AKAA - Contemporary Art Africa & African Diaspora
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Time to read 7 min
An unlikely meeting, one might think, but let us take a moment to consider the facts.
They are both part of diversity, witnesses to so much change .
For one who has known many lives. For the other, who depicts these lives with art, color, and real fantasies.
Together, they believe in the need to create spaces for dialogue, encounters and reflection around humanist values , by including the most vulnerable people in what defines them, and by enabling the discovery of works of art that question all forms of discrimination .
The greatest proof of their harmony is the fact that the Carreau du Temple hosted AKAA on October 18, 19, and 20, 2024.
This autumn weekend saw the ninth edition of Also Known As Africa, or AKAA for those familiar with contemporary African art. The fair, dedicated to “the art scenes of Africa, its diasporas and Afro-descendants”, attracted some 40 galleries. It includes over fifteen French names, three Portuguese galleries, three from Africa, a gallery in Los Angeles, one in Cairo, and two Swiss galleries.
“More than ever, we are pursuing our missions with an audacious program that brings together internationally renowned artists and emerging talents, all driven by the desire to question, surprise and move the public.” As Sandrina Martins, Dir. of Le carreau du Temple, said.
https://www.lecarreaudutemple.
African contemporary art in action
Have you ever wondered, as I have, what really creates a difference in the way art speaks to one and may not to another ? It isn't strictly talent, or native intelligence. It isn't that one person knows it all and the other is ignorant.
The difference lies in what each person has experienced, is willing to experience, read, comes across or simply decided to notice. Of course knowledge is involved but the difference also lies in what he or she makes use of that knowledge.
This is the reason why I am writing to you about African art.
This is my whole purpose: give my readers knowledge as I uncover the beauty of African art as it was displayed in AKAA.
Let's discover some of the beautiful art pieces from Also Known As Africa (AKAA).
"Those waiting"
As soon as I entered in Le carreau du Temple, my attention was drawn to Nyaba Léon Ouédrarogo's art picture “L'attente des femmes des pêcheurs de Guet N'dar”, 2022.
It combines all the element of a heavy atmosphere. The picture is gloomy, the overall color is dark, and even the cheerful colors are tarnished to make the link with the weightlessness that waiting represents.
Most of “Celles qui attendent” are seated as an allegory of the general atmosphere of this art picture.
Nyaba Léon Ouédraogo - AKAA (Galerie Christophe Person) Photo by: @oxyge_nne
Mothers and wives are like “the sentinel dedicated and devoted to safeguarding their loved ones, the pillar that holds the house together over the galleries dug by absence”, as Fatou Diome puts it in her literary work “Celles qui attendent” , which is more about the forgotten wives of would-be immigrants.
As she continues, this author elegantly reminds us that “Life doesn't wait for the absent (...) The face we find is not necessarily the one we expected...”
Rekindling culture - Beauty for Ashes
Welcome to "Traces Noire" by Amado Alfadni, a Sudanese artist whose work is presented by Heba El Moaz Art Gallery.
You see, "Traces Noire" by Amado Alfadni, is a unique perspective to revive an almost buried identity through art: The koushite civilization.
Each painting, was beautifully set by the gallery at the AKAA.
Amado Alfadni - AKAA Photo by: @oxyge_nne
A fine promise that is fulfilled through:
- The resurgence of Kushite symbols,
- The interaction between mythology and identity through painting...
Amado is committed to a mission of preservation that aims to :
- Reclaim forgotten stories;
- Stop the decline of his culture;
- Reveal it and contribute to its influence beyond its original borders.
There is a strong similarity between Kouali's artistic approach and that of Amado.
It's a great initiative to promote African arts and preserve our cultures .
‘The act of remembering can resist cultural erasure.’
Scenes from (My) life
Right now, I am listening to the amazing music album by Richard Bona - Scenes from My Life.
His melancholy voice while singing Eyala echoes the "Incertitudes" painting by Benin's Nobel Kotty.
Uncertainties or Incertitudes ?
This paint combines beauty and weariness. Every West African may have encountered another one, or himself represented here. We would be sitting on a wooden stool, with loose hands and a bent head. Our eyes would be looking everywhere and nowhere asking what to do and how to be sure about it ?
Scenes from (Our) Lives
Body, soul, and spirit - an impossible separation. Nobel Kotty of Benin recounts this in her project "Incertitudes." It consists of 9 canvases that remind us of our eternal torments.
Human fragility is revealed, without fear or restraint.
Nobel Kotty, (Ellipse art Projects) Photo by:@oxyge_nne
Have you ever tasted of the African nightlife and street food ?
The major cities have vibrant nightlife. Their diverse street food scene adds to it. It offers a mix of flavors and aromas that attract locals and tourists.
As a West African, I can easily invite you to hear the noise in this scene.
Cars honking, people shouting, busy roads, atmosphere filled with different aromas. Welcome to an african city nightlife, far away from touristy places.
The bustling streets of Angola come alive with vendors and diners, as depicted in Osvaldo Ferreira's "Algures Num Zango." Streetfood vendors offer an unforgettable meal experience.
The vibrant nightlife provides the perfect backdrop. As you stroll through busy markets and vibrant streets, the smell of fried snacks and stews fills the air. It invites you to taste it as the man standing in this painting, eagerly waiting for his food.
Osvaldo Ferreira, Algures num Zango, 2024 Photo by @oxyge_nne
Laetitia Ky - African Kitchen, 2022 Photo: Artsy
"The beauty and aesthetics of Africa's arts are a festival for the eyes and the mind"
Akan art
Audacious.
Before flip flops, there was Kente in the western part of Africa, in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire.
On 23 February 2017, the UN Environment Programme launched a global campaign, #Cleanseas - Turn the tide on plastic. It urged governments, businesses, and consumers to urgently reduce plastic production and use.
In Ghana, plastic waste mostly collects in urban areas and large coastal cities that attract trade and industry.
Before flip flops, there was Kente.
Artco - Gallery Photo by: @oxyge_nne
Kente has its origins in a cotton weave. It is popular among the Akan people and overseas.
Red, Purple, Yellow,...with different patterns generally in regular geometric shapes. Notables included the actual Ghanaian president Nana Akuffo Addo, kings, just to name a few. Kente is in every part of the Akan life on earth.
Keep the kente, not the plastic and the pollution.
‘Kenté and royalty go hand in hand, and caring for nature is also the prerogative of a king who wouldn't want his kingdom to be a dumping ground‘
African contemporary art in action
Celebrating diversity through art, Also Known As Africa;
Appreciating and celebrating a different kind of beauty, Also Known As Africa;
Initiating dialogue between the continent and its diverse diasporas, Also Known As Africa.
AKAA, Kouali was present.
Kouali N'GUESSAN
Kouali became interested in African art during a quest to define identity. She emigrated to France in 2011. She regularly visits African art museums and galleries.
In 2021, she created her jewellery brand, Liko which later became Kouali. Her mission is to showcase the beauty of West Africa's Akan arts and cultures, through unique jewellery.
AKAA ? Does Also Known As Africa really deliver on its promises?
As a black French woman from the diaspora, I enjoyed reconnecting with the realities that I know and that are reflected in the works of art. I highly recommend going with an open mind. Beauty lies in difference.
Are the galleries international or just French?
Many French and European galleries. 3 galleries from Africa, which is perhaps what can be criticised about this edition when compared with Asia Now. But it also shows the importance of African art in France.
Is it possible to purchase art works?
Oh yes, the works of art are available for purchase. You can also find them on the Artsy application, which lets you imagine the work in your living room or the room of your choice before buying it.
