Power and Rights African Artists at Copenhagen

International Mon 04-01-2010

Power and Rights African Artists at Copenhagen
Courtesy of Thorupart.com

Child Soldier by abushariaa
Child Soldier by Ahmed Abushariaa

In January-February 2010 thorupART presents a dramatic, colourful and exciting exhibition on Power and Rights in Birkerød Old Vicarage, north of Copenhagen . Six artists from, Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan and Burkina Faso , respectively, focus on power in its various forms.

Suzanne Ouedraogo from Burkina Faso, who during a period of her life completely stopped painting, as her husband saw her artistic activities to be in line with prostitution, is concerned with emotions and power in personal relations, human weaknesses, as selfishness, pride, and envy.

She paints with violence, aggression and with harsh colours, and completely avoids anything decorative. Her compatriot, Salifoura deals with concepts such as selfishness, ignorance, the survival of nature as well as that of the individual. His paintings centre on a quest for harmony and the sustainable symbiosis between heaven and earth, and man and nature.

Salifoura’s artistic and philosophical challenge rests at the intersection of the attractions of modern day society and its short-sighted misuse of the earth’s resources. Salifoura has an ability to create harmony and coherence in his paintings, where portals and doorways often figure as a symbol of the hope inherent in the unknown and undetermined on the other side.

Bertiers from Kenya is very concerned with social, political and economic issues in Kenya and abroad, and his paintings of celebrities, national and global events are characterised by his sharp wit and humour. His penchant for news and international events has been a source of inspiration for his painting.

Even before he had travelled outside Kenya - national and international events from newspapers, TV and radio were dealt with by his witty brush. The fools, charlatans, lovers, and politicians that make up Bertiers’ work all speak of his witty perception and portray a social commentary that can be recognised by all.

Ahmed Abushariaa from Sudan fled the country when the military took over in the early 1990s. The Regime banned writers and artists to express themselves or express concern about the 20-year long war in Southern Sudan or the genocide of the Nubian people. In his own characteristic style Abushariaa shows us his deep concern over the human tragedy in Darfur , but also his longing for his homeland.

Nadir Tharani is a practising architect. His drawings ‘Positions of Power: article 9’, refers to The Declaration of Human Rights, and are a series of 14 drawings on the arbitrary detention, harassment, beating, lashing, torture and imprisonment of those who are seen as not conforming to the strictures of power - from fruit hawkers, children at school, voters, passengers, dreamers, strollers, to those who seek a more equitable life for all.

And finally there is Jes'seng'ang'a from Kenya , who acquires much of his inspiration from the late painter Jean-Michel Basquiat. Jes'seng'ang'a worked initially as a cartoonist, but it was through his work with street children and mentally ill that he was inspired to paint.

He works with the human psyche and he wants to present the world honestly, the good as well as bad. About his paintings, he says: "They are best in a gallery, where you can walk away. Some of them I would not like to have in my own house”.

ThorupART has organised the exhibition in collaboration with Birkeroed Art Society. The exhibition is curated by Tine Thorup and Cuong Sam.

Press images can be downloaded through this link: http://www.thorupart.com/tines/presspix_MagtRet.zip

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