“Filmmaking arrived in Africa with the intended function of ‘civilising’ the African population. The way that they would do this was through the introduction of western norms and ideals portrayed in film, which was a simultaneous strategy of erasure and dismissal of African existence as this exotic and superstitious experience. The role of film in this sense was a way to render our own stories useless to us.”
He uses comedy to shine a light on the seedy aspects of modern Kenyan life. Those who do not pay attention to his message and those who cannot digest the satire tend to misconstrue his motives.
From October, 4th 2016 to January, 15th 2017, the Musée du Quai Branly—Jacques Chirac in Paris presented The Color Line: African-American artists and segregation. The exhibition concluded with an exciting day and half symposium bringing together eminent specialists in American art.
Ephrem Solomon set out to introduce me to the group of artists he grew up with and who, like him, use their art as a platform for social commentary. I return home grateful and fulfilled; the visits I have made with him have brought me closer to the heart of modern Ethiopia.
Puryear manages to make sculptures that seem abstracted and minimalist, but to which, thanks to an almost careless symbolism, he is able to give a meaningful content. With a narrative that moves one.