first word VENICE the 2017 Biennale’s curator Christine Macel Venice’s major art show had its first edition from France failed at this point in particular. in 1895 and already in its early years it opened Projects by only nine African artists were up European avant-garde art movements. shown in the main exhibition, themed “Viva African were shown in 1922, but Arte Viva,” at Arsenale and Giardini. after that year, African artists were not shown Most of the national pavilions showcase at the Venice Biennale until the 1990s. The only works by artists from their own coun- exhibitions “Authentic-Ex/Centric” curated tries. This can create an often unwelcome by Salah Hassan (2001),3 “Fault Lines” curated side effect, in that the artist thus becomes by Gilane Tawadros (2003),4 as well as the the “representative” of their country and is A Summer of Art? controversial so-called African Pavilion that seen first and foremost as the “South African“ by Nadine Siegert showcased the private collection of the Con- or the “Egyptian“ artist. Nevertheless, the golese businessmen Sindika Dokolo under 2017 was supposed to be one of these special the title “Check List Luanda Pop” (2007)5 years: a summer of the arts, also coined as were then dedicated to African and African “Art-Mageddon 2017” in some European Diaspora artists. In 2015, the Nigerian muse- 1 Peju Alatise Flying Girls (2013–2016) 1 art magazines. It was the year that aligned um director and curator , Metal, fiberglass, plaster of , resins, three major European art events—the Venice who had been in the same position at Docu- cellulose, black matte paint; installation size Biennale as well as Documenta in Kassel and menta in 2001, was the Head Curator of the 400 cm x 400 cm x 280 cm Skulptur Projekte Münster, the latter two in 56th Venice Biennale. Enwezor’s Biennale was Pavilion, Venice Biennial Germany. Whereas Venice is on the agenda therefore also the reference point in particu- all photos by Nadine Siegert every second year for global art travelers and lar for the involvement of African artists, and the elite of artists and curators in the field of contemporary arts, they have to wait five or ten years respectively to visit Documenta and Skulptur Projekte Münster. In the debates on contemporary arts, these events are regarded as indicators for the developments in the international art world. The rare concurrence of the three events invited comparisons concerning format and content, the rigor and coherence of the curatorial concept, the quali- ty of the display and the selected art projects and—of particular interest for the readership of African Arts—the appearance of African and African Diaspora artists in the shows. One has to acknowledge the differences between the art events not only in regard to their specific history but also to their profile and mission: from the oldest Biennale of the international art world in Venice to two contemporary art events that, from their beginnings, have often been venues for very controversial debates around art, politics, and public space. The resulting debates around participation and neglect, presence and absence of artistic positions from the Glob- al South, therefore sit in front of different backgrounds. Whereas Venice is (still) based on the dual concept of a main show curated by an artistic director and the individual presence of a growing number of national pavilions, Documenta and Skulptur Projekte Münster were always meant to “curate the present”2 by working along more or less explicit curatorial concepts that also often reflected topical polit- ical discourses. All three events are born in very distinct moments in time and engage very differently with their own history. The Venice Biennale and Documenta will be the focus of this First Word, since I had the opportunity to visit only these two.

Nadine Siegert is the Deputy Director of Iwalewahaus, University of Bayreuth, Ger- many. [email protected]

VOL. 51, NO. 1 SPRING 2018 african arts 1 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/AFAR_a_00387 by guest on 28 September 2021 | selection for the Venice Biennial is consid- establishing a continuity of some years and 2 Mohau Modisakeng ered as very prestigious. Discussion of the showed very strong artistic positions with Passage (2017) Three channel video installation growing number of “African Pavilions” is rife compelling curatorial concepts and displays. South Africa Pavilion, Venice Biennial in the circuits of contemporary On the map of the Biennale they have already discourse and it is worthwhile to look into the become reference points. Zimbabwe is has 3 Admire Kamudzengerere dynamics of 2017. been present for four years and this continu- Registrar (2017) This year’s African pavilions showed both ity allows for an in-depth engagement with Ink, acrylic, crayon, and glue on phone book pages an increase in quality of display and con- the Zimbabwean art scene on an international Zimbabwe Pavilion, Venice Biennial tent—such as in the pavilions of Zimbabwe platform. Showing excellent works of young and South Africa—as well as a form of radical emerging artists, every edition speaks of a obstinacy in doing a pavilion against all dynamic art world in Zimbabwe despite its odds—as in the case of Kenya. The increasing political complications. number of pavilions representing African The Angolan pavilion has been present artists certainly shows that the formerly fixed since 2013, when it won the Golden Lion. It showcased (or attempted to do so) mostly structure of the international art world that was very straightforward this year with its Chinese artists and his very own works, this focuses on the Global North and manifests focus on the early films of Angolan artist year Kenya’s contemporary art scene took itself in Venice every second year has been António Ole in a very white-cube space (Fig. the reins. Despite having gone through the unsettled a bit in the last fifteen years. The 4). Tunisia’s project The Absence of Paths necessary planning steps and bureaucracy presence of the eight African pavilions at the (only its second pavilion since 1953) brought within Kenya, their approved government 57th Biennale in 2017 reconfirmed this slow in a performative dimension—issuing funding ultimately failed to materialize. but steady process. Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, universal passports to become a citizen of The artists organized themselves under the Egypt, Nigeria (Fig. 1), South Africa (Fig. 2), the world—that was definitely lacking in this curatorial guidance of Jimmy Ogonga and Tunisia, Zimbabwe (Fig. 3), and Kenya were year’s Biennale. Whereas Enwezor’s Biennale managed to create a kind of “low budget” present with their pavilions presenting very in 2015 had ongoing performance pieces such pavilion in a decamped school on Giudecca diverse curatorial concepts. Their history and as the reading of Karl Marx’s Das Kapital, Island in the periphery of Venice. The charm financial background is another difference. this year performance and site-specific works of this pavilion—titled “Another Country” Whereas Egypt is part of the illustrious round were very rare. Nigeria was present for the with a certain tongue-in-cheek understate- of pavilions with a permanent venue in the first time, after its initial attempt in 2015 ment—arose not only from the selection of Giardini, all the others have to continually failed, with a pavilion titled “How about the artworks but also from the fact that the redefine their territory in Venice’s crowd- Now.” The Kenya Pavilion deserves a special space was very specific—simple and pure in ed urban space. Zimbabwe, South Africa note here. After two catastrophic editions a very positive sense, and thus different from and Cote d’Ivoire have been successful in in 2013 and 2015, when an Italian collector the repetitious, overloaded beauty of the

2 african arts SPRING 2018 VOL. 51, NO. 1 Downloaded from| http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/AFAR_a_00387 by guest on 28 September 2021 KASSEL A strong political conviction was also the basis of Documenta 14. Whereas in Venice, it was difficult to make an overall statement about the whole event because too many voic- es, positions, and even notions of art mani- fested themselves in very diverse exhibitions, Documenta in the German provincial town of Kassel has to prove itself in the context of a long history of very politically engaged editions. Here again, Okwui Enwezor’s Documenta 11 in 2002 has been one of the reference points in subsequent years. This year a number of African and African Dias- pora artists were present in diverse venues and their positions were among the stron- gest in the whole show. Furthermore, the -based Cameroonian curator Bonaven- ture Ndikung was invited to be curator at large in the team of Head Curator Adam Szymczyk. In total, and compared to Venice, this year’s Documenta was much rougher and somehow callow, but in the end it was a refreshing counter-position to the somehow smooth and shallow Venice experience. The loud and brazen positions in works such as WhoreMoans: An Uncivil Memoir of a Rough Ride (2017) by Tracey Rose, the complex and anti-decorative installation The Chess Society. J’ai l’impression qu’il y a une histoire d’amour entre la fille de salle et le grand noir qui fait le typical Venetian buildings where one finds 5 Ibrahim Mahama ménage (2017) by Bili Bidjocka, or the intense most of the pavilions that don’t find space in Check Point Sekondi Loco 1901–2030. 2016–2017 (2016–17) participatory performance work Carved to the Giardini or Arsenale area. In contrast to Charcoal sacks, scrap metal, tarpaulins, the aesthetic overdose of what I would call metal tags, and leather from Henschel train “decorative contemporary” in parallel projects interior; Area: 1729 square m of the Biennale, such as the show “PERSON- Documenta, Kassel AL STRUCTURES—open borders” at Palazzo 6 Olu Oguibe Bembo and Palazzo Mora organized by the Das Fremdlinge und Flüchtlinge Monument European Cultural Foundation, the Kenyan (Monument for strangers and refugees) Pavilion convinced with its clear message. A (2017) Pavilion should give space to the artists and Concrete; 3 m × 3 m × 16.3 m Documenta, Kassel their projects and intelligently frame them with a topical curatorial statement, rather than just assembling artistic positions. The presence of eight pavilions from the African continent might suggest an increas- ing acknowledgment of contemporary art and its cultural capital by the governments in the shows not only maturity in the selection pro- respective countries, but analysis of the eco- cedures of the curators but also an emphasis nomic background shows that a number of on the curatorial position as such. This last the pavilions are not state-funded and depend point is central for my experience of these on the financial engagement of private major art events of this summer. Only where donors, such as the sponsorship of the Sindi- the curators managed to link their concept ka Dokolo Foundation in the case of Angola to the topical themes of our troubling times or the Nigerian pavilion that has been spon- were they able to give a meaningful perspec- sored by His Excellency, Governor Obaseki of tive on our worlds’ condition. “Curating the Edo State. The Cote d’Ivoire pavilion included presence” should make an effort to position the disturbing presence of a room with an oneself in that contemporary moment, and illuminated painting by an Italian artist. This whereas the main exhibition “Viva Arte Viva” might indicate the compromises that have to at the Arsenale and Giardini failed in this be made in accepting such private funding. attempt by stringing together loosely con- One tendency in all the pavilions was to nected themes, some of the African pavilions limit the display to a few but very high quality were able to make strong statements­—South art projects instead of presenting an overview Africa and Tunisia with engagement with of the diversity of artistic positions. This migratory politics ahead of everyone.

VOL. 51, NO. 1 SPRING 2018 african arts 5 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/AFAR_a_00387 by guest on 28 September 2021 | 7 Earl Davis Transformation (2016–17) Windscreen, banners; dimensions variable Installation shot, “Orderly Disorderly,” Accra

8 Installation shot at “Orderly Disorderly,” Accra

will hopefully be one of those works that persist and will thus be integrated in the city’s palimpsestic structure with all its traces of past Documenta editions that serve as a con- stant reminder of the presence of art in our everyday life. Having the work of a Nigerian artist as such a reminder for humanity in a German provincial town is a huge step in the direction of debating power structures differently. Bringing the Global South in monumental form into the city structure of the Global North is maybe one of the most Flow (2017) by Otobong Nkanga were part of experience in the urban space. important achievements of this year’s Docu- an overall framework that intended to disturb Probably the most disputed piece by an menta. and unsettle experience. The curatorial African artist at Documenta was Olu Oguibe’s experiment to have a second venue in the Das Fremdlinge und Flüchtlinge Monument ACCRA Greek capital Athens provided not only the (Monument for Strangers and Refugees) Let me finally draw your attention to anoth- main title “Learning from Athens” but also (2017). The purist concrete obelisk is formally er highlight of this “summer of arts” that took invited heated discussions about the role perhaps a modest gesture in public space; place in Africa, where the notion of “summer” of the art world in times of global political, nevertheless it refers to Germany’s position social, and economic turbulence. These in the context of debates questioned whether Documenta was global migratory able to fulfill its goal of providing space for a movements. Linking political discussion through arts or if it failed it to his second by being too intellectual and abstract. Some work, Biafra Time of the multilayered positions of the African Capsule (2017), at artists played a crucial role in these discus- the venue in Athens, sions. Emeka Ogboh’s Sufferhead Original he reminds us of the (Kassel Edition) (2017)—a dark stout beer historical dimen- created for the art event—produced a tension sion of migration between art, consumerism, and branding. He and some rather had transferred the gustatory experiences of forgotten moments Africans in Germany into the form of Ger- such as the Biafran many’s most famous product and at the same War (1967–1970). The time referred to Fela Kuti’s political hymn in obelisk is inscribed his title. Emerging Ghanean artist Ibrahim with a quote from Mahama (an alumni of the Fine Art Depart- the Book of Matthew ment at the Kwame Nkrumah University of that reads: “I was Science and Technology) was invited to Kas- a stranger and you sel after he had presented a strong installation took me in,” written at Venice Biennale two years before. Even in German, Turkish, if similar in form and material, his instal- Arabic, and English lation Check Point Sekondi Loco. 1901–2030. (Fig. 6). Oguibe also 2016–2017 (2016–2017) was certainly one of received Documen- the strongest positions at Documenta 14, ta’s Arnold Bode covering representative buildings with his Prize of the city of textile covers made out of jute bags (Fig. 5). Kassel in recognition Beside the intense visuality of the works, their of the topical and immediate reference to human labor and political dimen- world trade was perfectly embedded in the sion of his work. overall exhibition concept, while their overall Positioned in public impression created a creepy and uncanny space, the monument

6 african arts SPRING 2018 VOL. 51, NO. 1 Downloaded from| http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/AFAR_a_00387 by guest on 28 September 2021 becomes meaningless. An exhibition should be group and the surroundings of the school. FOR THE FUTURE mentioned when speaking about the Biennale The Fine Art Department of KNUST just The dynamics of the global art world in the and Documenta that didn’t take place in Italy seems to be an awesome place to study, with summer of 2017 showed once more that the or Germany or even Greece, but in Ghana. a highly motivational atmosphere for practice direction of its attention is still controlled by During the ACASA Triennial Symposium, we and thinking while at the same time being sit- the major events in the Global North, when had the opportunity to visit the end-of-year uated within a prestigious university campus at the same time gems of exhibitions on the exhibition “Orderly Disorderly,” mounted by where traces of Ghana’s independence years African continent are widely unnoticed. Shift- the Fine Art Department of the Kwame Nkru- can still be traced. The acknowledgment of ing the power dynamics of the international mah University of Science and Technology this local history was also perceptible in the art world should mean, on the one hand, (KNUST) at the Museum of Science and Tech- way the Blaxtarlines members introduced us interjecting African artists and curators into nology in Accra. It combined student work to the sculptural works in the public space on major art events such as the Venice Biennale with a number of pieces by advanced artists campus. and Documenta, thus constantly questioning to create a dialogue of form and content. The My excitement for the Fine Art Depart- their introspective perspective and desta- ACASA symposium provided an interested ment grew even more when I visited the bilizing their structures. Sindika Dokolo is audience. For the very first time the conference end-of-the-year show in Accra, curated by endeavoring to bring Documenta to Luanda took place on the African continent and right- the professors together with their students. in Angola, which could also be an exciting fully so. It enabled many African colleagues Having been at Documenta and the Venice and important strategy to shift centers. to attend for the first time, and the diversity of Biennale before coming to Ghana, these two But on the other hand—and maybe even scholarly and artistic presence was thus very shows served as a backdrop for my experi- more importantly—we should continuously rich. A visit to the exhibition was part of the ence of “Orderly Disorderly.” I was walking give more serious attention to events on the symposium’s program. around thinking “This should have been part African continent as such: its exhibitions I had been able to spend some days in of Documenta.” This was not only because and Biennales but also what happens in the Kumasi before the Symposium and to visit most of the artworks were of very high art schools. “Orderly Disorderly” was visited the Fine Art Department on the KNUST quality in terms of form and content but also by an international audience thanks to the campus. We were showed around by pro- because the way the show was embedded in ACASA symposium; otherwise perhaps only fessors who are members of Blaxtarlines, a the fantastic modernist space of the museum a small number of these experts would have project space for contemporary art at the was just perfect. Parts of the museum’s per- had the opportunity to see this major show. department. I left Kumasi impressed by the manent educative installations remained in As a result, very little is written about these motivational spirit that spoke through the the room and created an interesting aesthetic events, whereas press and scholarly coverage dialogue with the well-placed art works. The of the Venice Biennale and Documenta is whole exhibition could have been shown more than adequate. 9 Installation shot at “Orderly Disorderly,” in Kassel, since there the venues in the city This brings me to my last point: In a number Accra of the art schools I have had the privilege to (on the ceiling) Livingstone Amoako space also played a particular role and were The Memories of Yesteryears (2017) anything other than white cubes. It was exact- visit in recent years, at universities such as the Stitched snail shells; dimensions variable ly this intelligent and exciting way of using Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine space by contesting the regime of the white Arts at Makerere University in Kampala, the (back left) Larry Akuma cube while giving each artwork the space it Faculty of Fine Arts at in Ananse the Wise Man (2017) Clay, chicken wire, iron rod, beads, food deserves that made “Orderly Disorderly” such Nsukka, or the aforementioned Department color, sound; dimensions variable a great show. of Fine Art at KNUST, not only great art and “Orderly Disorderly,” Accra education but also important art historical knowledge is produced. In all these schools you find shelves full of unpublished masters and PhD theses. I am sure there are not only many wonderful exhibitions we should not miss, but also even more important texts to read and think about. This for the future.

Notes 1 “2017 Will Be One of the Busiest Years for Art.” artnet News, 2 January 2017, https://news.artnet.com/ exhibitions/2017-busy-year-art-events-714185. 2 Nanne Buurman and Dorothee Richter, “docu- menta. Curating the History of the Present.” 33 (June 2017). http://www.on-curating.org/issue-33.html#. WdsbvGLPa03. 3 Salah M. Hassan, et al. “Authentic, ex-centric.” Forum for African Arts, 2001. 4 Gilane Tawadros and Sarah Campbell, Fault Lines: and Shifting Land- scapes (: Institute of International Visual Arts in collaboration with the Forum for African Arts and the Prince Claus Fund, 2003). 5 Nadine Siegert, (Re)Mapping Luanda: Utopische und nostalgische Zugänge zu einem kollektiven Bildar- chiv (Münster: LIT Verlag, 2016).

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