Next Flag I – Ingrid Mwangi, Robert Hutter, Godfried Donkor

For a long time on the brink of the international art scene, the contemporary African artists have started forming part of the most important circles of contemporary art: the last Documenta, but also exhibitions in Europe and the United States attest to the growing interest in the African artistic creation. However, the latter has remained little known and is often marred by prejudices out of colonial or post-colonial after-taste. Equally, at present, there is no real museum of contemporary art in the African countries. Therefore, neither the artists on the spot, nor the population enjoy the opportunity of learning about recent international artistic developments, the latter being accessible only to those who have the possibility to travel far away or those who decide to expatriate themselves.

Next Flag is an ambitious itinerant programme of contemporary African art, realized by the artist-curator Fernando Alvim with the help of the writer Simon Njami. The project of a next flag, conceived in partnership with a dozen institutions, situated in European cities (B.P.S.22 in Charleroi, Palais de Tokyo in Paris, Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst in Zurich etc.), aims at creating a European network to enhance the visibility of contemporary African artists. Every participating European institution is temporarily considered as one of the European satellites of the - future - centre of contemporary art of Africa alongside the "main" satellite, which is Espace Camouflage in Brussels. In that way, contrary to any logic, it is the satellites which will enable the constitution of the centre itself: a nice metaphor to illustrate in a way African reality.The Casino Luxembourg, as one of the hosts of the Next Flag project, will first present the latest creations of artist Ingrid Mwangi (Kenya) and her partner Robert Hutter (Germany) as well as of Godfried Donkor (Ghana).Next Flag II, from 3 October to 30 November, 2003, will show the recent works by the artists Olu Oguibe (Nigeria) and William Kentridge (South Africa).