metropole

Afropolis - City, Media, Art

Vernissage on Tursday, April 28th at 7pm, speeches by Kerstin Pinther, Larissa Förster, Christian Hanussek

Guided tour with Christian Hanussek on Friday, April 29th at 11am and Sunday, June 19th at 3pm

Today, over half the world’s population lives in cities. In particular, the regions of the Global South face rapid globalisation, with African cities recording the highest urbanisation rates. The African contexts have created specific urban structures, topographies and cultures, notably different from European-American models of urban development. How do these structures function? How do urban dwellers organise their daily life? What issues are addressed in the African discourse on the history and future of cities? What positions do European and African artists take on urbanity in Africa? The Afropolis exhibition is showcasing five African cities - Cairo, Lagos, Nairobi, Kinshasa and Johannesburg.

The curatorial approach highlights the interconnectedness of scientific and artistic concepts, not only exploring urban histories and recent developments, but also presenting 30 artistic viewpoints on issues of urbanity about and from these five cities. The result is a remarkable synergy of scientific and artistic research, documentary material and artistic reflection. The works shown in Afropolis include graphic arts, painting, photography, sculpture, installation, film and video art, as well as design, comics and weblogs.

The exhibition is bilingual (german/english).

Curation: Prof. Dr. Kerstin Pinther, Dr. Larissa Förster, Christian Hanussek

Involved artists and projects: Akinbode Akinbiyi, Lara Baladi, Pume Bylex, Deadheat, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning UGent, Hala Elkoussy, Rana El Nemr, Hawa Essuman, Mohammed Fahmys, Ismail Farouk, Constanze Fischbeck, Mandy Gehrt, Sam Hopkins, Laura Horelli, Osahenye Kainebi, Daniel Kötter, Kareem Lotfy, Kgafela oa Magogodi, Künstlergruppe Masai Mbili, Méga Mingiedi, Jyoti Mistry, Sabelo Mlangeni, Künstlergruppe Mowoso, Sam Nhlengethwa, Cédrick Nzolo, Emeka Ogboh, Uche Okpa-Iroha, Naomi Roux und Hannah Le Roux, Künstlergruppe SADI, Magdy el Shafee, SLUM-TV, Emeka Udemba, Minnette Vári.

The exhibition is the result of a cooperation with the Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum Cologne and the Goethe-Instituts in Johannesburg and Nairobi.

Funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation.

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