'Kaddu Jiggen': Representation of the Female Body in Contemporary Art

Senegal Mon 07-03-2011

'Kaddu Jiggen': Representation of the Female Body in Contemporary Art
By a Correspondent

[Kaddu Jigeen], Women Speak Out is an exhibition of works by Safaa Erruas (Morocco), Justine Gaga (Cameroon), Ayana V. Jackson (U.S.A.), Fatou Kande Senghor (Senegal), Ato Malinda (Kenya), Pascal Obolo (Cameroon/France), Kara E. Walker (U.S.A.) and Billie Zangewa (Malawi/South Africa).

^{Apinda Mpako and Ayanda Magudulela, Parktown, Johannesburg 2007 by Zanele Muholi}

Curated by Christine Eyene and presented at the Galerie le Manège, Dakar, in celebration of the Centenary of International Women’s Day, the show features a selection of paintings, photographs, mix media and video installations by eight leading women artists from Africa and the Diaspora, dealing with a gendered narrative in their art.

Drawn from Wolof, Senegal main vernacular language, “kaddu” (woman) “jigeen” (speech), this exhibition takes its cue from a reflection developed by curator Christine Eyene following the publication of her essays: “Past Virginity: Women Sexuality and Art” in Bisi Silva (curator), “Like a Virgin… Lucy Azubuike and Zanele Muholi”, Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos, January-March 2009 and “Le Gynécée hors-les-murs”, in Nadira Laggoune (curator), “Africaines”, 2nd Panafrican Festival, Algiers, July-September 2009.

[Kaddu Jigeen] also extends a topic addressed by “Femmes dans les Arts d’Afrique” (Women in the Arts of Africa), Musée Dapper, Paris (2008-09), that assembled classical African sculptures depicting women through the male gaze, namely as allegorical figures incarnating fecundity and maternity, symbols or archetypal effigies of ancestors, or royal figures.

Against this background, [Kaddu Jigeen] proposes to examine contemporary practices by African and Diaspora artists by looking at the themes, aesthetics and media they choose to explore.

Born out of a longstanding interest in the representation of the female body in contemporary art, this exhibition poses questions pertaining to the place and role of women in the arts.

Set to launch in the home country of Awa Thiam (Black Women Speak Out, 1978) and Mariama Bâ (So Long a Letter, 1981), two of the first authors of African feminist discourses, the show also positions itself within the frame of gendered curatorial practices.

[Kaddu Jigeen] will be accompanied by the publication of a special issue of French journal Africultures in April 2011. In addition to the show, a round table with the curator and the artists will be held at the French Institute Leopold Sedar Senghor on Wednesday 9 March 2011 at 7.00 pm.

The exhibition runs until 30 April 2011 in Dakar. It will then tour until September 2012 to the National Gallery of Zimbabwe (Harare), Fondation Blachère (Apt, France) and other venues to be announced.

[Kaddu Jigeen], Women Speak Out is co-produced by the French Institute of Dakar and Fondation Blachère with the support of Fondation Total and l’Institut Français.

Women Speak Out exhibition - Dakar Senegal

[Kaddu Jigeen], Women Speak Out
9 March – 30 April 2011

Opening 8 March at 7.00 pm

Galerie Le Manège

Contact :
Delphine Calmettes
3, rue Parchappe
Dakar
Senegal
dcalmettes@ifdakar.org
www.ifdakar.org

Posted By: Maggie Otieno

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