africanah.org

Arena for Contemporary African, African-American and Caribbean Art

Archive: articles

Pamela Enyonu: Nambi

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This brings me to the work of Pamela Enyonu “Nambi”, this project is an artist book in which Enyonu gives a sequel/epilogue to the tale of Kintu and Nambi, in the art book she weaves poetry and images to give the persona of Nambi a voice that engages with modern discourse, Nambi is reawakened to speak to those who thought of her as a thing of legend, in this book Nambi is engaging her audience in new lexicons and grammars (English) but she still speaks the language that her children knew her by.

Trevor Mukholi on the artbook ‘Nambi’ of Pamela Enyonu.

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Grief and Grievance conceived by curator Okwui Enwezor (1963-2019)

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Okwui Enwezor saw “Grief and Grievance” as one of his most personal projects, and one of his most political. Within “Grief and Grievance,” mourning can be seen as a distinct form of politics, one that refuses a singular melancholy in favor of multifaceted forms of critique, resistance, and care.

Ellen Gallagher, Dew Breaker, 2015, courtesy the artist & Hauser & Wirth

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Liz Johnson Artur

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For Artur photography is about cultivating trust between the artist and the subject. Her focus is on representing people the way they want to be represented. Documenting that in a picture is a form of conservation and she has kept her lens on the Black community, focusing on the everyday moments that present themselves.

Christabel Johanson on Liz Johnson Artur
Untitled, 1996-2012, courtecy Brooklyn Museum, copyright Liz Johnson Artur Read more »

The Art Scene in Lagos

JoyceAkudaaya a performance by Yusuf Durodola with the participants of Communal Re-Imagination, an Alternative Art School programme in Iwaya Community. Photo by VAL Workstation 2 2018

“Lagos is the quintessential entrepreneurial African city, with its international connections, a diverse culture and so much simultaneously happening. Art season 2019 was pivotal, a lot of international visitors realized that something exciting was going on. Further professionalization of the sector would mean artists connecting with arts administrators and managers, that would allow them to focus on creating art, with Nigeria becoming a globally acknowledged standard”.

Joyce Pennekamp interviewed local professionals on the art scene in Lagos.
Akudaaya, a performance by Yusuf Durodola with the participants of Communal Re-Imagination, an Alternative Art School programme in Iwaya Community. Photo by VAL Workstation, 2018

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Speak Life: An Online Exhibition featuring Canon Rumanzi, Juliano Trabou, & Anthony Jermaine

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What a timely exhibition is all I can say. And how important to see artists who are conscious of their surroundings and most importantly choosing to speak out about what they see and experience around them.

Matt Kayem on the online exhibition Speak Life
Visual: Anthony Jermaine

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