Oladele Ajiboye Bamgboye
dal 19/4/2002 al 1/6/2002
Segnalato da
19/4/2002
Oladele Ajiboye Bamgboye
Thomas Erben Gallery, New York
Concurrent with his second solo show at the gallery, Bamgboye's video-installation "Homeward: Bound" is exhibited in "The Short Century" at PS 1. At the same institution, the video "The Body" was included in the "Animation" show this past autumn.
The Hair or the Man (1994) and Blink (2001)
Opening: Saturday, April 20, 6 - 8.30 pm
Thomas Erben is very pleased to present the work of Oladélé Ajiboyé
Bamgboyé. Concurrent with his second solo show at the gallery,
Bamgboyé's video-installation "Homeward: Bound" is exhibited in "The
Short Century" at PS 1. At the same institution, the video "The
Body" was included in the "Animation" show this past autumn.
On view will be "The Hair or the Man" and "Blink", two single-screen
video projections, as well as two series of b/w photographs.
"Niggers are Scared of Revolution" a song by Umar Bin Hassan opens
"Hair" and continues throughout interspersed with choreographed
electronic sounds, "Barber's Saloon-Haircut", a song by Mikey Dread,
and the artist talking in German/English. Adorned with dreadlocks,
we see him undressing on a bed and stirring evocatively or moving
nakedly in an environment of lush greens.
Alternating scenes, shot
in b/w, portray him closely, head shaven. Several text-blocks such
as "Why Did I Shed the Sexy Locks" or "Self Recognition Can Equate
Progression" point to the work's content: In the late '80s, in
Europe, locks were seen as a sign of sexual, physical and
intellectual prowess. Shedding of hair, thus "becoming less
desirable", occurred for the artist during his first visit, after 16
years, to Nigeria at age 28. Demanding respect for other aspects of
his individuality, Bamgboyé's "Hair" advocates the liberation of
identity, smashing the shackles of identity politics.
Parts from the video's outdoor footage, shot 1991 on Vancouver
Island, were also used for "Blink", 2001. A subtle, luminous imagery
in lavish greens is accompanied by murmured, multi-lingual
conversations and "Oiseau du Paradis" an electronic composition by
Cyrille Verdeaux and Pascal Menestreyl. The resulting meditative,
trans-portative mood displaces the viewer into a trans-cultural
utopian space.
In the outside panels of "Birds of Paradise", a triptych of large
silver prints from 1989, Bamgboyé tenderly offers a tropical "Bird of
Paradise" flower to the central image of a nude, white female. Shot
out of focus and printed with low contrast, the work deals with the
intricacies of interracial attractions. Similarly, "Eine Reise" (a
travel), a series of 6 photographs of the artist in an unkempt
bedroom with a female sleeping, maps questions of cultural
differences.
Between the video works as well as the series of photographs,
Bamgboyé develops - through a dialectic examination of cultural
conditions - a way that ultimately leads the viewer to engage in a
meaningful cultural interaction that transcends nostalgia or
simplistic romanticism.
Oladélé Ajiboyé Bamgboyé is considered one of the most interesting
young African-born artists.
His work has been included in major international exhibitions such as:
"In/sight: African Photographers, 1940 to the Present" 1996
Guggenheim Museum New York;
"Alternating Currents" 1997 Johannesburg Biennale Johannesburg, South Africa;
Documenta X 1997, Kassel, Germany;
Mostra Africana de Arte Contemporanea Videobrasil Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2000;
"Intelligence, New British Art" 2000 Tate Britain London, UK;
"Voila - le Monde dans la Tete" 2000 Musee d'Art Moderne de la Ville
de Paris France and
"The Short Century" 2001 Museum Villa Stuck Munich, traveling to
House of World Cultures Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, Germany, PS 1 New
York, NY, and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, IL.
In addition, together with Pedro Cabrita Reis, Luc Tuymans, Karsten
Hoeller, Miroslaw Balka, and Eija-Liisa Ahtila, he was shortlisted
for the Vincent van Gogh Award in 2000 which was organized by the
Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Born in 1963 in Nigeria, the artist currently works and lives in
London. He also contributes regularly to writings on contemporary
visual culture and theory.
The exhibition will be documented on our website starting Tuesday,
April 16. For more information and visuals, please call us at
212-645.8701
Gallery hours: 10 - 6, Tuesday - Saturday
THOMAS ERBEN GALLERY
516 West 20th Street NEW YORK NY 10011
Ph: 212-645.8701 Fx: 212-645.9630