MESCHAC GABA LE MONDE
MESCHAC GABA LE MONDE Texts by the artist
6 JUNE – 20 JULY 2013
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ENSEMBLE I started thinking about this work when I was invited to participate in We Face Forward, a survey exhibition of art from West Africa and the Diaspora, in Manchester in 2012. I didn’t know what I was going to say about West Africa or its cultural development. All that came to mind was to complete the original phrase by Kwame Nkrumah, the leader and liberator of Ghana – ‘We Face Forward Towards Development’ – and to ask myself some questions: what do we face, and how? As an answer to this I fused the flags of all the West African countries together with the flag of the United Kingdom, so that it became a symbol of unity, of solidarity and friendship; a proposal that, even though there are dramas and problems between us, we can meet in unity and solidarity. In my new flag, each flag is elongated into a triangle, a symbol of trinity and unity.
Ensemble 2012 Inkjet print on synthetic canvas 140 x 240cm Edition of 3 + 1AP
Ensemble, 2012, installation view, We Face Forward, Manchester Art Gallery Photo: Jan Dixon and Emily Dixon, WeAreTAPE.com
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CITOYEN DU MONDE Made for the 2012 Benin Biennale This work evolved out of the composite flag Ensemble. The optical spectacle created by elongating each individual flag into a narrow triangle, converging on a central point, inspired me to create a world flag that is a composite of all countries’ flags and again is symbolic of a togetherness that can resolve the difficulties and crises that proliferate across our world. The singularity of each flag is lost in the rhythm of the composition, as is the case with countries in the age of globalisation where the national is absorbed into the international. The idealism and humour of these two huge flags, Ensemble and Citoyen du Monde, infuse a playfulness into our perceptions of the world – in turn, making the world a better place for us all.
Citoyen du Monde 2012 Inkjet print on synthetic canvas 300 x 500cm Edition of 3 + 1AP
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Globalloon 2013 Commercial inkjet ink on nylon 500cm diameter Edition of 3 + 1AP Installation view, Art Basel Unlimited, June 2013
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VOYAGES Made for the 2012 Benin Biennale For Voyages, I wrapped flags into bundles, tied each bundle to a wooden cane, and laid these out on the wooden pallets that I often use in installations. The flags, all made by women dressmakers from Cotonou, are from countries and confederations that have worldwide influence: the European Union, United States, African Union, Vatican, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato), China, United Kingdom, United Nations, Arabic League, Israel, Brazil and Tibet. The wooden canes can be seen as pilgrims’ sticks or as the defensive weapons of nomadic pastors which metaphorically signify the defensive object of the contemporary traveller: the passport. Voyages, 2012, installation view, Benin Biennale
Voyages 2012 UN, Brazil, League of Arab States, China, Nato, Vatican, AU, UK, USA, EU, Tibetan and Israeli flags, wooden pallets, wooden sticks Dimensions variable
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Installation view of Le Monde with Citoyen du Monde, Voyages and Ensemble, 2013
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MUSÉE DE L’ART DE LA VIE ACTIVE Dear curators, artist-writers, art journalists,
Chers curateurs, artistes écrivains, journalistes d’art,
art critics,
critiques d’art,
MAVA, short for Musée de l’Art de la Vie Active, is a recent
MAVA, le Musée de l’Art de la Vie Active, est un project
art project that I initiated in December 2010 in Cotonou,
qui a commencé en décembre 2010 à Cotonou, Benin,
Benin, as a performance and exhibition across the city
comme une performance et exposition à travers la ville
of Cotonou. I declared the city of Cotonou as Musée de
de Cotonou, étant consacré pour la circonstance comme
l’Art de la Vie Active. MAVA in the Benin Mina language
un Musée de l’Art de la Vie Active. MAVA dans la langue
means ‘Come On!’ MAVA was launched as a performance
Mina veut dire ‘Je viens? Viens!’. MAVA a commencé par
with a parade of braided wigs in the form of historic icons,
une parade de perruques en forme d’icônes historiques,
reflecting historic, political, cultural and economic points of
reflétant des attractions historiques, politiques, culturelles
attention in history. MAVA also represents a development
et economiques. MAVA répresente un projet de
project for the city of Cotonou in particular, and for Benin in
développement pour la ville de Cotonou en particulier et
general. During the presentation of the project to the press
pour tout le Benin en général. Au cours de la présentation
Musee de l'Art de la Vie Active 2010/11 Stills from video of performance, Cotonou, Benin
Musee de l'Art de la Vie Active 2010/11 Banner from performance, Cotonou, Benin 53 x 150cm
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and media in 2010, I also announced the development of an
du project à la presse et aux medias in 2010, nous avons
international MAVA art residency project. The principal goal
initié de développer aussi une MAVA artistes résidence
and mission of MAVA is to participate in the development of
internationale. Le principal but de ce projet est de participer
contemporary art and art education in Benin.
au développement et l’education artistique sur l’art
The upcoming ‘MAVA Library Residency’ will start in January/February 2013, but will be launched as ‘MAVA
contemporain au Bénin. Le MAVA Bibliothèque Résidence est un projet
Bibliothèque Pilot’ as part of the Benin Biennale opening
qui va commencer en janvier/février 2013, mais va
8 November 2012 in Cotonou. This will inaugurate the first
commencer comme MAVA Bibliothèque Pilote dans le
contemporary art library in West Africa. The library collection
cadre de la Biennale Benin le 8 novembre 2012 à Cotonou.
will consist of art books coming from my ‘Library’ which was
Ce sera la prémière bibliothèque d’art contemporain en
part of my Museum of Contemporary African Art, which
Afrique de l’Ouest. Ce sont des livres d’art du Musée d’Art
began at Witte de With in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in
Contemporain Africain qui commence à Witte de With
2000, with a collection of art books coming from many
Rotterdam en 2000 avec le collecte de livres d’art chez
different artists, curators and museums. This library was
des artistes, curateurs et musées, et aussi a été montré à
shown in Kassel during Documenta 11, where the collection
Kassel Dokumenta 11, ou la collection a augmenté avec des
increased with art books donated by participating artists and
livres d’art des artistes du Dokumenta 11 et autres en 2002.
others, in 2002. Now 10 years later, the library collection has
Maintenant le collection de livres a été augmenté par le
been increased again by the gift of art books donated by the
don de livres d’art du Centre Pompidou et la Bibliothèque
Centre Pompidou and the Bibliothèque Kandinsky in Paris.
Kandinsky à Paris. C’est cela qui fais la Bibliothèque
These are the collections that have built up the MAVA art
d’Art MAVA pour le résidence. Il y aura 5 à 6 artistes
library so far. For the upcoming ‘MAVA Library Residency’ in
internationaux invités y compris des artistes Beninois et
the beginning of 2013 there will be 5-6 invited international
Africains pour travailler ensemble à Cotonou durant une
artists including artists from Benin and West Africa working
mois sur le thème ‘bibliothèque’.
together in Cotonou for a month on the theme of ‘library’. In the context of the second edition of the MAVA project
Dans le cadre de la second édition du projet MAVA, le Musée de l’Art de la Vie Active, qui développer le projet
presenting its contemporary art library I will organize a
de la bibliothèque d’art contemporain à Cotonou, Benin,
performance called Bibliothèque Roulante (Moving Library).
cette bibliothèque qui va normalement s’inaugurée
To realize this performance we will need a collection of short
avec la résidence MAVA entre janvier-février 2013. Cette
quotations and phrases about contemporary art written/
bibliothèque se présentera comme MAVA Bibliothèque
published by curators, artist writers, museum directors,
Pilote dans la Biennale Benin qui commencera [continues on p18]
Musee de l'Art de la Vie Active: Bibliothèque Roulante 2012 Detail
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Musee de l'Art de la Vie Active: Bibliothèque Roulante 2012 65 licence plates, digital video, motorbike Installation dimensions variable
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art journalists and art critics. This is the reason why I am
8 novembre 2012 au janvier 2013 au cours de la Biennale.
contacting you now. I would like to ask you to send me a
Il y aura une performance appele Bibliothèque Roulante.
short quotation or phrase once published by yourself. These
Pour réaliser cette performance nous aurons besoin
quotations will be presented on the licence plates of a large
de phrases de citations de curateurs, artistes écrivains,
number of motorbike taxi drivers in Cotonou, replacing their
journalistes d’art, et critiques d’art. C’est pour cela que
licence registration numbers. The quotations can have a
je vous contacte pour vous demander de me donner
maximum length of 5-10 words, but can even be 3 or 4 words.
une phrase, une citation venant de vous. Des phrases ou
Also I will need the complete reference of the quotations,
citations seront écrire dur des plaques de taxi motos à
where you have published it before, such as exhibition
la place des numéros. Cette phrase ou citation peut-être
catalogues, artists books, articles, newspapers, together with
de 5 à 10 mots aux maximum, mais cela peut-être aussi
your name or initials, which will be mentioned in the licence
4 ou 3 mots, mais je veux avoir la réference complète du
plates of the taxi drivers as well. The quotations will need to
phrase, du catalogue d’art, journal d’art ou autres, et aussi
be in English or French. The taxi drivers will drive around with
votre nom ou initiales qui sera mentionner au dessous des
these licence plates containing quotations about art during
textes sur les plaques. La phrase ou le citation doit être en
the whole period of the Benin Biennale. Eventually these
Anglais ou en Francais. Les taxi-motos vont rouler avec les
licence plates will be rented from these taxi drivers for the
plaques avec les citations ou phrases artistiques durant
whole duration of the biennale for a modest payment. It is the
toute la periode de la Biennale Benin, éventuellement ces
idea to make the city community of Cotonou participate in
plaques sont louer chez les taxi motos durant la période
contemporary art, because the taxi drivers with their plates
de la Biennale pour une somme modeste. C’est une idée
will also talk about the project and about the biennale, so
de faire participer la communauté à l’art contemporain,
it becomes a form of mobile communication; it is also the
car ces taxi-motos qui auront ces plaques sur leurs motos
idea to bring art to a city public who normally do not read
vont aussi parler du projet et aussi de la Biennale. C’est de
exhibition catalogues or art books. This could also stimulate
la communication véhiculer. C’est aussi une idée d’amener
people to visit the MAVA art library as well as the biennale.
l’art à un public qui ne lie pas normalement les catalogues
It is a mobile library. After the Benin Biennale these licence
de l’art ou livres d’art. Cela peut amener le public à
plates with their quotations that were driven around by the
visiter la Bibliothèque MAVA et aussi la Biennale. C’est
taxi motor bikes will be exhibited somewhere in another form.
une bibliothèque ambulante. Après la Biennale Benin les
I would like to ask you to send my request also to other people who you think might be interested to participate with a phrase on contemporary art for my Bibliothèque Roulante in Cotonou, Benin.
une autre forme. Je vous démanderai de l’envoyer aussi à d’autres personnes que vous pensez peut-être interessé. Cordialement,
Kind regards, Meschac Gaba
plaques avec les phrases vont être montrer sous
September 2012
Meschac Gaba
Septembre 2012
Musee de l'Art de la Vie Active: Bibliothèque Roulante Stills from video
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LE MONDE EN MINIATURE ET LA MODE EN MINIATURE I conceived Le Monde en Miniature et la Mode en Miniature for a group exhibition curated by Claudia Banz – the exhibition did not materialise but I made the work nonetheless. The installation takes the form of a shop display of babies’ and children’s clothes, all made in Cotonou, Benin, and displayed on painted dummies, also from Cotonou. There are also some child mannequins dressed in combat clothes like playful child soldiers. At first glance, the installation appears childlike, the fashions sweet, but a closer look reveals that the embroidered texts on the colourful clothes are words and phrases that are violent, disturbing and disconcerting, a quiet reminder of phenomena in our society that turn children into vulnerable victims. The context of a shop-like space is also a thread running through my work where I play with ideas of cultural exchange and value.
Le Monde en Miniature et la Mode en Miniature 2008 Cardboard figures, mannequins, children’s clothing Installation dimensions variable
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BIOGRAPHY Meschac Gaba was born in 1961 in Cotonou, Benin. He studied at the Rijksakademie voor Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam in 1996-97 and currently lives and works between Cotonou and Rotterdam. His work was included in Documenta 11 in 2002 and the Liverpool Biennial in 2010, and has been the subject of solo exhibitions at the Museum de Paviljoens, Almere; the Kunsthalle Fridericianum, Kassel; the Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno, Las Palmas; and the Nobel Peace Center, Oslo. In July to September 2013 Tate Modern, London, presents Gaba’s Museum of Contemporary African Art (1997–2002), an immersive 12-room installation which fuses art and daily life, questioning the nature of the museum and perceptions of African art. Constructed over a five-year period, it invites visitors to see and interact with a
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vast array of objects and environments. This exhibition is the first time the Museum has been shown in its entirety in the UK and also marks Tate’s acquisition of the work.
Catalogue 73 July 2013 © 2013 for works & texts by Meschac Gaba: the artist Front cover Citoyen du Monde, 2012 (detail) Design Gabrielle Guy Photography Mario Todeschini, Kabelo Malatsie Printing Hansa Print, Cape Town