By Tajudeen Sowole (Just back
from Dubai, UAE)
From the modest photography
pieces by a diaspora Nigerian artist, Otobong Nkanga, that were shown in the
booth of Paris, France-based In Situ Gallery, the African flavour at Art Dubai
2017 in the UAE, offered a welcome treat inside the fair’s Contemporary space.
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Visitors at the Modern Galleries section of Art Dubai 2017 |
But further down the extreme end of the same
space at Madinat Jumeirah, came some daring, bold paintings of Ethiopian
artist, Dawit Abebe. The paintings, which loomed over the space from a
distance, were shown by London, U.K.-based Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery. The
strength of contemporary African
artists at a global space such as Art Dubai was no doubt boosted by the diversity contained in the two presentations: each artist was represented by galleries from other non-African climate.
artists at a global space such as Art Dubai was no doubt boosted by the diversity contained in the two presentations: each artist was represented by galleries from other non-African climate.
Almost a similar tone of diversity was seen
at the modern section: paintings by Manuel Figueira (Cape Verde) and Ernesto
Shikhani (Mozambique) were shown under the representation of Lisbon,
Portugal-based Perve Galeria. However, the expanding space of Nigerian art - as
a leading force in Africa and the diaspora - was louder as the exhibited
artists, Ben Osawe (1931-2007) and Muraina Oyelami, b. 1940 as well as the
gallery, Tafeta, London, U.K., are of Nigerian origin.
Less than 10 African artists and one gallery
- from four countries - at a global space such as Art Dubai was no doubt an under-representation of what
the continent could produce. Art Dubai 2017 featured 93 galleries from 43
countries. With increasing poor state of most African countries, the diaspora
strength came to the rescue at this year’s Art Dubai ,
The relatively weak numerical representation
of African art or art from Africa at Art Dubai or any other major international
event of global strength is not exactly a concern, at least for now. Content,
rather than volume, should be of focus, given the rising opportunity that
abound abroad for artists of the continent to explore. Clearly, the narrative is
changing from the old concerns such as lack of space. And as regards the usual
worry of poor presentation or representation of art from Africa by outsiders,
the Art Dubai fair, so far, suggests great prospects for artists of the
continent to assert their rich creative authority on the world’s expanding art
space.
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Inside London, U.K-based Tafeta Gallery booth where works of Ben Osawe and Muraina Oyelami were shown during Art Dubai 2017.
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Two small and three medium-sized paintings by
Oyelami, as well as, one rare painting and five bronze works of Osaw
adorned the Tafeta booth at Art Dubai -
Modern. In two black-glazed pieces titled Owl and Untitled, the depth of the
artist’s sculptural energy is released through the thematic windows of masks
and wild life. Osawe, who had the Benin legendary culture of bronze casting as
a background, further extends his mastery of the medium in Head and another
Untitled.
Used as the cover picture on the Art Dubai -
Modern website, One Apartment, (1969, Oil on hardboard, 50×60.5cm) by Oyelami
stresses the artist’s strength as one of the masters in Nigerian modernity.
With doors, window blind and what looks like a kind of exit, Oyelami displays
his mastery of simplified art as a therapeutic balm on the canvas. Two days into the fair, One Apartment was
"shy of $10,000 to an Emirati collector," director at Tafeta, Ayo Adeyinka disclosed.
Also,
ArtTalks, based in Egypt made an impressive sales at the Modern
Galleries. "Art Dubai 2017 is our
first ever art fair, and we're delighted with how it's gone - we've sold 5
works, ranging from 1500 to 80,000 dollars,"
Cherine Chafik of ArtTalks
enthused.
Though a first time experience for Tafeta as
a gallery, not so for the director, Ayo Adeyinka. He was a member of
Lagos-based Mydrim Gallery, which showed master printmaker, Dr. Bruce
Onobrakpeya at the 2015 edition of Art Dubai. “It’s another great experience
coming here again, he said ahead of the sale.
Nkanga is also not a strange name to the UAE
art environment; she had a performance at Sharjah Biennale 2013. For her works
at this year, the performance identity continues, but
in photography texture. In lamboda prints, two
series titled War and Love Booty (2015-2016) and The Alternative (2005-2016)
were shown by Paris, France-based In Situ Gallery. How did an artist largely
known more in performance, attract the representation of In Situ? “Her work is well known,” director at the
gallery Fabienne Leclerc said. “We showed Nkanga’s tapestry two years ago, when
we started representing her.”
With over 12 painting pieces, shown by
Lisbon, Portugal-based Perve Galeria, Figuira, b.1938 appears to have his
strength in painting. But in a tapestry titled Beach Serenity, an artist of
minimalist character exists as he applies geometric expression in a unique
form. In fact, his geometric style is as amazing as beach experience being
depicted.
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HH-Sheikh-Hamdan-and (left) as Art Dubai director, Myrna-Ayad leads visitors through the galleries Photo: Courtesy-of-Photo-Solutions-1" |
At the end of the fair, on Sunday, March
18, the gallery recorded encouraging sales: “Works were sold between
3,000 - 12,000 USD to private collectors and there were a few further
interested
institutions,” said Carlos
Cabral Nunes, Manager/ Curator, Perve Galleria “We were invited to show all the
remaining unsold works from our booth at an institution in Riyadh through an
introduction from a visiting collector."
And that a conservative environment as the UAE
showed and sold daring display of
flesh, in Ethiopian artist, Abebe’s
paintings appeared like a shift. The works were “a great success” said the
representing gallery, Hjellegjerde. In
fact, the gallery disclosed few days ago that “we sold out the booth.
WHATEVER fresh look one
experienced at this year’s event, the fair’s new director, Myrna Ayad, was
proven right; she promised such during the fair’s preview. Shortly before
leading visitors through the galleries, Ayad assured a house full of writers
that the new era of Art Dubai was in the directorial hands of someone who is
familiar with the event as well as the host city. She stated that having “lived all my life in
Dubai and covered” all the ten editions “as a writer, except this year’s,” her
knowledge of the city and its art behaviour comes as an asset in lifting Art
Dubai to a higher level.
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Visitors at Contemporary
Galleries section of Art Dubai 2017. Photo: Courtesy-of-Photo-Solutions-12-1"
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As the first year in the next decade of the
fair took off, managing the increasing number of participants without losing
its global diversity would be as crucial, International Director, Pablo del
Val, also assured the preview guests during a tour of the galleries.
Perhaps a new beginning - in consolidating on
the success of previous 10 editions - already started as the fair’s sponsor,
The Abraaj Group recorded its first female winner, a Bangladeshi artist, Rana
Begum. Unveiling the massive floor sculpture that won Begum The Abraaj Art
Prize, a Director at the investment
multi-national organisation, Fred Sicre, boasted of the camaraderie that exists
between Art Dubai and the sponsor.
As a growing 21st century centre for art and
culture, the city also used the 11th edition of the Art Dubai to unveil one its
newest projects, Art Jameel. Another art fair? No; Art Jameel is designed as
not-for-profit “organisation that supports arts, education and heritage in the
Middle East.” The only art fair link to Art Jameel is its director, Antonia
Carver, who, perhaps, was brought to lead the project, having contributed so much to the success of
Art Dubai. Carver was fair director for six of the 10 editions.
Still on the expansion of the city as a
centre or hub for art, a growing concentration of art galleries known as
Alserkal Avenue also used the occasion of the 11th Art Dubai to launch a new
project.
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