Art lovers wish they were ubiquitous right now: Art Basel, the Venezia Biennale, Dak’Art…where to go? Personally, we chose the Dakar Biennale (May 19 – June 21) for its focus on contemporary African art.
Ngozi Ezema, Think Tea, Think Cup III (2020), Clay, plastic, metal
And we are still processing what we saw…paintings, sculptures, installations, performances… The Biennale’s official selection – the IN – includes 59 artists from ~30 countries, and the program of satellite events – the OFF – has 400+ more exhibits. This Biennale’s theme is Ĩ'Ndaffa, which means to forge out of the fire in Serer, one of Senegal’s languages. “It expresses the freedom to transform as well as the multiple possibilities to create. Forging after the COVID-19 era, thus suggests the alchemy of the transformative action that leads to a new stage.”*
Three African Art Beats artists are part of the IN: Pascal Konan and Gérard Gabayen's work can be seen at the Musée des Civilisations Noires, and Yakhya Ba has an installation on the cornice, by the ocean. In the OFF, Saadio is exhibiting in two different venues. We were thrilled earlier this month when he got press coverage in a colorful New York Times article about the Biennale.
Pascal Konan, Mère Porteuse (2022), acrylic on canvas, 59 x 59 in
Gérard Gabayen, At Sea (2022), wood in
Yakhya Ba, Regards sur un lendemain meilleur, peut-être (2022)
Manel Ndoye, Ndawrabine (2022), Acrylic on canvas, 78 x 78 in
Back in Washington DC, Bienvenue Fotso’s exhibit Fipan-Grass remains on view at the gallery until our next exhibit, planned for the fall. Fotso chose the flowers she portrays for their medicinal qualities, and highlights in her work the importance of plants and trees in our lives and for the future of our planet.
Read here an enriching article by Yota Batsaki, Executive Director at Dumbarton Oaks, about Fotso’s work and her approach. If you are in town, do not hesitate to drop by to view the exhibit (if you haven’t done so) or for a chat.
If you’d like to know more about the Dakar Biennale, here are a few more interesting articles:
https://news.artnet.com/opinion/the-dakar-biennale-review-2022-2122774
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-61549269
https://ocula.com/magazine/features/dakar-biennale-2022-art-pulsates-through-the-city/
We wish you a beautiful summer!
* https://contemporaryand.com/exhibition/dakart-2020-indaffa-out-of-fire/
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