About
We are delighted to present this exhibition, organised by Clifford Chance's Africa Group as an opportunity to celebrate cutting edge contemporary art of the Continent and its Diaspora.
The Clifford Chance Africa Group is committed to serving the African market and brings together over 200 lawyers, many of whom are of African origin, and all of whom have significant experience working on Africa related transactions, with language skills and industry knowledge to match.
The exhibition displays the work of African artists, African-American artists, and artists of African descent based in Europe. Their art deals with race, gender and sexuality in post-colonial cultures, and immigrant sub-cultures in the West. It explores notions of identity, nationhood, ethnicity, sexuality, religion and belonging as these are the issues that contemporary artists face in their daily lives in Africa, and beyond. The work is overt and âin your face'. They respond to, and reflect upon, the current social, political and economic realities of the Continent, using art as the means to express their thoughts. Issues of aesthetics, beauty, composition may be art's lingua franca, but it is the content that carries their work, giving it weight and meaning. The artists make no apologies about wanting their art to bear a message. It is this exciting convergence of the visual and agit-prop that makes contemporary African art of such interest today, and why it is attracting international attention.
Nina Chanel Abney (US), Conrad Botes (SA), Joni Brenner (SA), Godfried Donkor (Ghana/UK), Michael Macgarry (SA), ZaneleMuholi (SA), Adeniyi (âniyi) Olagunju (Nigeria), Athi-Patra Ruga (SA)
In this context, we are delighted to be able to show the sculptures, paintings, photographs and tapestries of these 8 artists and thank them for agreeing to the loan of their work. It is a privilege to be able to show the work of this rising generation of artists, who are making art that is urgent and vital, yet considered and profound.
