An exhibition at the Musée du Quai Branly- Jacques Chirac
Virtual opening on 21 February 2021!
Africa Reborn features more than 150 works by contemporary artists, women and men, of all generations and origins. This unique exhibition invites the spectator to decipher the relationship between the contemporary African scene and ancient African arts. This unprecedented dialogue between old and new has been imagined by Philippe Dagen, curator of the exhibition. Between photography, sculpture, painting and installation, this exhibition opens up the boundaries of possibilities and dismantles preconceived ideas.
While all the museums are closed, the opening of the Africa Reborn exhibition at the Musée du Quai Branly will take place on 21 February on Culturebox, France Télévisions’ ephemeral channel. Never did before in the art world!
© Matthieu Lombard, courtesy Gervanne and Matthias Leridon
The Gervanne and Matthias Leridon Collection would like to thank the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac for its request for the loan of the work Electrician by the famous Beninese contemporary artist Calixte Dakpogan. This work takes on its full meaning in the Africa Reborn exhibition.
Indeed, Calixte Dakpogan’s contemporary creation, Electrician, takes up ancient references linked to the so-called “classical” African arts, demonstrating with accuracy the extent to which these arts are still present and active. Inspired by Fon statues from the beginning of the 19th century and by voodoo, Calixte Dakpogan creates sculptures and masks from recycled materials in metal and plastic, to which everyday objects are sometimes added. Once welded or meticulously assembled, these various elements give life to sets that are sometimes anthropomorphic, sometimes zoomorphic. One only has to look at one of his loan creations to realise the amazing inventiveness of this Beninese artist, who creates faces through the colourful accumulation of heterogeneous elements.
© Matthieu Lombard, courtesy Gervanne and Matthias Leridon
Lear, more about the Africa Reborn exhibition
Virtual opening of the exhibition, 21 February 2021 at 9 pm, channel 19 of the TNT and France.TV