Recent Exhibitions of African Art

(4th February ~ 20th March, 1999)

New Colours from Old Worlds:
Contemporary Art from West Africa.

El Anatsui: Undercurrents, 1993,  oyili-oji, opepe & camwood  77 x 118 cm.
Price: £2,900.00

New Colours from Old Worlds: Contemporary Art from West Africa focused on some of Africa’s most exciting and outstanding of contemporary artists. Most notably these include the Ghanaian sculptor, El Anatsui, who is emerging as one of Africa’s leading sculptors, and whose recent solo exhibition at the October Gallery was accompanied by the publication of a book: El Anatsui: A Sculpted History of Africa. Two large wooden sculptures Split Personality and Man Resplendent Pissing Around the World - so far unshown in the UK, formed the centre-pieces of the exhibition. Besides these central installations four other works in wood by the same artist were to be found on the walls. There were also four pieces, including two of his most recent work, by Ablade Glover, whose thickly impastoed work with the palette knife reflects the vibrant colours of  the Ghanaian marketplace; work by Twins Seven Seven, one of Nigeria’s best-known painters and musicians; new work by Emmanuel Taiwo Jegede (UK/Nigeria), sculptor, poet, painter and musician; silk thread talismans and charms that are considered by Chief Z. O. Oloruntoba to be powerful incantations to the spirits and new work by Tunde Odunlade comprising large-scale pieces of batik stitched in relief on African cloth. This was wonderful work on thick handmade paper that has a unique and highly sensuous tactile quality. The above artists have all been exhibited by the Gallery before, but the striking work of Henrietta Atooma Alele, from the West Niger Delta region, who contributed two oil paintings on canvas, was exhibited for the first time.