AfricanColours - HAA - Gathering Support to Establish the First African Art Space in Asia

International Mon 29-11-2010

HAA - Gathering Support to Establish the First African Art Space in Asia
By a Correspondent

At first glance, nowhere could be more foreign to Japan than Africa. Still, maybe because of this preserved “exotism”, Japan has been witnessing in the past 10 years a growing interest for African cultures. Taking note of this trend and of the absence of permanent structure that could fill this demand for African cultural events, a team of multicultural curators, researchers and artists based in Japan, have committed themselves to establishing the first African artistic and cultural space in Asia.

Having gathered already a nice number of renowned supporters in and outside of Japan, House of African Art (HAA!) is now looking for financial sponsors. The objective: be ready to inaugurate the art space in 2013, when all African leaders are gathered in Japan on the occasion of the fifth edition of Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), held every 5 years.

There are numerous examples of the increasing diffusion of African cultures in Japan. These include: the annual two-day African Festa festival organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; frequent visits to Tokyo and Osaka by musicians like Youssou N’Dour, Richard Bona or Femi Kuti; the famous "Africa Remix" collective exhibition who came to Tokyo in 2006 after touring through Paris, Düsseldorf and New York.

In 2010 only, solo exhibitions by William Kentridge or El Anatsui, the festival “Africa Cinema”, and the Staff Benda Bilili successful Japan tour, illustrated the frequency and quality of the African art scene represented in Japan. This impression is confirmed when checking HAA! website (www.houseofafricanart.jp), whose purpose is to shed light on the African cultural activity in Japan and around the world.

Despite such clear evidence of Japan's growing interest in Africa, there is still no permanent organization or establishment that could fill this demand for African cultural events. All that exists are a few restaurants offering African cuisine.

And because there is no specialized dance or music school, teachers and students are forced to rent space for practice in private studios or municipal centers. With the exception of two small galleries located in the countryside, there are no museums or art spaces that specialize in African art, be it traditional or contemporary.

The project of House of African Art (HAA!) already received the enthusiastic support of such internationally famous names as the choreographer Germaine Acogny, the visual artist Barthelemy Toguo, the sculptor El Anatsui, the singer Lokua Kanza, the writer Léonora Miano, or the stage director Moïse Touré.

In Japan, HAA! has gathered the most respected researchers (Sayaka Funada-Classen, Daisuke Bundo, Eiichi Yoshida), curators (Toshio Shimizu, Miyako Takeshita), artists (Noboru Tsubaki, Yoshinari Nishio), and is officially supported by the whole African Diplomatic Corps.

What Will Come (has already come), 2007 by William Kentridge | Installation view at The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto | Source: Momat.go.jp

To foster the collaboration of creative people from both continents, HAA! has already started organizing events and artist residences in Asia and in Africa. In August 2010, HAA ! participated to the exhibition "Tokyo Diversity " at 3331 Arts Chiyoda, showing works from the Senegalese painter Amadou Tounkara, the Cameroonese designer Serge Mouangue, the Japanese artist Yoshinari Nishio and sculptures from Gabon.

This summer, HAA ! held talks on African Art in Japan in BankART 1929 (Yokohama), during a symposium organised by Palette in Calabash Restaurant (Tokyo) and during a PechaKucha session in SuperDeluxe (Tokyo). In November, HAA ! organized a two-day private exhibition of Amadou Tounkara’s recent paintings in Tokyo.

It was also associated with the photo exhibition by Jonathan Torgovnik, "Intended Consequences: Rwandan Children Born of Rape" at Kyoto University of Art and Design.

In 2011, the Senegalese artist Piniang and the photographer from Angola Kiluanji Kia Henda, should be welcomed by HAA ! partners for 3-months residences in Japan.

Still, to be ready to inaugurate HAA ! art space in 2013, when all African leaders are gathered in Japan on the occasion of the fifth edition of Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), fundraising and the search for financial supports are on the top of the list. Potential partners include, but are not limited to: the Japanese government, the City of Tokyo, private foundations in Japan and abroad, companies with headquarters or business ties in Africa, individual art collectors and wealthy patrons.

The most realistic option, given the current economic crisis and shortage of liquidities, would be to refurbish an unused school or warehouse, so that it fits the different use of HAA ! art space: exhibition space, cinema, restaurant, designers shop, dance and music studios, art gallery…

With less than 3 years before the opening date, there is indeed no time to lose, and the search for sponsors has become urgent. The success of the fundraising activities will enable to launch HAA ! on full-scale, and thus give African artists a fantastic opportunity to share their vision with a very educated and art-savvy Japanese public.

What is at stake? Not less than making HAA! one of the most inspiring and stimulating cultural spots in Japan.

For more information:

Prune HELFTER, Founder and Director

Tel: +81 (0)90 9146 7612

Mail: prune@houseofafricanart.jp

Web site: www.houseofafricanart.jp

Posted By: Hirum Ndungu

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