ZAM at Africadelic 2017 | Lost in Curation

Internationally renowned artists from Africa breaking through.

Wangechi Mutu, Kudzanai Chiurai, Alain Serge Nitegika, Nandipa Mntambo, Victor Ekpuk, Hassan Hajjah … Huh?

In the Netherlands, these names are still largely unknown. Yet they belong to artists from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Burundi, South Africa and Morocco who are storming the international stages: Kassel, Venice, Moma, Tate.  In low-lying Holland however, they still seem to some extent lost in curation, as the organisers of Africadelic 2017 put it. Other than as part of group exhibitions dedicated to ‘Africa,’ or in fringe programmes, Dutch audiences rarely get a chance to see their work.

Africadelic tells the curators of the Dutch temples of art: “Don't tell us that you didn't know.” Africadelic's State of the Continent, on 25 May in Paradiso, Amsterdam, will look at the magical works of those artists. It will debate the blip in the eye of the artistic establishment, but simultaneously record some progress: because yes, finally, here and there, some change does seem to be on the cards. Angolan performer artist Nástio Mosquito recently made it into the Van Abbe Museum in Eindhoven, Ghanaian visual artist El Anatsui was welcomed by the Prince Claus Fund and, in a couple of months, South African visual activist Zanele Muholi will have her own exhibition in the Amsterdam Stedelijk Museum.

ZAM will be at Africadelic because, like other vanguard artistic platforms and rebellious galleries, we are also passionate about the meaningful and often challenging works of contemporary artists from the continent. Be warned: there is less and less excuse for missing out.

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State of the Continent

Art blogger, model and regular Dutch talkshow guest Stephanie Afrifa will host this year’s ‘The State of the Continent’ on Africa Day. With politics, society, debate, music and art as ingredients, the State of the Continent will start at 5 PM on 25 May in Paradiso, Amsterdam.

Live in Concert will follow at 7h30 PM with Rajae, soul from the Maghreb, Bitori, funana music from Cape Verde and Batida's fusion of 70s Afro-groove and electronic music. An after party with Afterparty: Boddhi Satva, Joenes, KC the Funkaholic & Kumasi Kid starts at 10 PM.

For more information check the website of Paradio.

Stephanie Afrifa.
ZAM Reporter