ZURICH.- Anthracite Art, a new modern and contemporary art and design space in Zurich, opens its doors with its inaugural exhibition Ex Situ: A snapshot of Contemporary South African Abstraction. The new hybrid art space is on a mission to bring diverse global perspectives into focus, providing a platform for exploration, engagement, and the appreciation of innovative artistic practices.
Ebba Wallmén, founder and curator of Anthracite Art, is curating this debut exhibition alongside Hamzeh Alfarahneh, a Cape Town based practitioner and principle of Art(Advisory), a firm that advocates for the arts of the Global Majority. The exhibition explores the rich diversity of South African abstraction, offering viewers a fresh perspective on non-figurative African art, focusing on themes of extractionism, expressionism, and geometric abstraction. Anthracite will also exhibit the Dune lights by Moss Objects, and contemporary handmade pieces from Mexico by Basalto Collective.
"Anthracite was created to amplify diverse voices by giving them a platform on the Zurich market,” says Ebba Wallmén, founder of Anthracite Art. “In a space intentionally stripped back to let the art take centre stage, we’re creating a venue where emerging and established talents from around the world can engage audiences in fresh, boundary-crossing dialogue."
The exhibition invites viewers to rethink familiar narratives around African art, challenging assumptions and fostering a fresh perspective on contemporary abstraction. The exhibition not only points at the rich legacy of abstraction in Africa but emphasises the contemporary nature of the works, capturing a current pulse of the South African abstraction discourse, reflecting the dynamic and evolving conversations within this space.
“Ex Situ addresses the oversaturation of figurative African art in the European and Swiss art scenes, providing a critical counterpoint while fostering deeper engagement and dialogue between these two artistic ecologies, both commercially and institutionally.” says Hamzeh Alfarahneh, principle of Art(Advisory) and co-curator of Ex Situ.
Some of the featured artists are represented by Stevenson, Goodman, and Whatiftheworld galleries, and include Bella Knemeyer, Bronwyn Katz, Inga Somdyala, Mawande Ka Zenzile, Penny Siopis, Sam Nhlengethwa, Unathi Mkonto, Zander Blom. The immersive exhibition will run from 21st November 2024 until 16th February 2025 in the Enge district in Zurich with art prices ranging from CHF 1,000 to CHF 30,000, offering an accessible entry point into meaningful, collectible art.
Zurich is an increasingly attractive location for the art world, with over 150 commercial galleries and the annual Zurich Art Weekend preceding the globally renowned Art Basel. The next Anthracite exhibitions will reflect founder Ebba Wallmén’s Scandinavian roots, featuring contemporary Scandinavian artists, midcentury design, and ceramics, followed by mixed exhibitions exploring Polish and Thai origins.
