Overall, Koyo Kouoh constructed an artistic Frankenstein. Unfortunately the star curator proved unable to supply the body with the necessary lightning. The limbs were sourced in South-East Asia, its intestants in Europe; the head came from Africa, while the torso was imported from the extensive American continent. So, even though having ticked all boxes of global presence, the spark did not cave in: the overall connections and ideas did not make the exhibition come to life.
“If one can search beyond that particular veneer, one would find a version of Martens’ critique articulated not by the Dutch spokesman, but by the individual creators of the sculptures on view. The most rewarding result of this minimizing of Martens’ authorship is that this gesture allows the opening up a whole new view of the works themselves, which have been shown in previous exhibitions but, it seems, never confronted deeply and in their own right.”
“Emerging artists (…) are asking important questions about the purpose of art and what it can achieve. Using new techniques and mediums, they are creating artwork that contributes to the socio-political discourse in the country. While the youngest artists struggle to find their voice, it is a rite of passage that certainly pays off over time.”
With that the fashion festival was caught in the same struggle; on the one hand organizing an event that made people from all over the world come to Niger and thus get to know this ‘forgotten’ country, but on the other not adhering to the strict Islamic rules imposed by insurgents.
An essay without words. A review without text.
Renzo de Pablo photographed ‘ALL YOU CAN ART’, a large exhibition in De Kunsthal in Rotterdam to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Instituto Buena Bista (IBB), the pre-academy for young, talented, potential artists on Curacao, founded by the artists David Bade and Tirzo Martha.