A landmark exhibition celebrating African women, storytelling, and the rise of the continent’s comic art movement
The Weltkulturen Museum in Frankfurt has opened ‘Sheroes: Comic Art from Africa’, a groundbreaking exhibition celebrating Africa’s vibrant comic art scene and the power of women at its centre. On view from 31 October 2025 to 30 September 2026, the show brings together over twenty artists and collectives from across the continent whose works reimagine myth, identity, and modern life through bold, illustrated storytelling.
Focusing on female protagonists and perspectives, ‘Sheroes’ explores the power of representation through the lens of comic art. The featured heroines include figures who battle environmental crises alongside local deities, young women navigating urban life, LGBTQ+ defenders, and storytellers advocating for knowledge and democracy. Through their work, these artists challenge dominant narratives and expand how we see women’s voices and agency within the global creative landscape.
A growing movement in African comic art
Across Africa, a new wave of comic artists is drawing inspiration from cultural symbols, precolonial histories, and contemporary social challenges. Their storytelling blends traditional motifs with pressing themes such as climate change, gender equality, and social justice — producing influential commentaries that resonate far beyond the continent.
By presenting these works together, Sheroes positions African comic art not only as a genre of entertainment but as a site of activism, memory, and imagination. It invites audiences to engage with creators who are reimagining how stories from the Global South are told — and who gets to say to them.
Featured artists and curatorial vision
The exhibition features a diverse group of creators, including Charity Atukunda, Juni Ba, Farida Bedwei, Koni Benson, Salim Busuru, Nur Cherubi, Beserat Debebe, Reine Dibussi, Elyon’s, Akosua Hanson, Katharina Hantke, Catmouse James, Ilknur Koçer, Ashley E. Marais, Ng’endo Mukii, Prince Twumasi Osei, Amelie Persson, Paulina Stulin, André Trantraal, and Nathan Trantraal.
Curated by Julia Friedel, with Vera Grosch and Chido Macharaga as curatorial assistants, the exhibition brings together a mix of visual art, narrative experimentation, and cultural commentary. Contributions by Julia Albrecht, Stephanie Endter, Nadia Greiner, Jan Philipp Kluck, Audrey Peraldi, and Heven Teame, as well as an advisory board including Salim Busuru, Nur Cherubi, and Joëlle Épeé Mandengue, lend the exhibition additional depth and dialogue.
Reclaiming the narrative
Through comics, these artists channel deeply personal and collective experiences — from urban feminism to ecological resistance — to reassert control over stories often shaped by external voices. By placing women at the centre, ‘Sheroes’ becomes a manifesto for visibility, creativity, and change.
“The exhibition is an act of reclaiming,” says curator Julia Friedel, “amplifying the talent and imagination of African artists who are shaping new cultural mythologies while challenging the gender and geographical hierarchies that still dominate global art.”
A space of inspiration and inclusion
Set within the museum’s riverfront galleries, ‘Sheroes’ transforms the Weltkulturen Museum into a space of imagination, activism, and inclusion. Visitors are invited to explore how comics — often dismissed as popular culture — can serve as a medium of resistance and social vision, while bridging generational and cultural divides.
‘Sheroes: Comic Art from Africa’ is now on view at the Weltkulturen Museum in Frankfurt from 31 October 2025 to 30 September 2026, celebrating Africa’s vibrant comic scene and the power of its heroines to reshape global narratives; for more information, visit weltkulturenmuseum.de.
