A New Exhibition In London Is Tracing African Rhythms In Art
'All Of Us Have A Sense of Rhythm,' a new exhibition in London, explores African rhythms in contemporary art through the 21st century.
All images courtesy of David Roberts Art Foundation
<p><em><a href="http://davidrobertsartfoundation.com/projects/exhibition-curators-series-8-all-of-us-have-a-sense-of-rhythm-5-june-1-aug-2015/" target="_blank">All Of Us Have A Sense of Rhythm</a></em> is a new group exhibition in London that explores the adoption of African rhythms in contemporary art forms throughout the twenty-first century. The show, which is based on the research of French-Cameroonian curator <strong>Christine Eyene</strong>, engages with Africa's rhythmic heritage through music, poetry, dance, sculpture, installation, photography, and film.</p><p>Using the Cameroonian <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVhFkB94IoI" target="_blank">Bikutsi</a> dance--elements of which can be found in hip-hop dance-- as a starting point, Eyene's research highlights the integration of African beats in artistic practices across the diaspora. Drawing from cultural movements including Négritude and the Harlem Renaissance, the show <a href="http://davidrobertsartfoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Curators-Series-8-All-of-us-have-a-sense-of-rhythm-FINAL.pdf">expands on</a> Négritude founding father <strong>Léopold Sedal Sénghor</strong>'s 1939 essay <em>Ce que l’homme noir apporte</em>, and its idea of "rhythm being at the center of Africa's system of thought and experience, influencing the continent and diaspora's cultural production."</p><p><div class="preroll-video"></div><ora-player></ora-player></p><p>Mixed media artist <a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/photos/emkal-eyongakpa/#slide1"><strong>Em'kal Eyongakpa</strong></a>'s Cameroonian field recordings open the show. Among the video pieces in the exhibit are works by Moroccan visual and sound artist <strong><a href="http://www.younesbabaali.com/en/" target="_blank">Younes Baba Ali</a></strong>, who explores non-musical rhythmic patterns using repetitive pen clicks, and British-Nigerian new media artist <strong><a href="http://www.evanifekoya.co.uk/" target="_blank">Evan Ifekoya</a></strong>, whose <em>Nature/Nurture sketch</em> pairs African dance moves with drum 'n' bass.</p><p>British-Ghanaian interdisciplinary artist <a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/news/larry-achiampong-cloudface-blackface-tate-modern/" target="_blank"><strong>Larry Achiampong</strong></a>'s highlife-inspired vinyl installations and Irish-Trinidadian visual artist <strong><a href="https://instagram.com/zakove/" target="_blank">Zak Ové</a></strong>'s totemic sculptures, which blend vintage hi-fi equipment and the aesthetic of Congolese Luba masks, are also on view. Rounding out the show are pieces by <strong>Julien Bayle</strong>, <strong>John Cage</strong>, <strong>Ayoka Chenzira</strong>, <strong>Jon Hopkins</strong>, <strong>Langston Hughes</strong>, <strong>Michel Paysant</strong>, <strong>Anna Raimondo</strong>, <strong>Robin Rhode</strong>, <strong>David Shrigley</strong>, and <strong>William Titley</strong>.</p><p><div class="dfp_atf-slot" data-not-loaded="true"></div><script type="text/javascript">
checkdfpScripts();
</script></p><p><em><a href="http://davidrobertsartfoundation.com/projects/exhibition-curators-series-8-all-of-us-have-a-sense-of-rhythm-5-june-1-aug-2015/" target="_blank">All Of Us Have A Sense of Rhythm</a> runs through August 1st at the <a href="http://davidrobertsartfoundation.com/" target="_blank">David Roberts Art Foundation</a></em> in London.</p><p>
<iframe id="https://player.vimeo.com/video/125811934?color=c2c2c2" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/125811934?color=c2c2c2"></iframe>
</p>
Keep reading...
Show less
