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Saturday 24 September 2011

African and African Caribbean Design Diaspora Festival

Only two days left of this amazing exhibition on the Southbank, London. Put together by the AACDD, you will find four floors of art, fashion, graphics and inspiration!

Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf,  Bargehouse Street, Southbank SE1 9PH
11am-6pm Free Admission

Juliette Goddard

Gary March

Adjani Okpu-Egbe



Gerad Hanson


Nicola Agyeman Badu Frimpong


 Up on the top floor is an array of 
fashion clothing and contemporary and tradional textiles 
 by different designers and makers

Monday 12 September 2011

Tate Gallery starts fund to acquire African Art...what took them so long!

Had a quick wander around the Tate Modern galleries on the Southbank where I spotted this painting which is part of it's Level 3: Poetry and Dream display, and again it struck me how rare it is to see any image of a black person, let alone a female, within this nation's busiest gallery.

Agosta, the pigeon-chested Man, and Rasha, the Black
Dove. Oil on Canvas 1929. Painted by Christian Schad.
image may be copyrighted
Don't know much about the artist but read how the model was actually part of a funfair side show from that era, which basically means she was somehow seen as a oddity or figure of fun, someone to be looked at for entertainment. Ironically she is still part of a side show when you consider the lack of black peoples represented within the Tate galleries and it's collection. Apparently the collection has over 66,000 works of art by over 3,000 artists, of which only 100 works are by African artists!
Now leaving aside the vast array of traditional arts and crafts, stored away in various British museums and galleries, and the arguments of how they were obtained and classified as lesser art forms than European art and crafts; how the Tate Galleries have managed to ignore the huge source of contemporary African (and Caribbean) art and artists overseas, as well as those on it's own doorstep, is sad, predictable and 'lazy'.
However I have just read that a new fund in partnership with the Guarnty Trust Bank based in Nigeria, is to be established to develop links with artists from the African continent, and also appoint a curator for African art. As a result the Tate Modern is currently showing an exhibition 'Contested Terrains', featuring four artists working in Africa today, showing until 16th October. I missed it on my quick visit but will be back to see this rarity and maybe play one of my favourite games, spot more than ten black people in the Tate Modern!





Wednesday 7 September 2011

Zionly Arts: A treasure trove in Peckham

While picking up a few bits and pieces in SE15, came across this shop within the arcade, near the Argos. Be warned you will want to buy everything, there is something for everyone! As the sign says: books (adult and children), framed pictures, jewellery, sculptures, musical instruments and knowledge!!
The inspirational owner told me to tell you, he's married!







Contact: 020 3489 9623/ 075 055 2348
 email: ras_jahson@yahoo.co.uk

Tuesday 6 September 2011

Worth a visit or two

Down in the basement of the London War Museum, can be found some of the displays from a great exhibition held there a year or so ago.
 

Made a trip to the War Museum in London yesterday, to check out the art galleries there. First visited this museum as part of school trip way back, also last year went to see their exhibition about African Caribbean men and women's contribution to the first and second World Wars. The museum is surrounded by lovely gardens, where you can also find this Buddhist retreat.


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