What Is Forgotten And What Remains

19 May – 29 August 2021
National Museum of the History of Immigration, Paris

Curators: Meriem Berrada & Isabelle Renard

Born out of the collaboration between the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden (MACAAL) in Marrakech and the National Museum of the History of Im­migration in Paris, the exhibition Ce qui s’oublie et ce qui reste (What Is Forgotten And What Remains) explores the concept of transmission through the works of eighteen artists from the African continent and its diasporas.

Emo de Medeiros, Notwithstanding the forces at hand, Surtentures series, 2018.
Textile, 200 x 200 cm.
© Alessio Mei

What does transmission mean in this age of communication, breaking news and so­cial media, but also individualism? What is this act that is destined to pass on to ano­ther generation, a memory, a collection of personal experiences, slices of life built up at home and abroad?

In addition to the traditions and rituals surrounding the passing on of know-how and knowledge from generation to generation, what linguistic, political, spiritual and social modes of dissemination fashion our vision of the world and shape us?

Ranging from personal stories to a broad historic perspective, Ce qui s’oublie et ce qui reste brings together heritage and mo­vement, addressing questions of frontiers and migration, of links between genera­tions, of history and memory on both sides of the Mediterranean and within the African continent. Paintings, weavings, sculptures, videos, installations, performances, some commissioned from artists representative of the vitality of African art, focus equally on exchanges and ruptures, on that which is forgotten, omitted, rendered invisible.

Running counter to colourful representa­tions of a supposedly African artistic pro­duction, Ce qui s’oublie et ce qui reste swings between continuity and breaking points, seeking to do away with the cli­chés of visual identity associated with the continent. Far from building up a uniform whole, the visual narratives of the artists are revealed in all their specificities, their facets and complexity.

To find out more, visit the exhibition website.

Participating Artists

AMINA AGUEZNAY – ISHOLA AKPO – JOËL ANDRIANOMEARISOA – SAMMY BALOJI – HICHAM BENOHOUD – M’BAREK BOUHCHICHI – FRÉDÉRIC BRULY-BOUABRÉ – EMO DE MEDEIROS – BADR EL HAMMAMI – ABDESSAMAD EL MONTASSIR – YMANE FAKHIR – MESCHAC GABA – HAMEDINE KANE – ANUAR KHALIFI – MALIK NEJMI – BTIHAL REMLI – ZINEB SEDIRA – LERATO SHADI

Watch the exhibition’s videos