Bold Statements: Malian artist Abdoulaye Konaté
Fabric as paint. With all the war news coming from Mali I thought it was timely to remember that Mali had a very active cultural scene. Last time I went which was for the Bamako Photography Biennale in 2011 I visitsd the studio of Abdoulaye Konate, a well- established artist in Mali whose works have [...]
Love in Africa
The Progress of Love at the Menil Collection, Houston I love this photograph of Malick Sedibe! Shortly after my return from Kenya I went to Houston for the opening of the exhibition Progress of Love at the Menil Collection. I had co-sponsored one of the video of the artist Zina Saro-Wiva on Kissing! Several [...]
Visit to the new Wits Art Museum in Johannesburg
An old Shell gas station is turned into a work of modern architecture The first time I went to Johannesburg I was terrified of walking around the city. I had heard so many frightening stories prior to going there that I was sort of paralyzed. Three years later, I had become braver, less prone to [...]
Visit at Joburg Artfair 2012
The thrill of discovery: A young photographer from Benin I arrived in Johannesburg and it was cold and rainy. After an 15 hour flight I was wondering what in world got me to decide to come to South Africa at this time of the year for just one week going from city to city with [...]
Contemporary African Art in the times of Intense Proximity at the Triennale 2012
The stranger is now next door. The global aspect of contemporary art and the impact of new waves of migrations are definitely on curators’ mind in Europe this summer. Indeed, The Triennial at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris probes the way in which artists react to the challenges of a multi-cultural society. I found [...]
Summertime in Europe: African artists have much to say at art event Documenta in Kassel, Germany
African art at Documenta 13. I took time off from my blog and put Africa on the back burner for a few weeks while I finished a renovation and moved my home. I packed and unpacked like a wild woman with no other thought then to get it done with. Buried under boxes the only [...]
South African artist Pieter Hugo speaks about his provocative photography
Interview with South African artist Pieter Hugo by Diane Frankel. Pieter Hugo‘s museum retrospective,This must be the place, which is touring in Europe, is bringing him lots of attention. Hugo was born in Cape Town in 1976 where he resides now. Trained as a photojournalist he now favors portraiture. He chooses to focus his lens on [...]
British Nigerian Filmmaker Zina Saro-Wiwa embraces her naturally kinky hair. See video
Front page of the NYTtimes: Video of Zina Saro-Wiwa championing Self -Acceptance In the New York Times last Friday, filmmaker Zina Saro-Wiwa presented an op-Doc on black women’s decision to embrace their naturally kinky hair, rather then use chemical straighteners. I think non black women could all use a little return to naturalness in their [...]
Interview with South African artist Nandipha Mntambo
Nandipha Mntambo’s hauntingly beautiful sculptures made out of cowhide. Video by Diane Frankel Nandipha Mntambo, born in Swaziland in 1982 and raised in South Africa, is a sculptor who has made cowhide her medium of choice. Her choice is informed on one hand by a childhood dream where she found herself left with a pile [...]
The Power of Art in South Africa: Brett Murray’s painting SPEAR defaced
Brett Murray‘s exhibition at the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg has provoked an intense controversy over the artist’s right to free expression. His painting Spear which portrays President Zuma with his genitals spilling out of his pants was defaced because it was considered too provocative, offensive, and racist by some outraged viewers. A resolution was reached [...]
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