Africa Remix

For the first time in France, the Centre Pompidou presents a major exhibition on contemporary African art with works by more than 100 artists, Africa Remix.

Presented over nearly 2200 square feet of space, it reveals the multiple aspects of African contemporary art and the abundance of its forms and supports. From Cheri Samba’s paintings to the installations of Barthélémy Toguo, Yinka Shonibare and Jane Alexander, from the drawings of Frédéric Bruly Bouabré to Ghada Amer’s embroidered paintings and the photographs of Guy Tillim, Samuel Fosso, David Goldblatt, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Zwelethu Mthethwa.

Africa Remix offers a global vision of creation across the continent, including a series of films, “Fictions d’Afrique,” presented from 25 May to 27 June, as well as a symposium, organized in conjunction with the Musée du Quai Branly, which will take place on Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 June 2005.

Having devoted an exhibition to contemporary Chinese art in 2003, Alors, la Chine, the Centre Pompidou explores the African art scene to assert that: - Africa is not a country. It is a continent. African art illustrates the complexity and multiplicity of the religious, colonial and native influences. - Contemporary African art positions itself, just as contemporary European art does, not just as an esthetic representation but as a historical, political and ideological illustration

Thus, the exhibition brings together artists living in Africa, as well as those scattered around the world, largely for historic reasons. Artists who are originally from Africa remain attached to the continent; Africa is more than a territory, it’s an identity.

Africa is both close by and far away, and remains a subject of fascination and fantasy. Africa Remixinvites visitors to reflect upon what Africa is, and to discover this continent in leaving behind common places and the beaten path.

Africa Remixresponds to one of the Centre Pompidou’s key missions: international engagement. The first cultural institution to present a non-Western exhibition, the Centre Pompidou opened in 1989 with Les Magiciens de la terre– a pioneering exhibition that is recognized today as the departure point for a new vision of the international artistic scene – one that includes artists from the world over.

The exhibition Africa Remixhas been conceived by an international team led by Simon Njami, head curator, Marie-Laure Bernadac, (Paris), David Elliot (Tokyo), Roger Malbert (London) and Jean-Hubert Martin (Düsseldorf). This exhibition was presented in 2004 at the Museum Kunst Palast in Düsseldorf, and from 10 February to 17 April 2005 it was seen at the Hayward Gallery in London. After its stop at the Centre Pompidou, Africa Remixwill be shown at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo in 2006.

Africa Remix - Contemporary art of a continent
Kuratorenteam: Simon Njami, David Elliott, Roger Malbert, Jean-Hubert Martin, Marie-Laure Bernadac, Alfred Pacquement

Künstler: Georges Adéagbo, Akinbode Akinbiyi, Sunday Jack Akpan, Jane Alexander, Fernando Alvim, Abdel Ghany Kenaway & Amal Kenaway, Ghada Amer, El Anatsui, Joel Andrianomearisoa, Rui Assubuji, Lara Baladi, Luis Basto, Hicham Benohoud, Willie Bester, Zarina Bhimji, Berry Bickle, Bili Bidjocka, Andries Botha, Wim Botha, Zoulikha Bouabdellah, Frédéric Bruly Bouabré, Cheri Cherin, Loulou Chérinet, Soly Cisse, Omar D. , Allan deSouza, Cheik Diallo, Dilomprizulike , Marlene Dumas, Mohamed El Baz, Ymane Fakhir, Samuel Fosso, Meschac Gaba, Jellel Gasteli, David Goldblatt, Romuald Hazoume, Jackson Mbhazima Hlungwani, Paulo Kapela, William Kentridge, Bodys Isek Kingelez, Abdoulaye Konate, Moshekwa Langa, Ananias Leki Dago, Goddy Leye, Georges Lilanga Di Nyama, Franck K. Lundangi, Goncalo Mabunda, Michèle Magema, Abu Bakarr Mansaray, Gera Mawi Mazgabu, Julie Mehretu, Myriam Mihindou, Santu Mofokeng, Zwelethu Mthethwa, Hassan Musa, N´Dilo Mutima, Wangechi Mutu, Ingrid Mwangi, Sabah Naim, Moataz Nasr, Otobong Nkanga, Shady El Noshokaty, Aime Ntakiyica, Antonio Ole, Richard Onyango, Owusu-Ankomah, Eileen Perrier, Rodney Place, Francis Pume, Tracey Rose, Chéri Samba, Sergio Santimano, Zineb Sedira, Benyounes Semtati, Yinka Shonibare, Joseph Francis Sumegne, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Patrice Felix Tchicaya, Guy Tillim, Titos , Barthelemy Toguo, Cyprien Tokoudagba, Fatimah Tuggar, Ernest Weangai

Stationen:
24.07.04 – 07.11.04 Museum Kunst Palast, Düsseldorf
10.02.05 – 17.04.05 Hayward Gallery, London
25.05.05 – 15.08.05 Centre Pompidou, Paris
27.05.06 – 31.08.06 Mori Art Museum, Tokio
14.10.06 - 14.01.07 Moderna Museet Stockholm
24.06.07 - 30.09.07 Johannesburg Art Gallery