40 Under 40

Krone x Whatiftheworld presents “40 under 40“, a showcase of 40 artists under the age of 40.

Africa has long fused the worlds of spirituality, ancestry and creativity to aid communication with the non-material, divine realm. This rich seam of history and culture is mined by today’s African artists. Their work both affirms and interrogates the traditions and heritage within which they situate themselves, and in so doing, they evolve contemporary art on the Continent.

The selected works, created largely during the pandemic, address a world which demands renewed negotiations of intimacy and sociality. The artists’ responses span painting, photography, sculpture, and installation, and reflect on the one hand, a deep care for images which bind us to history and, on the other hand, an impulse to experiment with entirely new forms of expression. The exhibiting artists share a desire to create hybrid, often poetic forms that are a testament to their ability to meet challenges with innovation and sensitivity. Placed together in conversation, these artists – some of whom are up-and-coming, while others are already well established – represent a generation determined to flip the script and manifest new ways of making and being in the world.