Fifty artists from more than twenty African countries are taking a look at the classic of world literature. The major show, curated by internationally renowned author Simon Njami, is covering the Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt am Main’s entire space of 4,200 square meters, and includes twenty-three works produced explicitly for this occasion. Taking their own widely differing cultural and religious backgrounds as a starting point, the artists investigate individual thematic sequences of The Divine Comedy.

In his epic poem, Dante reflected on theological, philosophical and moral matters that still bear relevance for the issues facing society, politics and the economy today, but also questions of faith. The exhibition proceeds on the premise that Dante’s visions are applicable to many cultures and many religions.

In the wake of a number of Africa-related projects over the past years, this exhibition aims to inquire into the significance of African artists’ work not primarily in the post-colonial context, but above all with regard to their aesthetics. The focus is accordingly less on historical or political content than on art as an expressive means of transporting and communicating the unspoken.

The exhibition curator Simon Njami (b. 1962) has organized numerous exhibitions of contemporary African art, among them “Africa Remix” (2004–2007). He curated the African pavilion of the Venice Biennale in 2007 and the FNB Joburg Art Fair in Johannesburg in 2008, and has published numerous writings on African art.

• Artists:
  Jane AlexanderFernando AlvimGhada AmerJoël AndrianomearisoaKader AttiaSammy BalojiBerry BickleBili BidjockaWim BothaZoulikha BouabdellahMohamed BourouissaNabil BoutrosEdson ChagasLoulou CherinetLawrence ChikwaKudzanai ChiuraiDimitri FagbohounFranck Abd Bakar FannyJellel GasteliPélagie GbaguidiKendell GeersFrances GoodmanNicholas HloboMouna KarrayAmal KenawyMajida KhattariKiluanji Kia HendaJems Koko BiAbdoulaye KonatéNicène KossentiniNdary LoAto MalindaPascale Marthine TayouJulie MehretuMyriam MihindouNandipha MntamboAïda MulunehHassan MusaWangechi MutuMwangi HutterYoussef NabilLamia NajiMoataz NasrCheikh NiassMaurice PefuraZineb SediraYinka Shonibare MbeGuy TillimAndrew TshabanguMinnette VáriDominique Zinkpè
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• Open:
  Friday, 21 March 2014
• Close:
  Sunday, 27 July 2014
• Address:
  Domstraße 10 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
• Mail:
   mmk@stadt-frankfurt.de
• Phone:
  +49 69 21230447
• Web:
  MMK
• Opening hour:
  Tue – Sun | 10am – 6pm; Wed | 10am – 8pm
• Closing day:
  Monday
• Admission:
  regular € 12; reduced € 6
• Transport:
  Tube: U4, U5 (Station Dom/Römer); Tram: 11,12, Station Römer/Paulskirche; Urban Railway: S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S8, S9 Station Konstablerwache
• Photo credits:
  1. Edson Chagas, TIPO PASS, Filipe D. Kuangana, 2012 Courtesy of the artist and A Palazzo Gallery, Brescia © Edson Chagas; 2. Jane Alexander, Frontier with church, 2012–2014 Installation view MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt am Main, photo by Axel Schneider © MMK Frankfurt; 3. Nandipha Mntambo, Cardinal IV, 2014 Installation view MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt am Main, photo by Axel Schneider © MMK Frankfurt; 4. Aïda Muluneh, The 99 Series, 2013 © Aïda Muluneh; 5. Zineb Sedira, Guiding Light, 2013 Installation view MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt am Main, photo by Axel Schneider © MMK Frankfurt; 6. Yinka Shonibare, How To Blow Up Two Heads At Once (Gentlemen), 2006 Installation view MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt am Main, photo by Axel Schneider © MMK Frankfur