More Aphrike

In her essay “Bye-Bye, Babar” (2005), the British author Taiye Selasi describes a new generation of cosmopolitans of African descent who feel as much at home in the metropolitan cities of Africa as they do in Europe or the United States. She calls them “Afropolitans”, a global scene of first, second and third generation African immigrants who have achieved international success particularly in the fields of design, art, music, fashion, literature and science, and who move freely in a hybrid world of cultures and continents. Experiences of fragmented identity and origin distinguish these post-national “Afropolitans” as do creative processes connecting tradition, migration and cosmopolitan urbanity.

The project coordinator M.Bassy has developed an event series titled “More Aphrike”, which will present current artistic positions from Africa and the diaspora, and introduce Hamburg’s cultural scene to these Afropolitan perspectives. In readings, exhibitions, workshops, fashion shows, film screenings, lectures, and a corresponding digital platform, “More Aphrike” wishes to convey a more differentiated view of contemporary African and African-inspired culture. At the point of intersection between design, art and discourse, the project will bring the international African diasporic community together with leading figures in the African music, fashion and design scenes. Furthermore, it aims to present an image of Africa whose cultural influence does not end at the Mediterranean Sea, but is propagated the world over by Afropolitans. The word “Aphrike” (Greek for “without cold”) underscores the project’s open character of encounter and cooperation.

M.Bassy hopes this public salon will serve as an international centre of encounter in Hamburg where contemporary African and African-influenced artists can meet and exchange ideas.

Curatorial directors: Björn Lux (DE), Bisrat Negassi (DE/ER), Frank Wache (DE)
Participating artists: Xuly Bët (ML), Stephen Burks (US), Andrew Dosunmu (NG), Helen Jennings (GB), Andy Amadi Okoroafor (FR/NG), Taiye Selasi (GB), Alassane Sy (UK/MR), Corinna Sy (DE), Sunny Dolat (KE) and others