Spotlight /Art Scene / Cameroon June - October 2021 CAMEROON
CHRISTINE XUEREB SEIDU
CONTEMPORARY CAMEROONIAN ART Investing in new artistic successes
Moustapha Baidi Oumarou, L’hiver bleu, 2021, 180 x 120 cm, Acrylic and posca on canvas Courtesy: AFIKARIS
T
he international success of many artists and curators from the African diaspora has led to a considerable amount of investments by founding art projects on the African continent. Cameroonian diaspora are not an exception, as we see art institutions like the RAW Material Company (Senegal), founded by Koyo Kouoh (laurete of the Prix Meret Oppenheim 2020) in 2008, and SAVVY Contemporary (Berlin) founded by Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung (awardee of the Order of Merit of Berlin 2020) in 2010. Most centres were born in Cameroon, however. These include the Bandjoun Art Station, which was founded by artists Barthelemy Toguo and Germain Noubi in 2007, the Artbakery founded by Goddy Leye (d. 2011) in 2004 and the Doual’art Centre for Contemporary Art, founded in 1991 by Marilyn Douala Bell and Didier Schaub.
The projects initiated by the African diaspora gave rise to the success of other African artists and to various art projects which include the RAVY Biennale- Rencontres d’arts visuels de Yaounde 1st edition in 2008, with Perform’Action Live Art as well as the triennial – SUD - the Urban Salon of Doula’. What we also see is this family system where successful international Cameroonian artists bring in young artists to share their studio space where they too, in turn, build their own reputation whilst being mentored by mentors like Marc Padeu, Jean David Knot, Boris Nzebo, Boris Anje, and Ajarb Bernard Ategwa. Other Cameroonian artists include Moustapha Baidi Oumarou, Salifou Lindou, Maurice Pefura, Yvon Ngassam, Joel Mpah Dooh, Justine Gaga, Ange Kayifa, Em’Kaleyongakpa, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Samuel Dallé, Romeo Temwa, Dieudonné Fokou, Salifou Lindou, La Lectrice, 2020, Pastel on paper, 130 x 150 cm Courtesy: AFIKARIS
No.15__ Artpaper / 030
