Introduction to the exhibition “ROAD TO JUSTICE”
In Africa’s history, the deportation of entire populations and the colonisation that ensued brought about a gradual destruction of existing cultures and threw political, religious and social equilibriums out of balance. Indeed, indigenous populations were “torn” from their present and catapulted into an externally constructed reality that suppressed their values via a cultural and political invasion, subsequently causing their violent marginalisation. Artists became custodians of these events, and the theme of memory grew crucial both for its destructive potential and for its extraordinary capacity for relief and reconciliation. Memory is used as a tool to increase awareness, help heal wounds and restore dignity, in an attempt to understand the past and to address the future towards an intercultural context. Although it does not follow a temporal logic, the exhibition has distinct chronological sequences: in a past scenario, there are references to the first representations of people of African origin in Western figurative art, touching the theme of slavery, consubstantial to the birth of capitalism, and of segregation. Aspects relating to colonisation are addressed and, gradually advancing towards the revolts of liberation movements of a more recent past, the exhibition touches themes of migration, reaching post-apartheid realities such as the attempts of recovery from the traumas that we still witness today. From a present viewpoint, the exhibition looks at a selection of African regions, including the former Italian colony of Ethiopia and the coastal nations of the Mediterranean. The projection of the future is articulated in an ambiguous manner, opening the way to different reflections: on the one hand, a dystopian and pessimistic vision, on the other, a glimmer of hope that manifests itself through the exaltation of the power of forgiveness as a liberating force, clearly echoing Nelson Mandela. The exhibition does not seek to offer an exhaustive account of the complexity of the African continent, rather to promote the connectivity and relationality between themes, ideas, people and events, proposing a reading centred on the dialogue between different perspectives, that suggests new interpretations. Unusual narratives and approaches contribute to broadening our horizons, stimulating our capacity for self-interrogation and helping us create a different way of thinking about the subject.
Abstract of the exhibition “Road to Justice” (22.06.2018-14.10.2018) at the MAXXI museum in Rome
Black Jesus Man, Marlene Dumas, 1994 / Chinese ink, paint, watercolor on paper
Raised according to the teachings of the Dutch Reformed Church, Marlene Dumas’ work often includes biblical allusions, demonstrating how, despite a growing secularism, the figure of Christ continues to influence our society. Black Jesus Man is realised with a combination of ink, water, and watercolor that gives its subject a soft and transparent consistency, emphasising the relationship between body and spirit, physicality and spirituality. Dumas’ works overturn all kinds of stereotypes, mixing references of a social, sexual, political and racial nature. The artist affirms that, in many of her works, the features of the figures are not necessarily those of black people: although the colours are dark, this could simply be the result of shadows. In this way, she leaves her audience with a sense of political ambivalence. Also the titles she chooses are deliberately misleading, ambiguous and often provocative: they are open to interpretation, without a single meaning or unilateral way of interpretation.
Her work, characterised by strong political references, distinguishes itself through the centrality of the human figure. Resembling portraits, although not in the traditional sense of the term: instead of depicting specific people, they portray emotions or mental states. The subjects are re-elaborations of photographs and of images that highlight the artist’s attention to painting and her fascination with pictorial surfaces.
Kuils River, South Africa, 1953/ Lives and work in Amsterdam
Michalis Theodosiou 