My favorite aunt and uncle were recently in town. I hosted them for breakfast, and scammed an invitation for dinner with them at G-town's La Chaumiere. It was a lovely evening - delicious food and good conversation. As NYC public school teachers and former Peace Corps Volunteers (like me), our conversations often turn to some my favorite topics - art, reading, travel, the NY Times, the state of public education, cooking, etc.
On this trip to DC, they spent the day at the museums, and this exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of Africa Art sounds just wonderful. I have always been vexed that the museum did not feature more contemporary African (and diaspora) artists. Instead, it has defined African art as sort of a natural history/sociocultural/anthropological collection of ornately carved drums, walking sticks and pipes. So I'm pleased the new curator gives these artists more attention. I am also a fan of textiles, and the Dutch wax print fabrics, so prevalent in West Africa, are familiar and evocative to me. Here, Yinka Shonibere uses these amazing vibrant printed fabrics to recreate Victorian scenes. Here's another. Anyway, just another way to look at things and bend the mind a bit. I will have to check it out soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment