The collection of contemporary art created by authors throughout the African continent, from sub-Saharan Africa to South Africa, will go on a view outside of her place of origin. From April 26 to August 28, 2017, the exhibition“Art/Afrique, le nouvel atelier” will take place across the Louis Vuitton Fondation’s galleries. After “Bentu: Chinese Artists in a Time of Turbulence and Transition” this will be the another time, when one of the most prestigious museums in the world will be hosting the exhibition for a purpose to bring a closer look into the work from less known, or even entirely overlooked art scenes. The whole exhibition is divided into three thematical sections, realized across the Fondation’s galleries:
“The Insiders“
Fondation Louis Vuitton coordinated one part of the exhibition with Jean Pigozzi and called it “The Insiders“. This cooperation brings together a group of fifteen contemporary works from iconic african authors. Jean Pigozzi started to collect these works in 1989, together with André Magnin, by travelling throughout the whole Africa. They visited the local artists personally, tried to make a close contact with them to enable present their own approach and distinctive point of view. They created an extraordinary and unique collection, expressing strong political positions, showing spiritual and scientific influences or manifesting a scene poorly known until this time.
Collection “The Insiders“ is a representant of the contemporary African scene between 1989 and 2009. The conception of the exhibition was created by Fondation Louis Vuitton’s artistic directors in close collaboration with Jean Pigozzi. Head curator: Suzanne Pagé. Advisor: André Magnin. Curators: Angéline Scherf, Ludovic Delalande. Exhibition Designer: Marco Palmieri.
“Being there“
The second part of the exhibition “Art/Afrique, le nouvel atelier” is focused on masterpieces by artists, who are located in South Africa, including works by about fifteen artists, especially these ones, who are able to portray their countries past and future with reflection. Instead of their parents, when political militancy was the only way how to demonstrate a definition of South-African identity, these artists use a range of media to assert an national identity. This selection gives tribute to masters of South African art.
“Africa in the Fondation Lous Vuitton collection“
The whole exhibition will be completed with private collection of an african contemporary art owned by Fondation Louis Vuitton. This selection is special in bringing a view on the african art beyond the Africant continent. Artists whose skills are presented in this part of the exhibition, are manly based outside their countries of origin. Fondation Louis Vuitton entered into a collaboration with La Grande Halle de La Villette and they created a combined entry ticket for visitors of their exhibitions “Art/Afrique, le nouvel atelier” and “Afriques Capitales”.
