Exhibited at the Central Pavilion of the 60th Venice Art Biennale, curated by Adriano Pedrosa, We Were Here sheds light on the often-overlooked presence of African and Black individuals in Renaissance Europe, highlighting their depiction in masterpieces by some of the era’s most celebrated artists. How did they come to Europe? Why were they portrayed? Were they truly all servants or slaves? If the Black faces portrayed in these Renaissance masterpieces could speak, what stories would they tell?
This documentary embarks on a long journey through art history, uncovering figures such as Alessandro de’ Medici, Saint Benedict the Moor, Juan de Pareja, Juan Latino, and Ne Vunda the ambassador. Filmed across Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, the UK, the Netherlands, and Brazil, it challenges dominant narratives by revealing a shared history extending into the present day. The film questions contemporary notions of European whiteness and explores the often-denied rights of those labeled “foreigners.” As Stuart Hall stated, “Identity is not as transparent or unproblematic as we think.”
