Josèfa Ntjam : Futuristic Ancestry: Warping Matter and Space-time(s)
Installation views: “Josèfa Ntjam: Futuristic Ancestry: Warping Matter and Space-time(s)” Fotografiska., NYC, 2024, Photography Credit: Leandro Justen. Courtesy of Fotografiska New York
Fotografiska New York, presented French multimedia Genre-Defying Artist Josèfa Ntjam’s First-Ever Solo U.S. Museum Show on February 2, 2024, and the exhibition will run through May 2024. The exhibition titled Futuristic Ancestry: Warping Matter and Space-time(s) includes dozens of never-before-seen works.
The show, titled Futuristic Ancestry: Warping Matter and Space-time(s), will feature a selection of new works, including biomorphic sculptures and photomontages printed on plexiglass and aluminum. The show also presents the U.S. debut of Matter Gone Wild, an immersive video installation that bends perceptions of space, time, historical narrative, and cultural identity as it pushes the limits of moving-image technology. Directed by Ntjam in collaboration with Sean Hart and Nicolas Pirus, Matter Gone Wild follows the stories of extraterrestrials revolting against systems of oppression through collective struggle, offering a broader reflection on present-day political realities.
Throughout her collages, narratives, and references, Ntjam blends memory with historical fact, the incorporation of personal and family archives, and speculative fiction (from Battlestar Galactica to the novels of Octavia E. Butler) to produce new interpretations of radical liberation movements around the world, from the battle against white supremacy led by the Black Panther Party in the U.S. to the fights in Cameroon and Nigeria against colonial power.
Installation views: “Josèfa Ntjam: Futuristic Ancestry: Warping Matter and Space-time(s)” Fotografiska., NYC, 2024, Photography Credit: Leandro Justen. Courtesy of Fotografiska New York
The exhibition plunges visitors into an immersive and alternative ecosystem that suggests how disparate movements are intertwined through a global demand for liberation. Powered by mythologies from across the African continent and the limitless horizons of science fiction, Ntjam’s work imagines new possibilities for the future with a nod to the past.
“Josèfa Ntjam’s work combines disciplines, ideas and images in ways that were previously unimaginable,” said Jessica Jarl, Global Director of Exhibitions at Fotografiska. “It is a rare privilege to be able to debut such extraordinary work so early in an artist’s career.”
Installation views: “Josèfa Ntjam: Futuristic Ancestry: Warping Matter and Space-time(s)” Fotografiska., NYC, 2024, Photography Credit: Leandro Justen. Courtesy of Fotografiska New York
Ntjam (b. 1992, Metz, France) is best known for her work that blends science fiction, history, and fantasy to present alternative narratives of African diasporic experiences. Across multiple mediums, her practice deconstructs mainstream discourses on origin, identity, and race. The artist, who earned a degree from the École Nationale Supérieure d’Art, has been featured in exhibitions at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Barbican Art Gallery in London.
Photography Credit: Leandro Justen. Courtesy of Fotografiska New York
Programming highlights for this exhibition include an invitation for all Fotografiska members to celebrate the opening night which had a performance by Sun Ra Arkestra, the renowned experimental Jazz group, alongside the artist.
About Fotografiska
Fotografiska is the contemporary museum for photography, art, and culture. Founded in Stockholm in 2010 and led globally by its Chairman Yoram Roth, Fotografiska is a destination to discover world-class photography, eclectic programming, elevated dining, and surprising new perspectives.
For more information about this exhibition and others at Fotografiska New York, please visit their site here. The museum can also be found on Instagram and Facebook.
