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 So, many Senegalese were surprised when 18 months ago President
Macky Sall turned the vast modernist building into a museum for
fine arts - rarely a priority for African leaders usually more
preoccupied with building roads and wooing hotels.
Now, at the latest installment of Africa's oldest and biggest
biennale art exhibition, the curator who lobbied for this space
wants African artists to seize the moment as the continent
finally starts to enjoy the attention it deserves.
"The global message for the African is, if we don't catch that
train - and the train is leaving now - too bad for us. Tomorrow
will be too late," curator Simon Njami told Reuters at the
venue, where more than 75 artists from around the world are
exhibiting their work for a month.
The practice of hosting art exhibitions every two years has
spread to several African countries, but none has been more
successful so far than the Dakar Biennale, founded in the 1990s
and also known as Dak'Art.
This year's displays by African artists at the biennale are as
eclectic as those from elsewhere. They include works using
materials that have become hallmarks of the continent's modern
art - such as the recycled food packaging and strips of "African
print" cloth in Nigerian artist Olanrewaju Tejuoso's abstract
wall piece.
Others - involving lights going on and off, rooms scattered with
everyday household objects or projectors beaming images with
enigmatic slogans onto walls - wouldn't look out of a place in a
Western conceptual art exhibition.
One by South African artist Frances Goodman seems to conjure up
intense rage using an amorphous blob of fake fingernails.
In the past quarter-century African art has gone from near total
obscurity on the world scene to producing stars such as Ghana's
El Anatsui and South Africa's William Kentridge.
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"It's a whole continent that was ignored. The market is just
starting to pick up on it," said Njami, a Swiss national of
Cameroonian descent. "Before, anyone could have bought an El Anatsui.
Nowadays if you don't have $2 million, forget about it."
In March a portrait of a Nigerian princess that was lost for 40
years and found in London sold for $1.4 million.
Despite successfully lobbying for the Palais, Njami thinks African
governments do woefully little to support the arts.
"People say: 'Why spend money on arts when you can build a road?'"
he said. "But we need culture, not just infrastructure".
Owing to poor support, facilities and a tiny domestic market, many
of Africa's most talented artists predictably end up in Europe or
the United States. Those staying at home are often underresourced.
At the exhibition, Senegalese artist Badara Sarr complained that his
spot was underlit, so he had to buy a spot lamp, and then there was
no technician available to install it.
"It was a bit deplorable, but we manage as Senegalese. That's Africa
for you," he told Reuters next to his cloud-like patches of red,
blue and green paint. Despite being a bit in the dark, "a lot of
people are interested" in his painting.
"I'm honestly happy about the interactions we're having," he said.
(Editing by Mark Heinrich)
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