African Collection (00:07:05)
5. Heritage DNA And Spiritual Connection (00:10:13)
6. Choosing Community Over Cash (00:13:01)
7. Exhibitions, Grants, And Teaching (00:15:08)
8. Kids As Junior Curators (00:18:13)
9. Art’s Proven Health Benefits (00:21:23)
10. Funding Gaps And New Models (00:23:58)
11. Investing In Artists Now (00:26:03)
12. Error — disregard] (00:27:53)
13. Cultural Cycles And Legacy (00:28:03)
86 episodes
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