We Face Forward...Art, music of West Africa storm Manchester

Over 30 visual artists, musicians from 11 countries involved.

 Today, Saturday June 2, African artists and musicians gather to celebrate The Arts of Africa, which opens at Manchester, U.K, running till September 16, 2012.

Titled We Face Forward, it features painting, photography, textiles, sculpture, video and audio installation of 32 artists as well as fashion and music from top artistes of West African descents.

One of the works on display, Nnenna Okore, When the Heavens Meet, 2011

 Taking the opportunity of the Olympic Summer, the organizers said “we are celebrating the global and the local, exploring the links between Manchester and West Africa as part of the London 2012 cultural festival.”
Exhibiting artists are Georges Adéagbo (Benin), El Anatsui (Ghana/Nigeria), Hélène Amazou (Togo / Belgium), Lucy Azubuike (Nigeria), Mohamed Camara (Mali / France), Cheick Diallo (Mali / France), Aida Duplessis (Mali), Em’kal Eyongakpa (Cameroon), Aboubakar Fofana (Mali / France), Meschac Gaba (Benin/ Netherlands), Francois-Xavier Gbré ( Ivory Coast / France), Romuald Hazoumè (Benin), Abdoulaye Armin Kane (Senegal), Abdoulaye Konaté (Mali) and Soungalo Malé (Mali).

Victoria Udondian's Aso ikele (Used clothes, Burlap,printed fabric, 7m x 6m)

 Others are Hamidou Maiga (Burkina Faso), Nii Obodai (Ghana), Emeka Ogboh (Nigeria), Abraham Oghobase, Amarachi Okafor (Nigeria / UK), Charles Okereke (Nigeria), Nnenna Okore (Nigeria / USA), Duro Olowu (Nigeria / London), George Osodi (Nigeria / London), Nyaba Leon Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), Ibrahima Niang AKA Piniang (Senegal), Nyani Quarmyne (Ghana), Abderramane Sakaly (Senegal / Mali), Amadou Sanogo (Mali), Malick Sidibé (Mali), Pascale Marthine Tayou (Cameroon / Belgium), Barthélémy Toguo (Cameroon / France), Victoria Udondian (Nigeria), Séraphin Zounyekpe (Benin).

Pascale Marthine Tayou, Home Sweet Home, 2011.

According to the curator, Natasha Howes, the gathering asks the rest of the world to take another look at influence of Africa on globalisation within the context of commercd and environmental challenges.
“Major new sculptural installations, painting, drawing, photography, textiles, video, sound and fashion ask us to consider global questions of trade and commerce, cultural influence, environmental destruction and identity. Challenging and humorous, curious, noisy, elegiac and eclectic – this is the dynamism of West African cultures today.”

The art and fashion shows hold at Manchester Art Gallery, Whitworth Art Gallery and the Gallery of Costume (Platt Hall).
The music programme, which is being curated by Band On The Wall and The Manchester Museum, features Femi Kuti, Angelique Kidjo, Diabel Cissohko and Kanda Bongo Man. 

Romuald Hazoume, ARTicle 14: Débrouille-toi, toi-même, 2005

 Others are Eliades Ochoa of Buena Vista Social Club and Toumani Diabaté (Cuba / Mali), Diabel Cissokho (Senegal), Angelique Kidjo with Manchester World Voices Choir (Benin / UK) ; Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra (Nigeria / UK); Endless Journey – featuring members of Mamane Barka and Etran Finatawa (Niger); Kanda Bongo Man (Congo / UK); Jaliba Kuyateh & The Kumareh Band (Gambia); Seckou Keita Band (Senegal / UK).
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