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November Issue 2006
McColl Center for Visual Art in Charlotte, NC, Features Exhibit of Works by African Designers
McColl Center for Visual Art in Charlotte, NC, is pleased to present this vibrant exhibit, Design Made in Africa, which explores the vitality and diversity of contemporary design from across the continent of Africa. The exhibition will be on view from Nov. 17 through Jan. 6, 2007. On Nov. 17, at 6:30pm, Franck Houndégla, the Exhibition Designer will give a talk about the exhibit.
Originally organized by Samuel Siédibe, Director of the Mali National Museum of Bamako and AFAA/Afrique en Créations for the Biennale de Design de Saint-tienne in 2004, Design Made in Africa now travels across the globe to highlight African contemporary creativity in the world of design.
The exhibition, co-curated by Michel Bouisson
and Céline Savoye, began with a call for entries that concluded
with the creation of a beautiful exhibition featuring 30 designers
from 14 countries - each with their own traditions, culture and
stories to tell.
Savoye commented on the nature of design in Africa: "In this
exhibition, we are a long way from the design of new services
or virtual space, which are current Western occupations. Here
there are solid, tangible objects born of sweat and elbow grease.
Wood, metal, leather, fiber, woven plastic...The fact that the
objects are generally made by the artists themselves highlights
their creative commitment and their deep-rooted attachment to
the finished products. This is their strength. Being a designer
in Africa means often being linked to communal organizations or
cooperatives, a way of pooling craftsmen of talent and ancestral
know-how. This is another of the design objects' values that subtly
haunts the finished products."
Design Made in Africa challenges viewers to expand and reconsider their preconceived notions and images of Africa - to move beyond the expected. Images of traditional African sculpture, ritual objects, textiles and crafts are a part of the common vernacular, but the objects featured in Design Made in Africa range from the fusing of traditional techniques with modern materials to simple, minimalist objects purposely divorced from cultural ties. The breadth and range of objects is as creative and complex as the individuals who designed them.
McColl Center for Visual Art is advancing creativity through artist residencies, exhibitions and other educational programs about contemporary art. The Center provides transforming experiences for visual artists, individuals who visit the Center and our broader community. Come and celebrate your creative spirit! McColl Center for Visual Art is supported by the Annual Fund Drive of the Arts & Science Council; the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency; the National Endowment for the Arts and the generosity of other private, corporate and individual donors.
The exhibition is sponsored by the Cultural Services of the French Consulate in Atlanta, GA.
For further information check our NC Institutional
Gallery listings, call the Center at 704/332-5535 or visit (www.mccollcenter.org).
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