Max Diallo Jakobsen

Diallo Jakobsen is a writer, historian, and artist whose work explores the intersections of materiality, memory, and cultural history. His practice moves between text, textile, and image, drawing on historical research and artistic experimentation to articulate a sensibility that is both personal and globally resonant.

Born to a Guinean mother and Swedish father, Diallo Jakobsen was raised between Conakry, Dakar, and Stockholm. This transnational upbringing shaped his understanding of history, material culture, and creative practice, grounding his work in multiple geographies and perspectives. He graduated from Princeton University with a B.A in History, African Studies & Visual Arts. As a student, he served as president of the African Students Association and was a founding member of the Black Arts Collective. His leadership and advocacy were recognized with several honors, including the Student Leader of the Year Award, African Vanguard Award, and the Spirit of Princeton Award.

As a researcher and curator, Diallo Jakobsen specialises in modern and contemporary African art, with a focus on material, cultural and political histories. His undergraduate thesis at Princeton, BLUEPRINTS, examined indigo textile traditions in Guinea, tracing their historical, economic, and aesthetic trajectories. This work was awarded the Henry Richardson Labouisse 1926 Prize, and he was invited to present his research at the 19th Triennial Symposium on African Art in Chicago.

Since graduating, Diallo Jakobsen has primarily been based in Guinea, supported by the Labouisse Prize, where he has conducted research with artists and artisans across the country. From his research studio in Conakry, he works closely with artists and cultural workers to lay the foundation for Guinea’s future artistic landscape. He has several forthcoming projects, including a group exhibition scheduled for fall 2025. His efforts focus on creating sustainable platforms for artistic exchange, linking Guinea’s emerging art scene with neighboring countries and global networks.

Concurrently, Diallo Jakobsen has expanded his art and curatorial practice internationally. In 2024, with the support of a Projects for Peace Grant, he co-led IMAG(IN)E, a summer film photography program in New York that introduced high school students from The Bronx to the Black photographic tradition through artists like Malick Sidibé, Deana Lawson, and LaToya Ruby Frazier. He also collaborated on Juan Arango Palacios' solo show at Galerie Revel in Bordeaux and contributed writing to Samuel Nnorom’s participation at Art Antwerp.

This year, Diallo Jakobsen was named the inaugural recipient of the Southnord Residency Programme Award, in partnership with the Lusaka Contemporary Art Center. He also served on the jury for the Southnord UP NEXT 2025 Prize and will curate the exhibition of the winning artist in Stockholm this September. Currently, he is assisting the curatorial team at Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain in Paris for an exhibition set to open in 2026.

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