Global Studios: Senegal
BFA Faculty Modou Dieng and six PNCA students are exploring the art and culture of Dakar, Senegal through January 26 as part of PNCAs Global Studios Program. The intensive studio class provides an introduction to contemporary and international issues in the religions, arts, history and politics of this West African nation.
Jan 19, 2008 : Sarah Farahat
Pap Ba and a local girl
photo workshop (Sarah)
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Jan 19, 2008 : Sarah Farahat
night falls on another beautiful adventure
Well, yesterday we wrapped up our official schedule with a photo workshop by Pap Ba, a local photographer interested in expressing poems through photographs. We took his poem and used it to jump into the world of photography. Here are a few photos I took. The site for our workshop was a mosque on the water which was built after the late spiritual guide dreamt of the location and asked for the mosque to be built there.
After the workshop we all participated in eating special foods prepared by Modou’s sister especially for the end of the Muslim year. It was also Senegalese Halloween where everyone dresses in drag and the little kids make lots of noise and scare people (not that Modou was at all scared by harmless little kids in costume.)
After that all we could do was celebrate a wonderful trip by dancing in a traditional club with live m’balax music. Well PNCA, can’t wait to share our adventures in person. After a reggae concert tonight we hit the airport for the long long long flight marathon home before school starts on tuesday. Snow day anyone?
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Jan 18, 2008 : Rebecca Steele
Rebecca Steele
On friday we visited the house and studio of Ken-si who is a painter, writer, printmaker, as well as being the representative of the socially interactive group Huite Facette.
He showed us a film that was a detail of a woman’s mouth reading from a letter to the President of France concerning political and economic injustice committed under the guise of developmentt in Senegal. It was a powerful piece and served as a good entry point to Ken-si’s artistic practice. We had an informal conversation about the social responsibility of artists in Africa especially in relation to the role played by NGO’s and other European organisations with ties to Africa but not necessarily with great interest in the artistic development of people here. Ken-si’s studio was filled with several recent series of paintings. One series that is to be hung in the National Gallery in Dakar in the spring was a set of double portraits in which the figure is proposed in relationship to a psychological or historic dissection or split. The portraits were of Cheikh Anta Diop who is a senegalese phiosopher. Another series of paintings were much more graphic and detailed lines of figures in various abstracted poses of prayer on a black and white graphic background.
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Jan 18, 2008 : Sarah Farahat
plastic flower garden
Today Rebecca and I completed our intervention installation project. We went to a busy roundabout intersection and cleaned up the garbage that always piles up there, from that we fashioned plastic and paper flowers and “planted” them into the roundabout the next day. The project was well received by the passerbys. Here is a picture of the flowers waiting for their new home. We will upload some of the action shots tomorrow.
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Jan 18, 2008 : Sarah Farahat
radio show with Xuman
(ps-their radio rooms had awesome facilities and great soundproofing!)
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Jan 18, 2008 : Sarah Farahat
radio show in senegal!
Each day brings so many new experiences that it would be a full time job to blog about them all. However I would be remiss in not mentioning our trip to a Senegalese radio station to guest appear on a hip hop show run by one of the great Senegalese rappers, Xuman. We played a few songs and chatted about music. It is all on cd if you want a copy. Here are a few pictures from the experience
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Jan 18, 2008 : Sarah Farahat
"Doorways and passages of return…" (M.Ali)
(this is long but bear with me)
The African diaspora.
What does it mean? How far back does it go and who does it include? What does Africa mean to African-Americans? To people whose history recalls a land far away and hardships not yet left behind, where you blend in, where your face looks like the face of your neighbor and your grandfather. And to those who are less identifiable, to those mixed, whose roots stretch through Asia, Europe and Africa whose lips are full but skin is pale, kinky hair, red or freckly, to those who are tall and skinny or short and thick, eyes dark or light, purple or green, who do they recognize, to whom do they call family and whom do they summon as their ancestors? And do those with whom they identify find a home in them as well?
Muhsana Ali, a soft spoken strong African American artist from Philly, brought us her experiences growing up in the Nation of Islam, the era of Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammed, of her trips to Africa, of her struggles in art school to negotiate her black identity within the ivory tower. Recognizing the omission of African art history and the lack of interest exhibited by most of her professors, Muhsana flew to Africa to find out for herself about contemporary issues within the African arts community. Her primary training in illustration took a back seat to her Fullbright in Cote d’Ivoire, where she created an installation in an old warehouse inhabited by squatting youth, into drugs and crime. Both den mother and self-proclaimed artist-in-residence, Ali opened the space with large-scale interactive sculptural works as well as creating a gallery to hang the work of the boys with whom she had taught basic art skills.
Her marriage to Kan-si, a well-known Senegalese artist, brought Ali back to West Africa and she resides here in Dakar full time. Last week, Dina and I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon observing the lives of these two working artists: negotiating projects, cultural adjustments, tending two small children and sustaining a marriage. Together Muhsana and Kan-si are creating an artist-in-residency program outside of Dakar in the small village of Joal. The program includes education and support to the local community who engage in traditional craft projects (while incorporating contemporary techniques) to earn money for their village.
I strongly identified with Muhsana’s video piece for the 2002 Dak’art Biennal, where Ali filmed herself traveling through Dakar with traditional garb from several different ethnic groups found in Africa. She also interviewed people in her community about their identities and in turn how they viewed her identity. Through the process of becoming all these women that other Africans expected her to be, Ali became hyper-aware of the constructed nature of identity and how we tend to define ourselves based on how others see us, rarely on internal traits viewed from the inside out. As a person of mixed race, I related strongly to the themes within Muhsana’s work and I greatly appreciated the chance to meet her and share ideas about race, identity and contemporary art.
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Jan 17, 2008 : Mallory Stevens
Final Projects
As the end of our amazing trip to Senegal nears, we all have to propose and complete a final project based on our experiences here in this foreign land. I am super stoked about mine, so I decided to share it! First, I am designing a tattoo that i will get or do myself (depending on where it will go) of a stylized baobob tree. These trees are beautiful and so different from what we see in Oregon, I was also inspired to do a series of tree drawings. I am using fine pen and few colors per set of drawings. I will upload photos when I get the chance. One set of drawings is inspired by a stump out side of one of the art museums in Dakar, in which a mask/ face was carved into the wood. There are so many gorgeous natural sites inthis city, its hard to stick to one idea!
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Jan 16, 2008 : Mallory Stevens
Ndary Lo
On Wednesday, the 9th, we met an incredible artist and sculpture named Ndary Lo. I was very impressed by his work, which was a mix of installations, sculptures, and paintings. First, entering his large studio, stand giant sculptures of people made from rebar and iron. Some have large bellies filled with doll heads; others stretch their thin necks high above us. Inside his studio was an installation of trees made from rebar that had hands and people as branches, forming an entire forest with sand as the base. His latest installation that is in the process of being finished deals with small wooden African fisherman boats cut in half, and placed on the ground in sand to appear as though they are sticking up from the ground. He constructed small people of wire and placed they throughout the sandy base.
Ndary graduated college with a major in illustration and it is apparent in his paintings. They were full of detail and very concise, depicting his political views. He did a set of paintings based on political leaders, putting them all in the spotlight, as in typical portraits. He chose the portrait style in order to represent how the public views these political leaders, as if they are put on a pedestal. The technique in his paintings is intense, with beautiful value changes and realism. I strongly recommend checking out Ndary Lo on the web to get a better idea of his work.
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Jan 13, 2008 : Sarah Farahat
Avec la plage et mer...
As I stand waist deep in the clear blue water of the Senegalese Atlantic my eyes wander right, to the corrugated steel shipping containers, a symbol of global standardization and efficiency. Traveling left my eyes catch on the jagged coastline of Goree Island, the shipping post for all the West Africans enslaved by the Western Imperialists. From there I travel further south to the large fishing tankers trolling for riches hidden far below the surface of the sea, the bounty of fish swimming towards Spain for a better life. And I turn towards the land, to a beach colonized by Arab and French tourists enjoying vacation and recreation. I wonder what this place means to them-what does Senegal hold in their hearts and what do they see as they look across the clear blue surface of the sea.
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Jan 13, 2008 : Sarah Farahat
brief update
wow our days are filled to the brim here! Dina and I spent the day with Kan_si and Muhsana, two very interesting artists that use interactvity and social practice within their work. (I,ll reflect more later on that) We checked out this sweet hiphop show in a park yesterday and heard some traditional live music as well. I got pretty good sound clips from both for the radio station. tommorow Matt and I go to do a radio show with one of the big socially conscious rappers here in town. should be great. take care pnca.
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Jan 10, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
Shelter for workers who collect salt on the shores of Lac Rose (pink lake) .
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Jan 10, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
Kayar is a fishing on the coast (north of Dakar).
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Jan 10, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
Detail of Soly Cisse combines .
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Jan 10, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
afternoon at Soly Cisse’s studio.
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Jan 10, 2008 : Sarah Farahat
I love the patterns of fabric and their reference to nature
(photo taken by Mallory)
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Jan 10, 2008 : Mallory Stevens
Le Village des Tortues du Senegal
On Tuesday we ventured outside of Dakar to The Village of the Turtles, a sanctuary for a few different species of Turtles. First, as we entered the sanctuary, we saw little pens with giant turtles basking in the hot sun. The french speaking tour guide tried his best to explain the lives of the turtles, as well as their anatomical structure. We learned that their shells tell how old they are, much like circles on a tree, but the lines on the shell. Matt even got to sit on the biggest turtle, named Bill Clinton, because they got that turtle the day Bill Clinton came to visit Senegal. After the Monica Lewinsky incident they added another, smaller turtle to Bill’s pen, and called it Monica Lewinsky. Bill was about 75 years old and Monica is 88. We learned that turtles live the longest of all species.
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Jan 10, 2008 : Sarah Farahat
Well, as anyone who took 6 fairly consecutive flights (3 to portland, 3 on this trip) I got a nice dose of viruses and ended up with the flu. I experienced the past 2 days totally by sound as I was sleeping for about 48 hours straight. But the coast is clearing and a great trip to a village near the sea yesterday helped my recovery. Modou “deux”-Modou Dieng’s friend drove us to his village and we met his family and headed to a fisherman’s port. The colors were amazing, the people friendly and of course vendors were fierce. We also checked out the Lac Rose (the pink lake). It is pink because of the high salt content in the water. There were piles of salt being bagged up by the locals and a lot of funny foam on the sides of the lake. After more failed attempts at vending, one car stuck in the sand and a few bathroom breaks (one of which was in an underground barroom) we made it back to the 7pm rush hour of Dakar. At home we were greeted almost immediately by Awa Modou’s sister, bringing us a beautiful spread of fresh fish, yucca, veggies and bread to nourish our appetites post adventure. Que magnifique! La vie en Senegal! (stay tuned-maybe a review of some live music coming soon!)-Sarah
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Jan 07, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
The sculptor Gabriel Kemzo Malou talking about his work.
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Jan 07, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
A view of Gabriel Kemzo Malou’s studio.
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Jan 07, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
View of a monument to slavery on Gore island.
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Jan 07, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
A DJ playing music in the square on Gore island.
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Jan 07, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
A woman cooking on the street on Gore island.
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Jan 07, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
A traditional Senegalese lunch.
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Jan 07, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
Produce vendors in the Medina in Casablanca.
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Jan 07, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
A front view of the mosque Hassan II.
The minaret on the mosque is 900 ft tall.
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Jan 07, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
Standing on the plaza of the mosque Hassan II with our guide who we met walking through the medina in Casablanca.
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Jan 07, 2008 : Modou Dieng
Rebecca Steele
The entrance to the Medina in Casablanca.
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Jan 07, 2008 : Dina Sussman-Gaedke
French
Our first night here Modou warned us that French is frustratingly indirect. I’m beginning to notice that trend in our lessons. We just finished our fourth French class this afternoon. Moutarou, notre prof, prend beaucoup de patience avec nous. Moutarou, our language teacher, is so sweet and patient with us. We have mastered our introductions and today learned a solid collection of verbs. To lose (perdre), to melt (fondre) , to succeed (re’ussir) and to bounce (bondir) are a few examples of our new repertoire. I’m excited to see how my experience in Dakar changes as my facility with French improves. For right now, mon dictionaire et mon cahier sont tojours mes amis.
Revillez croire a mes sentiments devoues,
<3dina
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Jan 07, 2008 : Modou Dieng
this is a gas station
This is a gas station in Yoff that was shut down due to new roads being laid down.
These two young Senegelese boys were catching birds and asking for money to free them.
On Thursday night we visited a private collection where we saw many paintings and sculptures from artists all over the world. This was one of the wooden sculptures in the backyard.
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Jan 05, 2008 : Sarah Farahat
Bon soir PNCA!
Today we are moving into our apartment. The time at the house of Ndela, Modous sister, has been wonderful and challenging. His family is warm and generous. We are being fed the most amazing food- hopefully I will upload some pictures soon. We are deep in the throws of French lessons as well as navigating time zones and Senegalese customs. We went to an art opening last night and afterwards sat beneath a baobab tree (ala le petit prince). The Senegalese know how to do openings right! Of course as art students we beelined directly towards the tasty appetizers and drinks; everyone was dressed to impress. (Please forgive the lack of punctuation, the french keyboard takes some practice to navigate.)
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Jan 02, 2008 : Sarah Farahat
Casablanca white house
Mejool, paprika, saffron, Medina, mosque, allahuakhbar he said as he shot his toy pistol into the air. Another boy grabbed my forearm and kissed gently “Mees, mees” “La’a La’a” I replied in too harsh a tone-instantly regretting the wounded look in his eyes. Narrow alleys with linens hanging from small balconies, fresh fish, piles of dates and lentils, cinnamon and fava beans, fat fresh carrots, figs and apricots. The moazzin’s call in the hot sun carried me back to the streets of Cairo-the memory of my youth-snippets of Arabic filter through the language barriers-”shokran, ma’asalama” but the Arabic is so different here mixed with French softened by the Atlantic winds and Spanish explorers.
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Jan 02, 2008 : Modou Dieng
And so it begins. Matthew Allen Wooldridge senior painting
And so it begins. Culture shock? Perhaps. This is my first journey outside of the United States, other than a small excursion to Canada. The layover in NYC was a cultural experience in itself; a warm up in the diversity of ethnic backgrounds and languages that I don’t speak, read, write, or understand – a myriad of worlds that I have yet to experience. Our arrival onto the African continent solidified these feelings. I knew that I would be perceived as a walking, white, ATM but also as just another hyper-consumer Westerner. With the language barrier holding erect, these interactions I feel, will only become increasingly peculiar. As an outsider I am entirely unfamiliar with tradition, custom, and subtle communicative cues imbedded within a slight gesture or look from the residents here. I would very much like to engage with every individual I encounter, but remain apprehensive, at least until I can manifest some level of comfort within the playing field abroad. It has been just over 30 hours of strenuous travel, absorption, and assimilation; these are only my first impressions.
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BFA students Kirsten Brady and Jason Traeger are part of the Global Studios: Brazil program this winter break. They're just part of a large PNCA contingent of students and faculty that are studying, showing their artwork and immersing themselves in the sights and culture of Rio de Janeiro. For the the two weeks, they'll be blogging their experiences and highlights.
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