Madlozi Gallery Presents a Fresh Perspective on African Art

WORDS Dumisani Mnisi PHOTOS Supplied

Seven African Countries, 13 Artists: The Africa Salon is a portal of fresh narratives.

Currently showing at Keyes Art Mile in Rosebank, Johannesburg – Madlozi Contemporary Art Gallery presents The Africa Salon, an exhibition that spotlights the multitude and depth of African artistry through materiality, technique and curation.

Featuring artists from Ghana, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa the exhibition is a contemporary space that discusses the similarities and differences in African cultures and practices while encouraging fresh pivotal conversations on current social matters. Madlozi Gallery also creates walkabout sessions where the artists are able to communicate and elaborate on their creative process in real time.

The powerful exhibition is curated by cultural producer and gallery owner, Beathur Magoza Baker and it pays homage to the role and impact of 2004’s travelling gallery, The Africa Remix which brought 80 artists from 25 African artists to the global art market. 

Baker highlights that the exhibition was motivated by the need to introduce new and established artist voices to the South African audience while curating a seamless conversation between the artists through their work and ideas. “I really enjoyed creating an experience for an exhibition and gallery audience that resonates with a diverse, contemporary Africa in the shades and colour, textures and resonant forms that connect with shared cultural symbols and themes.”  

Madlozi is a Black and female-owned gallery that advocates for the representation of more Black women in the art business and curatorial spaces. “There is near to none Black female gallery owners and curators aware of a pan-African imperative culturally,” she says.

What makes the exhibition remarkable apart from the artworks is how the space is reconstructed to create two exhibitions in one. Using striking red paint, Baker subverts the white cube by also creating a red cube. “The inclusion of installation-based artworks alongside traditional wall-based works rinds out the conversation between not only cultural but also artmaking traditions for me as a curator and challenges Western expectations of contemporary art experience beyond the ‘white cube’. 

The red section of the exhibition touches on tradition and culture by showcasing aspects of different African cultural practices. The exhibition opens with an 18-piece installation by Snelihle Maphumulo titled ‘“Umnikelo” (The Serving/offering) which explores the themes of servitude in Nguni cultures. Neo Theku’s powerful photo series with Segun Aiyesan’s peculiar acrylic paints continues these cultural motifs while addressing a range of important societal issues, from masculinity to labour and classism. 

The other half of the exhibition places the audience in the present day, alluding to the future in both materiality and subject focus. Featuring the works of Silas Abrifor, Washington Kirika, Lisolomzi Pikoli and George Masarira- each piece is a presentation of the reshaping of art mediums- from print to graffiti, mixed media to acrylics. All these mediums harmoniously exist in The Africa Salon while opening an endless discourse between the artworks and the theme it addresses. The exhibition will run until December 31st. | @madlozi_artgallery

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