Emergency art is created and shown in no more than a day

The art featured at MOAD’s latest exhibition is not older than 24 hours old and tackles the immediate issues of our time.

Emergency art is topical. It’s about untold stories that unpack the immediate problems, political or controversial. According to the Museum of African Design (MOAD), emergency art is prescient in a way that other contemporary art is not. At their latest exhibition, #ULTRACONTEMPORARY#EMERGENCYART#AFRICA, a group of international designers and artists create works that change every day, meaning no piece is more than 24 hours old.

The exhibition kicked off on 10 June and will run until 24 June. According to the museum, it’s bespoke pieces have encouraged a lively debate in every city that they've visited.

The exhibition was done in collaboration with the Danish Ministry of Culture. The exhibit is a unique iteration of work by the directors of the inaugural Copenhagen Biennale (2017) artist Thierry Geoffroy and curator Tijana Miskovic.

The exhibit forms part of the Emergency Room family of works that has traveled to 10 countries.

According to the museum, the “ultracontemporary” works are created the same day that they are exhibited. After that, a selection of the work becomes part of the Delay Museum that will be on display through 31 July.

Based in Johannesburg, MOAD will be open on Youth Day, a historical day in South Africa that commemorates the Soweto youth uprising on 16 June 1976.

Artist: Brendon Erasmus. Title: Arrest Fascist Pigs. Medium: Mixed Media. Emergency: Land re-appropriation.
Artist: Ulungile Magubane. Title: Don't cry for me. Medium: Video installation and performance. Emergency: Rape.
Artist: Nadia Plesner. Title: Insul(t)in. Medium: Mixed Media. Emergency: Access to diabetes medications.
The art is created in 24 hours and removed at the end of the day.
Artist: Koning Frik. Title: My potatoe Eaters. Medium: Oil on Canvas. Emergency: Kidnappings and murders.
Artist: Nadia Plesner. Title: Refugee Crisis in Europe. Medium: Oil on Canvas. Emergency: Refugee crisis.

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