Epochal African Art Auction in Paris

International Fri 22-10-2010

Epochal African Art Auction in Paris
By Osei G. Kofi | AfricanColours.com

Titled “Africa Scenes I”, the auction will be held on Sunday October 24th at the Hotel Marcel Dassault, the company’s Parisian headquarters at 7 Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées. The auction will be under the gavel of Commissaire priseur Francis Briest and starts at 15h00.

Bidding can also be done by telephone or through registered agents.

Untitled by George Lilanga | R.Schaffner Adiawara Collection

Untitled by George Lilanga | Adama Diawara Collection

The lots include works by El Anatsui, Jak Katarikawe, William Kentridge, Eduardo Saidi Tingatinga, George Lilanga, Twin Seven-Seven, Iba Ndiaye, Paul Ayhi, Marcel Gotène, Esther Mahlangu, Kay Hassan, Gérard Sekoto, El Salahi, Seydou Keita, Fosso, Moké, Malik Sidibé, Chéri Samba, Barthélémy Toguo, Robert Saint-Brice and André Pierre, among many others.

Art Work by South African Artist Esther Mahlangu

Gallery Watatu, Nairobi, is among the galleries which consigned artworks. It has five lots in the auction whose entry was negotiated by Geneva-based Nana Dede-Art Africa Consultancy & Investment.

Ugandan-born Kenyan-resident Katarikawe’s 1985 masterpiece, Wedding Night, is estimated 25,000-30,000 Euro. ES Tingatinga’s Great Lion is estimated 15,000-20,000 Euro. R.Chiwaya’s Gold Spotted Leopard and Friend the Songbird is estimated 30,000-40,000 Euro.

Wedding Night, 1985 by Ugandan Artist Jak Katarikawe | Estimated at 25,000 - 30,000 Euros

These works were bought many years ago from Gallery Watatu by European collectors for a fraction of today’s estimated value. Gallery Watatu was asked to help authenticate their provenance and will earn a small fee if the works get sold on Sunday. Adama Diawara, the owner of Gallery Watatu, personally has two works (Lilangas) in the lots, valued at 4,000-5,000 Euro apiece.

Gold Spotted Leopard and Friend the Songbird by Tanzanian Artist Rajabu Chiwaya | Estimated at 30,000 - 40,000 Euros

For the full catalogue please go to www.artcurial.com

Osei G. Kofi, Nana Dede-Art Africa Investment, Geneva.

Posted By: Hirum Ndungu

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Your Comments

Daniel Augusta: There is absolutely nothing in this particular article that connects Tinga Tinga to Lilanga. But for your own information - Lilanga paintings were painted by Noel Kapanda who was Tinga Tinga painter. Also Mchimbi delivered paintings to Lilanga - he is Tinga Tinga painter too. Further Lilanga used exactly same teqniques and material as Tinga Tinga painters did. Since Lilanga started to paint after this teqnique was discovered by E.S.Tingatinga, it is acceptable to claim that Lilanga copied from Tinga Tinga on this point. You yourself tell that Lilanga was Makonde sculptor so it makes perfect sense that he was inspired by Tinga Tinga and that reflected in his choice of technique and material. You should know, dear Mr.Drummer that the artists are not requered by law to copyright the art works in order to bring them under copyright protection. As soon as the artist creates anything it is his copyright. The problem is that people copy and then the said artists will have less chance to defend the copyright unless he registered. Therefore it is recommended to copyright. The problem are not Tanzanian artists who create the art works, the problem is you, who think that anybody may infringe their copyrights unless they register their art works.

Alex Drummer: I don't understand which sense such a commentary regarding my person should make. Also till now I didn't post a comment to this article. But OK, I will answer you, dear Mr. Daniel Augusta, what my opinion is. At first: It is not acceptabel to ignore historic facts. You do this. It is furthermore not acceptable to ignore what the artist left over itself and his artistic development. Regarding George Lilanga you do also this because you don't have any idea particularly about the early years. Fortunately, there are time-witnesses still today whom you should ask. Then you will find out that Lilanga never was a Tingatinga artist. At second: When living artists in 2006, 2007, 2008 and sometimes till today (this means long after Lilanga passed away) produce paintings in the Lilanga Style and sign them with the "original" Lilanga signature then I call them forger and I am not the only one. When these artists sell those paintings to dealers who know all this and these dealers write wrong certificates of authenticity (COA) e.g. about the dates or the real orign I call them swindler (you know exactly whom I mean because on your Internet business sites you call one these persons one of your "supporters"). All these connections have nothing to do with "copyrights" and it is not me who claims this.

Alex Drummer: Let me report what has happened regarding the Paris auction on which Osei Kofi reported. Only 22 lots were sold from 82 offers, this is about 25 percent. I am very in trouble to call this epochal. From the works of the Tanzanian artists were (unfortunately) sold only the painting of Chiwaya. But this for 36,776 Euro (including buyer's premium). Yes, this is a sensation and regarding the not very euphoric "mood" in the auction the observers agree that special circumstances must have existed.

Daniel Augusta: Please specify what is the content of your comment, what do you disagree about. There are just so many things which are mixed up in the comment. I would like to ask you to tell me where I declare that "a swindler" is my supporter. It is strong and defamatory allegation and I urge you to appologize.

Alex Drummer: Dear Mr. Augusta, It seems to me that you go through your world with closed eyes. Or don't you want to understand what happens around you and what damages results from the doubtful information you spread? I criticized this already at other place clearly. But apparently nothing changed.

Daniel Augusta: Dear Mr.Drummer. I agree that we shouldn´t say that Lilanga was a Tinga Tinga artist though sometimes we may use that expression exactly as we say "the trams in Prague are as fast as TGV." Though you are maybe right you don´t come with references, proofs of your statements. It is as if you was a bible. I tried to put together some literature which show that Lilanga and Tinga Tinga may have rather more similarities than differences. Tinga Tinga and Lilanga has some similarities and are linked together. Though Lilanga is not Tinga Tinga artist he was surrounded by Tinga Tinga painters and also was inspired by the techniques used by Tinga Tinga - enamel colours and square paintings. This techniques was used already in 1968 by Tinga Tinga painters (Yves Goscinny, Popualar Art of Tanzania) but while Lilanga did not start to paint earlier than in 1974 (Kamphausen, George Lilanga) The Italian curator Cesare Pipi states in his book George Lilanga - Colours of Africa, (2007, ISBN : 978-88-89298-32-9, page 136): "George Lilanga frequented the art circles of the Tingatinga school". But it is not only the Tinga Tinga material and techniques which George Lilanga used. George Lilanga used the same vibrant colors as Tinga Tinga painters. (Catalogue Raisonne, George Lilanga, Enrico Masceloni, page XII: From Tinga Tinga Lilanga has borrowed colour of an extraordinary, dreamlike chromatic potential which increase the already high degree of vitality in these pictures....). Without Tinga Tinga there would be no Lilanga, since Lilanga has used both material, techniques, colors and composition sugessting the horror vacui as Tinga Tinga is known for. In the book Tingatinga, Kitsch or Quality Tine Hanne, the art curator Tine Hane claim (2010, ISBN 978-87-992635-1-6, page 68): When he [George Lilanga] encountered the works of Tingatinga School, it had a profound effect on his work. George Lilanga did not know how to paint in the Tinga Tinga techniques, he could not handle the colour and the brush; he was a Makonde sculptor. The paintings were painted for him by Tinga Tinga painter Noel Kapanda and later by Mchimbi Halfani. (Daniel Augusta:www.lilanga.org and Felix Lorenc:www.makonde-carvings.info). George Lilanga´s art works were exhibited on many occassions together with Tinga Tinga art, one of the last such exhibition was organized in 2009 in Germany in Stadtgalerie Ahlen. The title of exhibition was: "Die Hand ist das Werkzeug der Seele". On the exhibitions were also the art works of Noel Kapanda signed by George Lilanga´s name which was highlighted by the descriptions of the paintings. George Lilanga traveled with Noel Kapanda, the Tinga Tinga painter, on several occassions to Japan and conducted exhibitions there. The organizer was the art curator Kenji Shiraishi. He wrote even a book called "Tingatinga and Lilanga" (the Museum of Art, Kochi, Giappone, 2004). From above examples it is evident that similarities exists between Lilanga and Tinga Tinga art. The two Tanzanian art styles - Lilanga and Tinga Tinga do no live separate lives but interact and enrich each others until today.

Daniel Augusta: Mr. Drummer, you are very funny. You try to convince us that there is no connection between Lilanga and Tinga Tinga and use the Japanese book Africa Hoy to convince us. But in the book you can read: Kenji Shirashi, Lilanga´s Cosmos, Africa Hoy, page 7: Kenji Asked Lilanga why he started to paint in the Tinga Tinga style: Lilanga answered: It was entirely my own idea to incorporate this style. Nobody suggest I do it. In the Tingatinga style, I use enamel paint on hardboard. This board is excellent for achieving vivid color..." And then you tell me, I am going through the world with close eyes? Could you explain to Africancolours´readers why you didn´t tell them this?

Alex Drummer: It doesn't surprise me that you try more and more to falsify historical facts. An example: In the South of Tanzania one can learn that the murals you published was painted many years after the death of E.S. Tingatinga. However, you declare this as proof. For what? That a Tingatinga painter from Dar-es-Salaam visited his relatives in the South few years ago and painted the wall there? Do you think the art experts are stupid, who have accompanied the developments intensively for many years? It seems yes, otherwise you would not make such assertions. If you want to prepare further damage for the Tingatinga painting you are on the right way!

Alex Drummer: Dear Mr. Augusta, yes, its funny, because you show us again that you have some serious problems with your sources. Till this state of our discussion I didn’t use “Africa Hoy” from 1993 (but now I will do this below). This source becomes obsolete long ago. My quotation comes from a basic interview of 1998, that was published by Shiraishi 2004 for the first time. The reason is that Shiraishi was supposed to have recognized that his former ideas about the artistic origins of Lilanga regarding Tingatinga painting are not right and the former Lilanga quotation based very much probably one a (translation?) misapprehension. However, this had to be corrected in the context of the exhibition “Tingatinga & Lilanga". There, the named interview is printed. This exhibition is all other than a proof for similarities between Lilanga and Tingatinga art. In the exhibition and also in the catalogue both are strictly separate. That was exactly the sense and the concept of the exhibition. Regarding your source “Africa Hoy” I will give you, dear Mr. Augusta, now another quotation of Kenji Shiraishi regarding one of you beloved themes “Is Tinga Tinga continuation of Ancient Rock Art?” To this Kenji said (p. 82): Then, through what channel did this traditional art form become linked with Tingatinga painting? Unless this question is clarified, we are merely dipping into the realms of fantasy regarding Tingatinga painting and their connection to rock art (end of quotation). Yes, exactly this is it… only dreams and no proof.

Daniel Augusta: The art curators, art dealers, collectors have always the need to convince the reader that Lilanga has no conection with Tinga Tinga art. Like a small boy crying in front of his wondering mother after he crossed a window glass. I mean it was you, art critics, art dealers and collectors who bring this question alive. Why is nobody pondering the question about Chilonga and Tinga Tinga, or Kambi and Tinga Tinga or Jengo and Tinga Tinga? The answer is simple: everybody sees the similarities - the bright colors, the horror vacuum, the shetani which are common themes abong the TInga TInga painters - Mchimbi, Charinda, Matonya, Abdallah, Luandala - it´s full of mashetanis here! The more you argue that you see no link the more you reveal that the two art styles are like brothers or better - twins. Lilanga was sculptor - he entered the world of Tinga Tinga while Kilaka, Peter Martin, Mzuguno just left it. Mzuguno or Kilaka has less to do with Tinga Tinga than Lilanga. Yet you call them Tinga Tinga painters. If I use a rude language in order to open yur eyes I would say that Lilanga copied Tinga Tinga painters. And he even couldn´t do it himself - he used Noel Kapanda and Hedrick Lilanga. Regarding the question if Tinga Tinga is continuation of ancient rock art - it is still question. And I doubt you can answer that within the walls of your institution. You must go to south Tanzania and do some research. The problem is that art critics like you don´t leave their air conditioned offices in order to seek new answers. All are talking about Tinga Tinga but who set out to Nakapanya to look to do some research? Nobody. Maybe because Tinga Tinga painters still there is no Hilton hotel in Nakapanya. If you explain the Tinga Tinga movement just because E.S.Tingatinga felt hundry one day and try to sell a painting, then we have a real problem to understand even that little boy who cries in front of his mother.

Alex Drummer: It doesn't surprise me that you try more and more to falsify historical facts. An example: In the South of Tanzania one can learn that the murals you published was painted many years after the death of E.S. Tingatinga. However, you declare this as proof. For what? That a Tingatinga painter from Dar-es-Salaam visited his relatives in the South few years ago and painted the wall there? Do you think the art-experts are stupid, who have accompanied the developments intensively for many years? It seems yes, otherwise you would not make such assertions. If you want to prepare further damage for the Tingatinga painting you are on the right way!

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