Wo ist Afrika? provides an insight into the Linden Museum’s Africa collections.

The exhibition was curated in 2019 by Dr. Sandra Ferracuti with the intention of exploring the complex concept of “African culture” historically, aesthetically and critically. The exhibition uses selected examples to show how collections have been created, how they have evolved, and how they have been presented differently throughout history.

Stories of collecting

Drawing on a variety of thematic and historical perspectives, the exhibition addresses provenance research of colonial-era objects as well as contemporary culture and art production in Africa. How were ethnographic collections appropriated during the colonial period? Where did the objects come from, who were their “collectors,” and how were African cultural products presented in former exhibitions? Which themes and questions have become more important in recent years? How do we talk about artifacts that are not supposed to be seen in public? Or those that have been violently looted and plundered?

Cultural practice: connections and relationships

A strong focus of the exhibition is to show Africa in all its interconnections, connections and relationships – far beyond the continent – and how these relationships are expressed in cultural practices. Beauty care, table manners, memory techniques, court ceremonies, important objects for diplomatic relations, mask dances – these and many other themes are addressed through selected objects. Many of the objects on display come from Cameroon, the Congo Basin, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Tanzania, and were collected during the “race for Africa” at the end of the 19. and at the beginning of the 20th century.

At the same time, the exhibition celebrates contemporary African culture-the global interconnectedness of everyday urban life, the transcontinental expertise and mobility of sculptors and glassmakers, the cultural diversity of modern African art. Wo ist Afrika? explores the history and stories inscribed in the objects and what they (can) stand for today.

Collaboration and constant change

Wo ist Afrika? takes a process-oriented approach that challenges the sole interpretive authority of the museum, presents a multitude of parallel narratives, and raises important questions about our social coexistence today. The exhibition was developed in collaboration with the Advisory Board for the Representation of Africa Collections (ABRAC) as well as cultural practitioners and artists in Africa and the diaspora and offers space for diverse perspectives, including specially commissioned artworks.

The exhibition is constantly being modified by the Africa Department and its cooperation partners. It also conveys more recent developments such as current research findings, restitution processes and collaborative projects.

Ayeeyo: Grandma / Ogbuoja: The Story of a Flute Player
Interventions by Kausar Qasim and Sett Ofili
The depot of the Linden-Museum Stuttgart is not only a place of storage, but also a potential space for stories, memories and creative experiences. Two members of the Black Community in Stuttgart visited the depot, explored the Africa collection and were inspired to intervene in the permanent exhibition Wo ist Afrika? Kausar Qasim explores her family history in Somalia and links it to objects such as mortars and pestles, which become symbols of care. Sett Ofili tells the story of a flute player in a sound installation that takes the listener on a multi-layered journey. These personal and artistic contributions show the variety of perspectives that can arise from a sensitive approach to museum collections.