New York's MoMA celebrates African portraiture in 'Ideas of Africa' exhibition • FRANCE 24 English

Key Concepts

• Self-Representation: The exhibition’s central theme, focusing on how African photographers depict themselves and their communities.
• African Spirits (Samuel Fosso): A pivotal portrait series embodying influential figures, demonstrating layered references and identity exploration.
• Disintegrata (Sylvia Rosi): A series exploring the complexities of integration and identity through the lens of personal narrative and migration.
• Archiving & Historical Representation: The importance of photographic archives in preserving and presenting African history beyond conventional narratives.
• Transgression of Borders: The exhibition’s impact in challenging established artistic canons and fostering empowerment.

Ideas of Africa: A Focus on Self-Representation at MoMA

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York is currently hosting “Ideas of Africa,” an exhibition curated by Olu Remy Anabanjo, the Peter Shu Curator of Photography. The exhibition’s core focus is on embracing African forms of self-representation, particularly during a period of increasing independence and self-determination across the African continent. Anabanjo emphasizes the “potent, powerful, and full of possibility” nature of this self-representation. The exhibition specifically features photographers working in West and Central African cities.

Samuel Fosso’s African Spirits and the Logic of Reference

A central component of “Ideas of Africa” is the series African Spirits by Samuel Fosso. This series serves as the “spine” of the exhibition, comprised of portraits where Fosso embodies various iconic figures. A key example highlighted is Fosso’s portrayal of Angela Davis, recognizable by the iconic afro. However, upon closer inspection, the portrait reveals it is, in fact, Fosso’s own face. This demonstrates a complex “logic of references” inherent in photographic portraiture.

Further illustrating this point, the discussion details how Fosso also embodies Miles Davis in a portrait that itself references an earlier image of Miles Davis embodying Muhammad Ali. This layered referencing highlights themes of identity, influence, and the re-appropriation of imagery.

Sylvia Rosi’s Disintegrata and the Experience of Migration

The exhibition also features Disintegrata, a 2024 series by Italian-Togolese photographer Sylvia Rosi. This work is rooted in a personal narrative – a story told by Rosi’s mother upon arriving in Italy from Togo. Initially, her mother expressed a feeling of integration (“I focused and I felt that I was integrated”), but over time, this feeling shifted to one of disintegration. Rosi’s series visually explores this complex emotional journey, representing the challenges and nuances of navigating multiple cultural identities and the experience of migration.

The Importance of Archiving and Cultural Representation

A recurring theme throughout the discussion is the significance of archiving and the representation of African history. The speaker notes the importance of photography in preserving history, particularly aspects often overlooked within traditional education systems. The exhibition is praised for showcasing the “soul and true beauty” of African culture, moving “beyond the standard canon.” The aesthetic qualities of the work are also highlighted, including “beautiful symmetry, composition, hair, texture, clothing, style,” all contributing to a vibrant depiction of African culture.

Empowerment and Transgression of Artistic Boundaries

The exhibition is described as providing a “great experience of sort of transgressing those borders and experiencing new things with a lot of empowerment.” This suggests that “Ideas of Africa” is not merely a display of photographs, but a platform for challenging established artistic norms and fostering a sense of agency and self-determination.

Exhibition Details

“Ideas of Africa” is currently running at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and will continue until July 25th. Jess Leuria is credited with providing this information.

Technical Terms:

• Canon (Artistic): The accepted body of works considered to be the most important and influential in a particular field, often historically dominated by Western perspectives.
• Self-Representation: The act of portraying oneself or one's community, often as a means of asserting identity and agency.