Africa State of Mind is an art exhibition exploring the work of an emergent generation of photographers from across the African continent.

Artists from 10 different countries interrogate ideas of ‘Africanness’ through highly subjective renderings of life and identity on the continent, along the way revealing Africa to be a psychological space as much as a physical territory; a state of mind as much as a physical location.

The exhibition orientates around three main themes – Inner Landscapes, Zones of Freedom and Hybrid Cities. The modern African city is documented in all its dynamism and contradiction. The fluidity of gender and sexual identity is addressed through compelling portraiture, and the legacy of history, from slavery and colonialism to apartheid, becomes the source of resonant new myths and dreamscapes.

Africa State of Mind takes place at a time in which popular Western views of the continent still remain limited. By contrast, Africa State of Mind features photography that seeks to address the complexity of what it means, and how it feels, to live in Africa today.

Exhibited artists: Emmanuelle Andrianjafy, Sammy Baloji, Raphael Barontini, Neil Beloufa, Girma Berta, Eric Gyamfi, Kiluanji Kia Henda, Lebohang Kganye, Namsa Leuba, Michael MacGarry, Sabelo Mlangeni, Musa N Nxumalo, Ruth Ossai, Athi-Patra Ruga, Michael Tsegaye

A touring exhibition from New Art Exchange, Nottingham curated by Ekow Eshun.

Africa State of Mind is a project strand of NAE’s three year programme, Africa/UK – Transforming Art Ecologies, which has been supported by Arts Council, England’s, Ambitions for Excellence funds.

This exhibition runs from Saturday 14th December 2019 to 1st March 2020, 10 AM – 5 PM daily.

Image credit: Kiluanji Kia Henda. The Last Journey of the Dictator Mussunda N’zombo Before the Great Extinction Act I, 2017.