Estelle Fournier believes in the transformational power of Art. To Estelle, Art is our oxygen, a window to a world of possibilities, a gateway to dreams, fears and aspirations, a mirror of politics, social culture, and our shared humanity. Art bridges communities, creates awareness, hope and poetry. Art moves people out of complacency into the beauty and complexity of a larger world.
“Modern African Art is Being Gentrified” according to Princeton University professor Chika Okeke-Agulu, in her Op-Ed published in the New York Times.
But at what expense? According to the author, “this is good for the artists, but the rest of Africa will lose out”. With this comment, Profesor Okeke-Agulu reminds us that without strong public cultural institutions, without strong government support and museums to show the art, it is harder for Artists to thrive. And Africa mostly lack all of this. “That’s because whole countries in Africa cannot boast a single at museum of any renown” according to the author. Most children in Africa will never see the work of the Ghanian Artist Al Anatsui. They will have to go to Paris, London or New York for that. Let’s not forget how lucky we are, and how lucky our children are, to have access to so many wonderful Art Institutions.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/20/opinion/sunday/modern-african-art-sothebys.html
Salon Zürcher Africa running until Sunday May 7- 33 Bleecker Street, New York, NY
Included in the show are works by Cameroon Artist Simon Binna, Paul Onditi from Nairobi, Kenya, Malian photographer Malick Sidibé, Nelson Makamo from South African, Girma Berta from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; all great artists in their own right. This second edition of Salon Zürcher Africa is well worth seeing and shine the light on artists otherwise rarely seen in the United States.
http://theartnewspaper.com/reports/frny17/our-pick-of-the-top-events-outside-the-tent/