The Angolan Art Scene
With centres for higher education, project spaces and a thriving commercial gallery scene already in place to nurture creativity, Angola is in an ideal position to attract western collectors and investment, promoting new generations of contemporary art practice in Angola and internationally.
Angola’s presence in ethnographic and traditional art markets is fuelled by the West’s love affair with the skill and craftsmanship present in African art. Angola’s Tchokwe wooden masks and statuettes from the eighteenth-century Lunda Empire are particularly popular with collectors and are regarded as solid investments. In 2011 contemporary art in Angola is thriving.
Angolan artists naturally find inspiration in their dynamic recent history of war, peace and unprecedented change. It will be through the exploration of key themes of Angola’s history and identity that the Angolan art scene will be brought out of the familiarity of colonial ethnicity and into the constant paradigm that drives market attention: undiscovered creativity.
THE RISE OF CREATIVE PROSPERITY IN ANGOLA
Fernando Alvim
Before the millennium the lack of cultural support for visual artists in Angola meant that artists traveled to other lusophone countries that benefited from established artistic foundations.
However, today Angola presents a very different environment. Angola’s growing reputation as a cultural capital with triennials and international exhibitions documenting the nation’s heritage and future have contributed to its status as a regular fixture on the art world calendar.
The growing network of creative opportunities in Angola is predominantly down to Fernando Alvim, who has gradually established Luanda as a centre for contemporary creativity:
From 1987-2002, Alvim relocated to Brussels, Belgium and conceived several art projects around Angolan contemporary art and identity that were received by international audiences and with strong critical acclaim.
In 2002 he teamed up with Sindika Dokolo – a leading corporate figure in Western Africa to setup The Sindika Dokolo Foundation in Luanda for the collection of contemporary African art.
This commitment to foster domestic creativity has garnered international interest through its partnership with the contemporary art exposition Trienal de Luanda.
Since its creation in 2006 it has proved to be an important platform for exposure to many of the country’s new generation of contemporary artists working both in Angola and abroad, such as photographer Kiluanji Kia-Henda who says,“… it allowed us to become universal artists and not just local ones”.
Trienal de Luanda 2010
This years theme was ‘Emotional Geographies: Art and Effects’ and included four permanent exhibitions and art displays in various mediums including portraits, videos, acoustic music, fashion, theatre and contemporary dance. The Sindiki Dokolo Foundation organized and funded the event.
Fernando Alvim, the triennial organizer described the event as a ‘cultural movement’ where the ‘idea is to create a platform so that artists can display his or her artistic experiences without being conditioned by the art system.’
The Trienal de Luanda ran from the 12 September to the 19th December 2010.
Kiluanji Kia-Henda – Photographer
Kiluanji Kia-Henda explores the deep-rooted narratives of Angola’s socio-political history and its post-colonial identity through photography. Born four years after national independence in 1975, Kia-Henda is inspired by the sentiments of national identity in Luanda where he lives and works.Galleria Fonti in Naples, Italy has been the latest venue for Kia-Henda’s work, which succeeds an impressive list of group shows, biennials and residencies in China, Europe and the USA.
The solo exhibition, entitled Self-Portrait as a White Man credited the cities of Luanda and Venice as a framework during his residency programme, ‘Art Enclosures’, which specifically showcases emerging African artists.
Promoted by Fondazione Venezia and organised in collaboration with Polymnia and Fondazione Bevilaqua La Masa, the residency encouraged intercultural dialogue between Angola and Venice that is celebrated for hosting the international exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia.
Narratives of ethnic invisibility in classical art, the validity of historical documents and a kitsch yet profound aesthetic in works such as The Merchant of Venice have achieved international recognition for the Angolan artist.
ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE:
Exhibition in Lisbon
Angola – the trajectory for changeOn the 4th April 2011, The Angolan Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal, exhibited photographs documenting Angola’s political, economic and social history in celebration of Peace and National Reconciliation Day. The exhibition was hosted by the Angolan Ambassador to Portugal, José Marcos Barric.
Exhibition in France
This year sees two events in France tailored to collectors and investors alike: under the High Patronage of Miguel Da Costa, Angola’s Ambassador to France. On display, is a diverse selection of traditional arts from Angola at le Musée Dapper in Paris.
Since it’s opening in November 2010 this highly received exhibition has redirected attention onto Angola’s tribal legacy and can still be seen through to July 2011.
The second key event in the art calendar will be this year’s 15th anniversary of Paris Photo in November with the group exhibition, From Bamako to Cape Town: a spotlight on African photography.
This will be an important investment opportunity for modern and contemporary African art collectors, dealers and publishers from around the world.
Documentaries
A documentary produced by the Angolan Mass Media Ministry – ‘Angola, country for the future’ emphasized the changing cultural landscape in Angola and demonstrated the country’s intentions to become a centre of cultural investment on both the domestic and international stage.First screened in Geneva, Switzerland in Feb. 2011 – Sourced from “missionangola”
Words by Jonathan Velardi
