Enwezor, African Conceptualism

8/10/2019 Enwezor, African Conceptualism

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also be "cooded and cntaminated by

othe cultual and political/ideological pinc-

pes, alte the definiio, indeed the maeial

and intellectual manifestation of what is o is

not conceptual at? Wold conceptualism in

Afca, like its oNoth Amecan counte-

pa, constiute a significant shift withi the

domiant instittioal famewok as to posit a

new language o paadgm? f so what pecfc

Afr

highly diffeentiated space of Wete institu-

ional and epistemological eflectons on

moden at

Coceptual at, as commoy undestood,

attempted a fndamental estucting of the

viewes elationshp to the at object Fs, its

citique of systems of epesentation and pe-

sentaton ptched atmang towad the dema

rdi By ab Re/evs des signesobservs su noix de cola (Readins from SinsObseved on Ko Nts), 198-94 olod na bapt arbad epray AiaAr Ce (CAA abrain iAnd Mann sy di By ab

sponds to he fudamenta phiosophical

questions of Aica systems of signification

And we find that n cassical Aican at, con-

ceptalism would seem oxymoonic Whilemany Afica cultues poduced exisie

objects, many of which clealy pemitted ealy

Westen modests o exploe diffeen foms

of epesenation though spaial diembodi-

ment i beas emakig tha Aican objects

wee neve ends in themselves, o did thy

acquie any fom of autonomy as scupte

though thei objecth Whle in Wesenat, the cycle of at is mpleted in the aeshetic ealm of display, i Afica taditions

this finae is achieved hough a desublimina-

o stategy that pepetually dsplaces the

object and places geate significance on non-

visua codes and pefomative actios, paticu-

ay though lngustc puns and aphostc

utteances By epeatedly makig contigent

he status of the objec a an autonomous sig-

nfe the atwo functons wthn a fud sys


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evdece of e demateialized object does not

i ielf mean ta te object is not vaued o

ta te cultue of vsua memoy is deadeed

y te weig of sigt. ceaily canot iden

y a elfeflexivity i wic aists delibeate-

y sogt o eove e wo o co

ig o te visual level. Moe to te ont, i

fan at e is an inteellaio of te

ojet ad language

ile te agumet laid out so fa would seem

to gound conceualism te classical at

of fica, cotemoay actice is actually a

c ticie and even contadictoy ete-

ise. Te oncetual wo of te Senegalese

gou Labo\toie gitt and te Sout

ican atists included in tis exibitio was

eve diected at maintaiing a elationsiwt olde fican ilosoica systems, as

ouabs case. n many ways, tey deloy

e same concetualis stategies evalen in

e est Te easo fo tis eas is tei

aed elatiosi wit cocets of modeni-

ty ut is is wee te comaison eds,

sce e ovaos sog eac stae-

gy wee diffeent and te esults sougt wee

Aica

widely divegent. Malcom ayne, fo examle,

esoted to cocetualst tacicsdemaeial-

iation, laguage wos, and a ocess e

calls "cofusion acts as a esonse o olii-

cal conditions unde aateid. n fican

coceas, s cca o acowedge te

oe of olitics and esonses to olitical insti

tutions by atsts oeatig unde dictato-

sis.

s fa as can tell, tee as neve existed

anying tat can be definitively declaed a

cocetual "movemet n fica, at leas

one in wic eveybody agees as to its

aametes. sustained investigation as

yielded only a few atists, and in te case of

Laboatoie git a single gou Hence,

concetualism in fica is a actice associat-ed wit scatteed, isolated, and solitay exam

les and neve blossoed into a fulfledged

atistic discouse. long wit te eceived defi

nitons of concetualism as oagated by te

EuoNot meica axis, te mid6os as

often been "uivesally acceted as its oint

o eodao ad eace o "at wod

cuency. o e atists consideed ee te

Lboroire Agi-Ar:Excving he Socil nd he

Poliicl in he Poscolony

Te 60s was te moment of ficas eme

gence, a decade of incedible olitical, social,

a cua ee As ay coes ag-

tated fo and gaied indeendence fom yeas

of debilitating coloial dominaton by Euoe

it is fai to say tat tey saed a oliticalcontext connected to te ocesses of decolo-

niation ad te stuggle against sten

egemonic influence Tougout ica te

ugent olitical and ideoogical uestions of

e ostindeendet nationstae acceleated

and essuied by aid ubaiation, gave

ise to new conces of identity and te indi-

vidual. Lined to ts socioolitical comlexity

was te tense elationsi between ideas of

modeity and a natioalistc sense of tadi-

tion and cultue t one end of te continent,

a anficanist notion of modenity, led by

Gana's fist ime ministe Kwame Numa

amed wit scientific socialism, became a

eadymade context fom wic te significant

eoao o Acasm was oosed

Not Afica te Sue anal cisis launced


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U 8ss Smb Lbrtr gtrt 199.

phmry rhr hn prmnnc p-

c c rhr h hc

Afra

n n gn n kpng wh s nmsuggs cnncn wh th Wstrn

nr prrmnc shc. Ths

ss wk us h grnmn

spnsr sysm grs n

musums sncng hr cbr

crns rm h pnng n cns

n r rm subc py r

sysm cmmy cnr

n mprn prcursr Lbrr gr

cn b un n h wrk Ngrn muscn

prrmr pc cs n sc cn

cs nkup u. rm h m196s

s nss cqu h pscn

s n hs chng h crrup pc

rr wr xmpry nks h srgs

r p by h grup. Thughu hs

crr whch ncu unng pcpry n runnng r prsn n 1979 (br

bng squ by h mry rgm F

nr m sncn bwn hs musc

sy n pc rssnc r

by h pubc n cnsny cnsr by h

grnmn n h ry 70s F cr

hs cmp bungs n gsng

qurrs nghcub n rcrng su

p rr r whch h m

wr prng whn pmnsrmwrk c crng s rgns

rhr hn prbmzng h mnng

rgn n h br nyss cntmp-

rry cuur n h pscny.

Sign and SytmFrdri Bruy Bouabr

Wh th prccs Lbr gr

wr cncrn wh cmmuncn thughh "sczn n shc n

csm gns h pscn s

rrc uy ubrs wrk s mb n

h rn cncpu ssus cssc

rcn r Hs nrs n sgns n sysms

ngug n symbgy sbccn

r rprsnn sn r sgh css-

ctn cumntin sts ccn

ymgy rch pccs n xprmn-n wh wrn x s pps hprucn mgs hs

n rnscrpn h r cuur

hs pp h .

ubr ws brn n 193 n Zprgh ry

s Orgny rnsr n cn

nrmn r Wsrn nhrpgss n

h grphr 4 h w c c b


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of ethnographic nowledge, arecorderofhis

op hitory.

ouar' wor thr i a cabalitic att

tio to th tructur of ubr ad word

tir ultipl aociativ ag ad pr

utatio ud to dlv ito th ury dpth

of t ucociou. H propo toria xpaao corc ap copl

ix wrt copdia. H a cratd a

pcograpic apabt of or ta 40 car

actr ddicatd to xcavatig ad prrvg

th diapparg oral itory of hi popl.

ouabr uiqu arratv for copod

o tarotli card ot cob txt ad

iag a dald laborao o coplx

yt of couicatio (fig 172).

owvr ouabr do ot oly a iag

th quaiaiv or that ha ld ay

to viw i a o id of ytic of t

prival Africa world or a a ututord

curioty. or alot fy yar a

poducd a atoig aray of boo o

claical Africa yt of rprtatio

Af

Koraci' art i dvotioa bu itat to

idoogica fudatai par ad au

tr hi wor ar drd o xpaiv

t of papr fild of blac txt o wt

aid out i altratig vrtical ad hoiotal

bad that urg dviat rtrat ivrt

dtour ad vr all ovr t pag li a ui

cal cor (ig 7) Th tructur of Koraci'wo bo grapc ad caigrapic xpo

tory ad oical what Abdlbir Khatibi

caractrid a t taopoi o t

viib . t trautatio th trala

tio fro o ig yt to aothr o

iag to aotr a patial paradig ort

d toward all aguag fro pictograph

o a or of wrig rbg idograp

by way of Arabic grapic (r xquiit)wthr it b lgibl or illgibl whthr it b

ivrtd or v rov i all drctio a if

ig cap fro th cofi of th

ufrad iag

Y Korac' ar o o b rdcd o wr

ig alo. H ivtt i ig ad ybol

a alo that ha word aiduouly

priv rg o i rgio Yt Korachi

i ot a rtic or i itrtd i tat

ugly trotypica iag of Ila a fuda

talt obdra o w or of dcor.

H co fro a tradtio of lgtd

Ila which i rct yar ha bgu to

gathr ta i ay Ilaic coutri whr

th ubjct of la' tical uai vigorouy dbatd.

till i coutrg Korac' wor

ral of cotporay art how do w rt

th tptatio to rad it a dcoratv otif

ad ot laguag cau oRoa

drivd cript ay b coud wit t

dcorav (wat wi ca t rcour to

th g a caligrapy it i ot difficult toa t propr plac of art tat wor

iid it foral bai I t cotxt of thi

xhibitio th Korachi' wor i owhat

of a paradox t rai th qutio of wat to

do wih wor wich if w trictly adhr to

dgt of claical cocptua atric

i Europ ad th Uitd tat both udr

tad ad draciat tat jdgt i


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stems rom the act that what may be appecated as concepta Islamic arespecay

i its eaionship to tex (caligraphy) and an-

guage (discourse) as the udamenta basis o

both representaton and signicatonis more

in tne wth the tradion o, as opposed to

rebeon against, he mateaized image. B

i the meaning o the sign s cotaned in the

text, i the subimiy o angage rather than

in the magepaticarly with regard to thesamic anacoc madate, which subimates

he representation o he human form into

apturos devotonal songs ad words o the

Prophehow ca we then charactere the

work o an atis sch as Kora''chi an artst

who seemngy has obeyed ths ue as coceptua, whe the vey poblematc concept-

aism sets or itse s an sstent phiosophi

ca ad anarchic program intent o destroying

such authorty? Fist t wod be impotat to

undersand that the readng o woks by

artists ke KoaYchi presets a probem no

ony wthn ths cotext but aso o he lager

cotext o tha igid body kow as the

Wesern canon

The endeing o pue conceptualism" in the

reducive vocabuary o instutona crtiqe

and lagage systems as the pocedua con-

diio o understanding art ater the image

mus then also conend wth woks keKoachis Hs aitde rom the begig has

bee both poitcal and persona, oe veerg

ar rom had esisance to celebatory, incan-

tatoy poetry Over he years he has wored in

coaboaon wth soe o te most ba

cotemporary Arab wrters o his geneaton,

incudig he geat aesta poet Mahmoud

Darwsh Hs wok with teratre avors deli-

cate ad compex meditations over reactiveprotest. et t s cear that Koa''chis work s

set aong the edges o a corps o art and wrt-

ing hat not ony compaes with the Western

canon, b aso wihou which wha we cal the

hisoy o the West wod not be possibe.


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FIGURE 81

l


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8

Mao ayne Good Moung; Good Nght973, ie oetn.

iooy e i to eoe ote way of

eneng wo nto ating ign eting

in Kykafrkaas (1980; fg 75, 80) a ea

wo of onete oety an i ot -

tane iniy into te nate of wo an

Afica

nane o ne te tiae iony to e

e iea o te oganie eaining to etat tey o aeve fo eeve an

foowe an enane iia an eigio

eeiene if te ive an e e oganie

ejee te ooa.

Of a te Afan wo ne n i eii-

tion Payne eay oe ee onvey

cocetual in tei oientaon an eetion

f t i f t "

of eifiaton t e a ai fo

eiane Aoiating te too of vei-ane Payne egan o e veo ie

oetion otoga an faiie of i

oy an fae nto a onetay oiiat

e atie te goa of wi wa to eny

te tate fna igt of aaion i te

construtio of Idetty (fgs. 77, 170) Payne's

tense medaton on the potkal ossbty

o subverso d e goudwor o ay

t d d t t


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ayhig amgh beconstruedasa object

mtoeato a aawokGee

offeredTtleWithheld (Boyco), inwhichhe

t a oom wth th mm o

is cotets. With this attack on he institution

(a by xto om of h fllow att)

Gs assered ha art could refuse and esist

t idology of mseologica practice. Thus,

t mgy mty oom to th vav mo hg fo maktot

otooal obj A a amlfato of th

bat Tle Whheld By t o

th va o th mm to thogah

toag oom a hog ok wh at

a lta objct awat al o th

ya twok of tttoa otxtal-

ao. It ly what ha b a

a vaat fom th galy wal that

t bjt of th ty awa vto

Movg away fom G logtag la-

ohp wth h ao o h mot

vatga a xaml h altato o h

bay to May 96 a a gt of olaty

wth th tt who at th mm o

l b ) h

Afrca

ty aG ogh ot oly to lam

all th fa tt bt to mak thm

t byo ma

A w bg to ft thogh th matal that

aoma th xhbo w wl f w

twok a oo wll mg om

fama om ob. h way Gb

Cnepalsm: Pns f Ogn wll havaomh t goa of llmatg th

o that oll att to f a o

a fft hag th go l g-

latg at oo a th vy agag

of at tf. At th mot tally awa th

Aa att o h hav mt tho

hallg a th h a aty of

th tvto hav ft th ow bl

mak ha ow w a bg to mba

oth aot of otalm that o ot

alway ah to th tt gm of otho-

ox otal at bt omt th mltva-

ag a v movao bh

t aaa globally Th to o Afa

otalm hol th b a a

o fo ft vtgato whh o obt

ll h h I h

Notes

. Ima Eong, "Negitude: Betwee Mask and Flag

Senegaese Ca deoogy ad the 'coe de

Dakar in Afria Explores: 20th Century Arian Art,

ed. Susan Voge (New Yo Cente o Aican A

199) 98.

2 tevew wth ssa Sam by te autho aa

Api 998.3. Centine eiss 7+7= Seven Stoies Seve

Sages One xiition i Seven Sories AbotMode Art i Aria (ais and New Yok

ammao 995 9

4 Qoted in Ashaf Jaa Wiem Bosho Bind

Aphabet in Object Lessos (So Pauo 3d So

auo Biea 996 4.

5 Geado Mosquea poant ad xpotant i

Trade Roue Hisory and Geogphy ohanesbugand Te Hague d Johaesbug Biennae Aics

stitute of Contepoay At and Pce Caus Fund

fo Ce 99) 0.

6. Macom ayne Faut Lies-Beawate

Coeee peakes ote a vua pena

ton a the Beakwate Coneee Cape w

(uuished).

7 id.


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This publication has been prepared o aompany he e xhibiton

lal Cncpa/im: in f Oiin 5s oganized

y he Queens Museum of Ar

Ehiiin Tu

Qeens se o A New Yok Ap 28-As 9 1999

Wake At Cene Minneapos Deembe 9 999Mach 5 2000

Mami At Museum Miami Septembe 5 ovembe 26 2000

lal Cncepa/im in f Oiin 5s s sponsoed by AT&T.

Majo suppot is aso povided by the Roefee Foundation he Andy

Waho oundaon o the Vsua As and the Lannan oundation Additona

fundng is fom the Peter oton Famy Foundaton

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Enwezor, African Conceptualism