Ever since mankind has roamed the earth, African art has been an ongoing story. Over the centuries, certain art forms may have disappeared but new ones always took the forefront. The Berardo Collection presents the public with a survey of African art from all quarters of the continent and spanning several centuries. This collection has been assembled over many years and contains both ancient and contemporary art from Africa.
The exhibition starts with a survey of an old, indeed archaeological, production of funerary ceramic figures from the Bura-Asinda-Sika culture in Niger. The society from which these figures hail may have ceased to exist, but the artistic remains of that culture continue to amaze us. Most impressive are the male terracotta figures which seem to indicate that these people wore distinctive tattoo markings. An attempt has been made in the exhibition to give the viewer an impression of the actual site where the terracottas were found. The peoples in current-day Africa have, of course, also given shape to their beliefs in an artistically impressive manner. Statues and masks, weapons, prestige items, objects for everyday use and many more are witness to the imagination of their makers and users. For the benefit of the visitors, this part of the exhibition has been divided up in two parts. To wit, one part dealing with (formerly) non-Portuguese Africa and one part with (formerly) Portuguese Africa. Not all the peoples of Africa are as yet represented in The Berardo Collection, but the present display gives an excellent overview of what has been – and still is – achieved artistically all over the continent.
Although many of the traditional artistic expressions are still very much alive in Africa today, new art forms have also come to flourish. Some artists, such as Cherno T. Camará from Guinea-Bissau, have opted to continue with their local art – albeit for the benefit of interested outsiders. More particularly, this artist has reproduced the masks and statues that were – and still are – used by local societies. Others, such as the Makonde sculptors from Mozambique and Tanzania, embarked on the production of totally new forms with a traditional subject matter. Their shetani and ujamaa sculptures are a vivid portrayal of the beliefs that are very much alive today. Finally, the stone sculptors from Zimbabwe not only expressed themselves in a new medium, they also chose a totally new thematic subject. Over the years, many artists have become known internationally. Yet, what is on display here are works of art that date to the very first years of that art movement and that come from Tengenenge – one of the cradles of Zimbabwean stone sculpture.
Much more art is still being made on the African continent and this despite all the difficulties experienced by the local people. This only goes to show that art making surely must be a primal function of mankind.
The exhibition will be open to the public at the Galeria Pátio da Galé (Terreiro do Paço, Lisbon) from Tuesday 27 October 2009 until Sunday 7 February 2010
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