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The Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society at the University of Chicago is exhibiting the newest moving-image work by the London-based duo The Otolith Group. The exhibition, curated by Dieter Roelstraete and presented under the title Mascon: A Massive Concentration of Black Experiential Energy, complements a new mural commissioned by the Art Institute of Chicago's Griffin Court, which is slated to open simultaneously with Mascon.

The visual content of Mascon was derived from the films of two Senegalese directors, Ousmane Sembène and Djibril Diop Mambéty. Both of them were prominent cultural figures and pioneers of African cinema. By paying homage to these filmmakers, The Otolith Group wanted to “summon the boundless imagination of Sahelian cinema,” taking motifs favored by Sembène and Mambéty, amplifying and distilling them.

The Otolith Group, Xenogenesis, 2019. Image courtesy of the artists.

With its strong links to the Pan-African research project at Neubauer Collegium, Mascon also inaugurates a yearlong series of public events inspired by the idea that "The Solution is Human." Taken in conjunction, these events commemorate ten years of the Neubauer Collegium as a dedicated incubator for humanities research at the University of Chicago. The Otolith Group's research-based artistic practice fits seamlessly into the Collegium's own approach of integrating the arts and scientific inquiry. The exhibition also serves as a prelude to a major show on Pan-Africanism opening in December at the Art Institute of Chicago.

The Otolith Group was founded by Kodwo Eshun and Anjalika Sagar in London in 2002. Since their establishment, they have gained international recognition for their film installations and performances which are characterized by their in-depth research, dense texture, and references to the global history of science fiction and transnational legacies of overlooked critical theories.

Mascon is on display at Neubauer Collegium until January 10, 2025. More information on this exhibition and other events at Neubauer Collegium can be found on their site. For more about The Otolith Group and their various projects visit their site.

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