The
Museum of Fine Arts in Houston presents "African Art Now",
Masterpieces from the Jean Pigozzi Collection January 28h to May 9th, 2005.
Citywide Celebration of Contemporary African Art
Jan 28, 2005
at the Caroline Wiess Law Building
African Art Now: Masterpieces from the Jean Pigozzi Collection
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Caroline Wiess Law Building
1001 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005
Salute to the Artists: Friday, Jan. 28, 2005 6:00 pm, Brown Auditorium Theater
Opening Reception: Friday, Jan. 28, 2005 6:00 pm — 10:00 pm
www.mfah.org 713.639.7300
Extraordinary collaboration reveals 'African Art Now'
By PATRICIA C. JOHNSON (C) 2005 HoustonChronicle.comJan.
26, 2005, 8:04PM
The core is the collection of Swiss businessman Jean Pigozzi who began
acquiring contemporary African art in 1989. African Art Now at the
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, is a stunning selection from Pigozzi's rich
holdings of an estimated 6,000 works.
Four of the artists in the Pigozzi collection are also highlighted
individually in other institutions. Romuald Hazoume, a native of Benin, exhibits
sculpture at the Menil Collection; stunning photographs by J. D. 'Okhai Ojeikere
of Nigeria are at the University of Houston's Blaffer Gallery; the art museum at
Texas Southern University features paintings by Chéri Samba from the Congo; and
his fellow countryman, Bodys Isek Kingelez, fills the lower gallery of the
Contemporary Arts Museum with his meticulous constructions made from cardboard
and other materials.
And there's more.
The CAM also presents Double Consciousness: Black Conceptual Art Since
1970. The group exhibit spotlights seminal African-American artists,
Howardena Pindell and Glenn Ligon among them, as well as emerging contemporaries
like Karyn Olivier.
Houston artist David Mcgee was invited by the Menil Collection to curate an
exhibit from its holdings in the Image of the Black in Western Art
collection. Titled Deep Wells and Reflecting Pools, the exhibit
presents approximately 25 paintings, works on paper and objects dated from the
mid-19th century to the early 20th century, that address issues of slavery,
racism and stereotypes.
The extraordinary collaboration among the museums extends to a free
celebration this weekend with simultaneous receptions 6-9 p.m. Friday and an
open house noon-5 p.m. Saturday. Free shuttle service to the five museums will
operate both days. Complementing the exhibits is a full schedule of
demonstrations and gallery talks on Saturday, including a noon-5 p.m.
demonstration of traditional and contemporary hair braiding at the Blaffer
Gallery, a 4 p.m. gallery talk by curator Andre Magnin at the CAM, and a 5:30
p.m. lecture by Hazoume at the Eldorado Ballroom.
