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The vue from inside Things to see at Vues d'Afrique by KEITH MARCHAND
Africa and Democracy: Photography In 1994, 13 photojournalists from 10 West African countries joined together to form UPHAO (l'Union des photojournalistes de l'Afrique de l'Ouest), a group dedicated to portraying their continent and its experiences with democracy from the insiders' point of view. The photographs cover a broad range of subjects, such as views of Islam and Christianity in Guinea, traditional chiefs in Burkina Faso, official talks between the Malian government and the legendary and notoriously fierce Tuareg people and the role of women in the democratic process in Africa. These are photographs of Africa by Africans, not by some pasty, knobby-kneed anthropologists in pith helmets or some exotica-seeking members of the National Geographic society. Moussa Sene Absa: Painting Moussa Sene Absa is what you would call a renaissance man. Author, comedian, film director, script writer and painter, this year he shows his third feature-length film at the festival: Tableau Ferraille. Moussa's painted work is abstract and vibrant without any convention or preconceived order. It is interesting to note that no matter how "loose" the paintings get, they remain easily identifiable as African. Moussa himself claims (in his artist's statement) that because he is representing his dreams, he is also unavoidably representing his childhood, his passions and consequently, his continent and his people. Makonde Sculpture I'm gonna make this one short and sweet. The Makonde are a people who come (principally) from south-west Tanzania and make some of the most extraordinary sculpture you are likely to ever see. They can do things with ebony that no one else can and subsequently, their art has become aggressively sought after. Don't miss the boat on this one. Hanafi: Painting Since 1968, the Tunisian-born Hanafi has exhibited all over the world, and museums in places such as France, the U.S., Germany and Canada (Museum of Civilization, Ottawa) have his work (which I will reluctantly call naïve) in their collections. He has become known for his depictions of everyday life in his native country, exhibiting a keen eye for detail and a pretty decent sense of humour. For more info on Vues d'Afrique: 284-3322 or www. vuesdafrique.org |
This year marks the 13th anniversary of the festival Vues d'Afrique, in which African and Creole culture is showcased not only in Montreal, but throughout Quebec and in Toronto and Vancouver as well. There are 10 exhibitions devoted to the visual arts happening around town, and the following are only a few suggestions among the many shows that are involved with the festival.