Contemporary African Art: The Dreams and Realities of Identity
A new exhibition, Contemporary African Art: The Dreams and Realities of Identity, is opening at the Vytautas Kasiulis Art Museum, a division of the Lithuanian National Museum of Art (LNDM).
A new exhibition, Contemporary African Art: The Dreams and Realities of Identity, is opening at the Vytautas Kasiulis Art Museum, a division of the Lithuanian National Museum of Art (LNDM).
The exhibition will showcase the works of fifteen contemporary artists from six African countries: Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, and South Africa. These pieces will be displayed across three museum halls.
The opening of the first-ever contemporary African art exhibition in the Baltic States will take place on May 10 at 6:00 PM.
Curators Dr. Vilma Gradinskaitė and Dr. Karina Simonson selected thirty works from the collections of Justina Gižaitė, Martynas Tinfavičius, Tumo Gallery, and the Ghana Art Institute.
For the artists, whose homeland, the African continent, has been fragmented into colonial territories since the early 15th century, the destructive politics of expansive colonial powers, postcolonial states, and the deeply ingrained desire to resist them are well-known. Dr. Karina Simonson, introducing the exhibition, reflects, "African identity was not created by Africans themselves. On the contrary, for a long time, it was shaped by how foreigners perceived the continent. Colonizers told Africans who they were and who they could be. Africa had no opportunity to create its own independent identity, so today, young artists pause and delve into themselves."
Contemporary Africa is multi-ethnic, multicultural, and diverse. Many artists living in post-decolonization countries with culturally imposed borders choose to explore through their works the hybrid national identity formed under the influence of colonial powers. "By analyzing themselves, the artists speak about the renaissance of African identity, which is inseparable from the dialogue and understanding among Africans, recognizing that identity is first and foremost about self-awareness, because when you know yourself better, it will be easier to understand others," emphasizes Dr. Vilma Gradinskaitė.
In light of the current geopolitical situation, the exhibition has been expanded with works that focus on the pursuit of freedom and independent identity. The main highlight of the exhibition is Obou Gbai's painting La Liberté (Freedom), dedicated to Ukraine and global peace. At the center of the painting is a figure raising a peace flag, with the Ukrainian flag and silhouettes of the country's crumbling cities in the background. The artist shared in an interview with BBC Africa, "Through my art, I want to speak about the trauma experienced during the country's crisis when I had to leave my home. This led me to create distorted, terror- and fear-affected characters." After fleeing his homeland following the 2002 civil war in Ivory Coast, Obou Gbai dedicated his work to exploring oppression, war consequences, trauma, and suffering. He will attend the opening of the exhibition at the Vytautas Kasiulis Art Museum.
The exhibition Contemporary African Art: Dreams and Realities of Identity invites people to come together and remember that although the lands at war and the warring nations may differ, the shared desire for freedom and responsibility to preserve it remains the same. Obou Gbai’s painting La Liberté was created in late February 2022, inspired by the famous 19th-century French artist Eugène Delacroix’s painting Liberty Leading the People. Delacroix's iconic painting, currently on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris, has become a symbol of revolutionary movements, and the artist himself wrote: "If I did not fight for my country, at least I will paint for it." Over two months into the war in Ukraine, now a part of daily life, it is essential to use all possible means to keep the events relevant and ensure the cruelty experienced by the nation does not fade into oblivion.
The exhibition features the following artists: Amadou Opa Bathily, Blessing Ngobeni, Daniel Gyekyi Gyan, Joseph David Otobo, Foster Sakyiamah, Gavin Rain, Kojo Marfo, Navel Seakamela, Obou Gbai, Oscar Quarshie Nelson, Qozeem Abdulrahman Olaoluwa, Samson Bakare, Samuel Sowatey, Thokozani Madonsela, and Tiemar Tegene.
The exhibition will be open from May 10 to October 9, 2022.
Address: Vytautas Kasiulis Art Museum, A. Goštauto St. 1, Vilnius
Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Saturday, 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM