“Until the lion has their historian, the hunter will always be a hero.” – African proverb
11 artists, nearly 60 works and three new commissions.
The Other side of the Mountain brings together contemporary artists working across the African continent and within the Afro-Nordic diaspora. They explore how cities and modern landscapes shape our connections to one another and to the places we inhabit, creating distance or bringing us closer together.
The works focus on movement and urban landscapes, language and communication, and reimagined histories and alternative futures. Loulou Cherinet explores urban development and public space through Helsinki’s changing cityscape, while Ibrahim Mahama reflects on migration through materials connected to colonial trade. In the museum window overlooking Mannerheimintie, Jeannette Ehlers addresses colonial histories through a neon installation featuring an African proverb she encountered at a former Danish slave-trading fort in Ghana.
The exhibition is part of Southnord Artfest 2026 and it is co-curated by Marcia Harvey Isaksson (Southnord) and Katariina Timonen (Amos Rex).
Artists
Igshaan Adams, Akinbode Akinbiyi, Loulou Cherinet, Adji Dieye, Jeannette Ehlers, Lungiswa Gqunta, Liisa-Irmelen Liwata, Ibrahim Mahama, Sandra Mujinga, Karl Ohiri & Emeka Ogboh.
The Other Side of the Mountain
Oct 14, 2026 – Mar 21, 2027
Amos Rex
Helsinki, Finland
