KUBATANAAn Exhibition with Contemporary African Artists

For its 2019 season, Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium was delighted to present a hugely diverse exhibition of contemporary art from Africa, curated by the London-based, Norwegian gallery owner, Kristin Hjellegjerde. Hjellegjerde’s gallery has worked closely with many artists from the African continent and Kubatana was the fruit of her research into and knowledge of the African art scene. This was one of the largest presentations of contemporary African art yet seen in Scandinavia, bringing together 32 artists from 18 countries. A broad spectrum of media and techniques was represented in the exhibition, and the artists explored themes ranging from their colonial past, collective mythologies and personal histories to the challenges posed by the new political, economic and social realities of modern Africa. Kubatana could therefore be said to be a reflection of the cultural diversity and riches of a continent which encompasses a wealth of religions, languages and peoples.

The term ‘contemporary African art’ is widely accepted as referring to art produced in the postcolonial era by artists on the African continent, or by African artists who have emigrated. While this common geographic origin may in no way impinge on the artistic direction chosen by individual artists, it is evident that African artists are proficient at cultivating among themselves social and professional networks. Kubatana means togetherness in the Shona language of Zimbabwe – a concept that is reflected in the rich cultural communities that have developed across the continent. At the same time, works produced by these artists have won for African art a new status on the international art arena.

Indeed, the rapid growth of contemporary African art in the last few decades has led to exponential recognition on the global art scene. Until quite recently a marginalised segment of Western art practice, African art today is projecting with strong and characterful voices that do not allow themselves to be reduced to merely regional and/or cultural connections. Since the 1990s, artists have challenged accepted forms of visual representation and stereotypical depictions of African culture, promoting instead a larger cultural, historical and aesthetic fluidity. Through performance, installation, video, painting and sculpture Kubatana invited us to discover new artistic expressions and significant artistic voices from a hugely diverse continent.

Participating artists:
Dawit Abebe (Ethiopia) · Aboudia (Ivory Coast) · Igshaan Adams (South Africa) · Leonce Raphael Agbodjelou (Benin) · Amina Agueznay (Morocco) · Lhola Amira (South Africa) · Joël Andrianomearisoa (Madagascar) · Yassine Balbzioui (Morocco) · Takunda Regis Billiat (Zimbabwe) · Armand Boua (Ivory Coast) · Lizette Chirrime (Mozambique) · Gerald Chukwuma (Nigeria) · Serge Attukwei Clottey (Ghana) · Ibrahim El-Salahi (Sudan) · Gabrielle Goliath (South Africa) · Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga (Democratic Republic of Congo) · Cyrus Kabiru (Kenya) · Abdoulaye Konaté (Mali) · Gonçalo Mabunda (Mozambique) · Ibrahim Mahama (Ghana) · Troy Makaza (Zimbabwe) · Zanele Muholi (South Africa) · Wycliffe Mundopa (Zimbabwe) · Niyi Olagunju (Nigeria) · Sadikou Oukpedjo (Togo) · Cinga Samson (South Africa) · Amadou Sanogo (Mali) · Ephrem Solomon (Ethiopia) · Sanlé Sory (Burkina Faso) · Khadidiatou Sow (Senegal) · Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum (Botswana) · Moffat Takadiwa (Zimbabwe)

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Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium would like to thank everyone who contributed to this exhibition. We are grateful to all artists, curator, galleries, collectors and writers for your immense contribution.

We thank Marwan Zakhem at Gallery 1957 and Macaal Museum

A special thank goes to Serge Tiroche and Africa First Collection for generous support.

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Installation photography: Nina Ansten

Participating artists

• Dawit Abebe
• Aboudia
• Igshaan Adams
• Leonce Raphael Agbodjelou
• Amina Agueznay
• Lhola Amira
• Joël Andrianomearisoa
• Yassine Balbzioui
• Takunda Regis Billiat
• Armand Boua
• Lizette Chirrime
• Gerald Chukwuma
• Serge Attulowei Clottey
• Ibrahim El-Salahi
• Gabrielle Goliath
• Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga
• Cyrus Kabiru
• Abdoulaye Konaté
• Gonçalo Mabunda
• Ibrahim Mahama
• Troy Makaza
• Zanele Muholi
• Wycliffe Mundopa
• Niyi Olagunju
• Sadikou Oukpedjo
• Cinga Samson
• Amadou Sanogo
• Ephrem Solomon
• Sanlé Sory
• Khadidiatou Sow
• Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum
• Moffat Takadiwa