Bubblegum Club

Tag: Athi-Patra Ruga

  • Rencontres Africaines de la Photographie // The work of African artists take centre stage

    Rencontres Africaines de la Photographie // The work of African artists take centre stage

    Established in Mali in 1994, Rencontres Africaines de la Photographie or Bamako Encounters is the first international festival of its kind devoted to photography from the African continent. Founded by Mali’s Ministry of Culture together with the Institut Francais the festival is dedicated to the elevation of African photographers.

    The event that takes place across numerous venues within the city is the home of the Pan African exhibition, held at the Museum of Mali, and it is arguably one of the festival’s main attractions. The exhibition will showcase the work of forty artists from across the continent.  This year’s photographic and video works appear under the title ‘Afrotopia’ bracing different components of African culture and heritage, in order to redefine subjects such as African bodies, sexuality and politics and is aimed atdeveloping possible futures for nations.

    Marie-Ann Yemsi is the curator of the Biennale and her title selection of ‘Afrotopia’ is an invitation to the featured artists to contextualize what and who will drive the future as well as the continent’s influence on a globalised world.

    The African Biennale of Photography, is currently in its 11th edition of which South Africa’s very own Athi-Patra Ruga was awarded the Seydou Keïta Prize, the Grand Prize of the Rencontres de Bamako.

    Fethi Sarahoui, B as Bouchentouf

    As the general delegate of Bamako, Samuel Sidibe expresses the festival creates great visibility for photographers from the continent contributing to the emergence of current African photography both in the professional landscape and to the general public.

    Enforcing the value of questions raised by African artists on the historical and social issues that are distinct to them, Bamako acts as an advocate for the verbalisation and contemporary visualisation of these questions. Platforms such as Bamako is of vital importance and has been from its inception in 1994.

    The biennale brings to light the issues that African artists are concerned and faced with emphasizing their validity. Despite all difficulties that the festival has seen like that of its 10th addition which saw Mali in a state of emergency despite having taken a four-year break, the festival prevailed and continues to elevate and honour some of the most noteworthy imagery and image makers on the African continent.

    The biennale took off on the 2 December and will run to the 31 January 2018. After the festival Bamako, the Recontres will be held at the National Museum of World Cultures from April 2018.

    Julien Creuzet, Head-to-head, hidden head, Light.

  • Athi-Patra Ruga // An Inclusive History with ‘Queens in Exile’

    Athi-Patra Ruga is an artist who hardly requires an introduction. Partaking in exhibitions and performances at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, The Film Will Always Be You: ‘South African Artists on Screen’ at the Tate Modern in London and the 55th Venice Biennale to name a few; the reasons behind him being considered a ground breaking South African artist is clear. Athi returns to Cape Town with a new body of work ‘Queens in Exile’ currently showing at the WHAT- IFTHEWORLD/GALLERY.

    Assuming the tropology of myth as a neoteric retort to the era of post-apartheid; Athi is a designer of non-conforming identities. Using his built-up avatars as both satire and critique on the current social and political social status quo. Alternative realities and myths are constructed in an effort to look at the traumas of colonial history over the last 200 years from a detached outlook. From this removed distance wounds of the past that still remain, can be reflected upon outside of personalized grief and defensiveness.

    Central to his practice is the philosophical magnetism and allegoric value of utopia. This mythical metaverse ensuing from his practice, has been constructed with both ease and poise. The creation and depiction of characters inhabiting Athi’s mystical realm create a space of self-reflectivity within a political, social and cultural context in which criticism and parody can be expressed. Utopia acts as an optic through which to view and process colonial history in order to provide critique on the present and pose a humanist vision for the future.

    Film still from ‘Over the Rainbow’ 2017

    ‘Queens in Exile’ came about from a desire to tell more accurate stories. Not intended as an exercise of alteration to paint over gaping holes in history; Athi unearths exclusionary national myth and collective memory. In this act, he moulds a world in which the exiled reign. A land that belongs to queens that have been lost and forgotten from our memories.

    The lives of anti-apartheid and gay rights activist Simon Nkoli, Senegalese dancer Feral Benga and Sylvia Rivera, a US transgender activist are the icons that Athi chooses to highlight. Asking his audience to question the canon with fresh eyes. His exhibition acts as a reminder of the need to enforce more accurate accounts of history inclusive of womxn and queer icons.

    A project spanning over three years comes together in ‘Queens of Exile’ and functions simultaneously as a continuation on the critically acclaimed exhibition ‘The Future White woman of Azania Saga’ in 2014. Athi’s viewer is imbedded in an immersive exhibition. A large-scale projection of ‘Over the Rainbow’ leaves you mesmerized, electrified.

    ‘The Elder’ 2015

    Hand embroidered tapestries completed with meticulous precision, elaborate foliage sets built up of flowers, flowers on flowers, golden leaves. These are the visual signifiers of an artist painstakingly unafraid of his boldness. Many of Athi’s works are works that live on past physical existence and traverse into mental existence.

    After Athi’s return from the Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris, local audiences have the opportunity to engage with the work of this internationally acclaimed artist who can only be deemed a master of his medium.

    Film still from ‘Over the Rainbow’ 2017