Savannah College of Art and Design

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'The Divine Comedy - Heaven, Hell, Purgatory revisited by Contemporary African Artists'

‘The Divine Comedy: Heaven, Purgatory and Hell Revisited by Contemporary African Artists' explores thematic sequences of Dante Aligheiri’s epic poem through new works by more than 40 contemporary artists from 19 African countries, as well as the African diaspora. Through a variety of media, the exhibition demonstrates how concepts visited in Dante’s poem transcend Western traditions and resonate with diverse contemporary cultures, belief systems and political issues. Overall, the exhibition provides a probing examination of life, death and continued power of art to express the unspoken and intangible.

“The concern here is not with the Divine Comedy or Dante,” explained Njami, “but with something truly universal. Something that touches us all to the very core, regardless of our beliefs or convictions: our relationship to the afterlife. In other words, it’s about our relationship to life and — thus — also to death.”

Originally presented by the Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt/Main (MMK) in Frankfurt, Germany, earlier this year, the SCAD Museum of Art’s presentation will include several works not previously exhibited: neon work by Kendell Geers, a photo series by Youseff Nabil, large-scale works on paper by Christine Beatrice Dixie, a sound installation by Frances Goodman incorporating bridal fabrics cascading from the ceiling, an outdoor calligraphy garden by Moataz Nasr and a collage by Wangechi Mutu.

“The exhibition creates a powerful and culturally-layered dialogue between timeless questions and the voices of exceptional contemporary artists,” said Laurie Ann Farrell, SCAD executive director of exhibitions and organizer of the exhibition who previously served as a curator at the Museum of African Art in New York. “Our hope is that it will inspire the SCAD community of artists and designers, the Savannah community, and audiences from around the world to consider significant philosophical and ethical questions from entirely new and varied perspectives.”

Following the SCAD Museum of Art, the exhibition will travel to the National Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Featured Artists

Jane Alexander (South Africa)
Ghada Amer (Egypt)
Joël Andrianomearisoa (Madagascar)
Kader Attia (France)
Bili Bidjocka (Cameroon)
Wim Botha (South Africa)
Zoulikha Bouabdellah (Russia)
Mohamed Bourouissa (Algeria)
Edson Chagas (Angola)
Kudzanai Chiurai (Zimbabwe)

Christine Beatrice Dixie (South Africa)

Dimitri Fagbohoun (Benin)

Franck Abd-Bakar Fanny (Ivory Coast)

Jellel Gasteli (Tunisia)
Kendell Geers (South Africa)
Frances Goodman (South Africa)
Nicholas Hlobo (South Africa)
Mouna Karray (Tunisia)
Amal Kenawy (Egypt)
Kiluanji Kia Henda (Angola)
Jems Robert Koko Bi (Ivory Coast)
Abdoulaye Konaté (Mali)
Ndary Lo (Senegal)
Ato Malinda (Kenya)
Pascale Marthine Tayou (Cameroon)
Julie Mehretu (Ethiopia)
Myriam Mihindou (Gabon)
Nandipha Mntambo (Swaziland)
Aïda Muluneh (Ethiopia)
Hassan Musa (Sudan)
Wangechi Mutu (Kenya)
Mwangi Hutter (Kenya, Germany)
Youssef Nabil (Egypt)
Lamia Naji (Marocco)
Moataz Nasr (Egypt)
Cheikh Niass (Senegal)
Maurice Pefura (France)
Zineb Sedira (France)
Yinka Shonibare, MBE (England, Nigeria)
Guy Tillim (South Africa)
Andrew Tshabangu (South Africa)
Minnette Vári (South Africa)

16 October 2014 - 25 January 2015

Hlobo and Siopis on 'Wild is the Wind,' Savannah, Georgia

Paying homage to the 1957 American standard 'Wild is the Wind', made popular over several decades by musical icons including Johnny Mathis, David Bowie, George Michael, Cat Power and Nina Simone, this exhibition brings together a collection of recently produced work that resonates in with this tune. The song lyrics make an appeal for love, intimacy, escapism and transcendence as love is like the wind, and wild is the wind.

Similarly, each work in the exhibition offers poetic visual and emotive moments through the exploration of translation, fantasy, epic voyages, and engagements with melancholia. Artists include Ghada Amer, Lara Baladi, Kiluanji Kia Henda, Nicholas Hlobo, Odili Donald Odita, Zineb Sedira and Penny Siopis.

'Wild is the Wind' has been organized as part of the Africa on My Mind: Contemporary Art, Home and Abroad exhibition series held in conjunction with SCAD's third biennial art history symposium.

11 January 2010 - 28 February 2010