"The Congo River". African art at the Pushkin Museum
ARTinvestment.RU   12 мая 2016

190 works of traditional African art from the collection of the Museum Quai Branly (Paris) will show next to works by andré Derain, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and other masters, inspired art of the African continent

GMII imeni A. S. Pushkina
17 may — on September 4 2016
Gallery art in Europe and America of XIX–XX centuries
Moscow, Volkhonka str., 14

In GMII Pushkin may 17, opens the exhibition "Congo River. Art Of Central Africa. From the collection of the Museum Quai Branly (Paris)", representing 190 works of traditional African art. The exhibition is not accidental will be held in the Gallery space of art from the countries of Europe and America XIX–XX centuries: in the early twentieth century, African art has attracted the attention of European artists and has had a direct impact on the development of world art. The exhibition will be held along with the works of Andre Derain, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and other masters, inspired art of the African continent.

the Exhibition, prepared by Parisian Museum Quai Branly, talks about the culture of the peoples inhabiting the territory of six countries: southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo and parts of Angola. These people living in river basins of the Congo and Ogooue, belong to the Bantu language group. But what unites them is not only the language. Their traditional art is also a unique system where all elements are interrelated.

exhibition Curator françois Neyt identified several key elements that formed the basis of his targeted study of the artistic culture of Equatorial Africa. In accordance with this vision and identified the main sections of the exhibition.

the first section presents so-called mask in the shape of a heart, created by peoples living in tropical forests of Central Africa. The forehead, eyebrows and cheeks of these masks form a heart shape. This archetype is found in the art such ethnic groups as the kwele, Fang (Gabon), Lega (Eastern part of the modern Democratic Republic of the Congo) and some others. Among imported exhibits remarkable masks, framed with rounded horns that represent the image of antelope — animal of particular importance in the culture of the kwele peoples traditionally engaged in hunting. In addition, there are masks of the spirits — defenders of the Fang people, who are called ngon Tang and have images from two individuals, and in some cases, and with four sides.

the Second section of the exhibition devoted to reliquaries and images of ancestors. Submitted traditional works of art perfectly illustrate the importance of ancestor worship for native speakers of languages of the Bantu group living in Central Africa. Despite some differences in rituals, for many Nations this region is characterized by the preservation of the skulls and bones of revered warriors, leaders, great-матерей and women, worthy of special respect, and also creating threat images of ancestors and of people who died a violent death, in order to prevent the effects of their negative energy. The remains were placed in special boxes and baskets, which are guarded by specially designed sculptures (eym, Bieri from the Fang ethnic or mbulu ngulu the cat). Some people have created anthropomorphic figurines, which served as reliquaries for the remains of revered ancestors, and at the same time, were their defenders. Among the exhibits you can see small statues of the ancestors, created by members of the Bemba peoples, who believe that these sculptures serve as intermediaries between humans and divine forces. The figures are decorated with carvings resembling shramirovaniye ornaments that cover their bodies Bemba.

In the third section, on the example of works of traditional art reveals the role of women in the culture of the communities living in the territories of sub-Saharan savannas of Central Africa. Female characters created in this region, have a symbolic connection with life cycles, new moon, the seasons, agriculture and all forms of fertility. The image of a woman has special value, because it is, in the views of local residents, connects the earth and the starry firmament, is the link between humans and otherworldly forces, as well as the most revered spirits of ancestors. Particular attention is drawn to the mask, Okoye created by masters nationalities Pune. First appeared in Europe, they are called "Japanese", due to the similarity with masks of Noh theater. The use of such masks as a ritual image of the beautiful young girl, was characteristic not only for Pune but also for some other Nations in the region.

With examples of the influence of African art on art of the avant-garde early XX century, visitors will be able to meet in the fourth section of the exhibition, which is called the "Path to abstraction". The exhibition presents the fabric of the nation Cuba, which were in the personal collection of artist Henri Matisse, and now stored in the collection of the Museum Quai Branly, as well as various types of African weapons. Abstract patterns of fabrics and sinuous outlines of throwing knives, common to Central Africa, largely inspired by the French masters to create his famous decoupages, several of which will also be shown at the exhibition. This section has been prepared by the Museum Quai Branly specifically for smfa. A. S. Pushkin, the collection of which are famous works of the early XX century, demonstrating the influence of African art.

curator of the exhibition project, said Nate — philosopher, ethnologist, art historian and archaeologist.

the exhibition is accompanied By a special educational program "African summer in Pushkin". The program will include lectures regarding the history, culture and art of tropical Africa (including a lecture by exhibition curator françois Nate), will be held concerts of contemporary African music and cinema screening of the film of Yastrzhembskiy "Africa. Blood and beauty".

Source: arts-museum.ru