Exhibition: Reconfiguring An African Icon
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Words Jaccaidi Dyer
Man Ray, Willie Cole, Hannah Höch and Calixte Dakpogan are all artists who have found inspiration in the mysteries of the African mask. This mutual interest forms the basis for a fascinating new exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Reconfiguring An African Icon: Odes To The Mask By Modern And Contemporary Artists From Three Continents explores the many ways that artists around the world have creatively responded to the iconic African mask.
The intrigue that surrounds the African Mask is undeniably far reaching. Artists such as Man Ray, whose infamous photograph Noire Blanche will be exhibited, have utilised the mask to explore ideas of race, identity and media. Others, including Beninese contemporary artist Calixte Dakpoga, have taken a different route – using the image of the mask to create ironic sculptures constructed with consumption goods.
Despite this curious mixture of mediums and unlikely parings, the relative intimacy awarded by displaying just 20 works should make this both an engaging and provocative exhibition.
March 8 2011 – August 21 2011
More on the Met Musuem’s Reconfiguring An African Icon exhibition
via Exhibition: Reconfiguring An African Icon, Articles | ARISE.
Ambra Vernuccio 