Ancestral Space – Translated Identities

Posted under News on 10 January, 2011

"Hybridity appears to be the accepted currency of creative expression..... I try my utmost to retain ancestral space." David Koloane

Opening this coming Wednesday, Ancestral Space – Translated Identities is the second exhibition in ‘As It Is! Contemporary Art From Africa and The Diaspora.’

In many countries in Africa, ancestors are held in high esteem and it is believed that they hold great mystical powers of authority. They retain an important role in the world of the living: they are considered to be the link between the living and the traditional gods, a guiding light at momentous occasions in life’s circle.

Traditionally, the link to the ancestor comes through the Elders’ close connection to them. The Elders are viewed as the representatives of the ancestors and the mediators between both realms. Elders impart the teachings of the ancestors to new generations, along with the gifts and the forewarnings of the past.

As long as there has been a creative process, African visionaries have communicated the vital significance of this ancestry through visual art, dance, performance and literature. In many ways, the artists represented in this exhibition are acting as a bridge themselves – a bridge between the traditional arts and the modern. Their wisdom is respected, revered and extolled. Through their work they illustrate the importance of past histories and its relevance to a future modern Africa. They recognise and walk in the ancestral space.

Ancestral Space – Translated Identities explores these links on a number of compelling levels, but also celebrates the work of a selection of ‘Elders of African Art’. Through their work they provide perspectives on the past, present and future. The exhibition aims to evaluate how young artists relate to these legacies and how these traditional thought processes can be translated to Africa today.

Opens Wed 12th January 2011 at The Mojo Gallery

Tenth Month - Kehindie Ken Adewuyi

Owusu Ankomah - Prelude To Microcon No.13

Tola Wewe - Twins