THINK TRACES- DAVID AMAECHI DIBIAH
From May 10 to June 7 we present the exhibition THINK TRACES by Nigerian artist David Amaechi Dibiah. It is the fourth exhibition in the series „von dort bis hier – Artistic Reflections of translocal Autobiographies“, taking place from January 2012 to April 2013 at GALLERY LISTROS.
THINK TRACES is a project showing the necessity of responsible worldwide acting and governing in regard to the African continent. Nigerian artist DAVID AMAECHI DIBIAH questions the convictions and cliches that exist between Europeans and Africans in his exhibited photography ( e.g. "Threat" and "Draught", both 2009) and installations (e.g. "Manipulation"). They refer to the alleged superiority of western consumer goods and Christian values and the fact that traces left by Africans in diaspora countries are most often associated with folkloric and culinary experiences.
In the exhibition David Amaechi Dibiah shows works from the fields of painting, drawing, photography, installation, video and performance. He uses all these medias to work on the interplay between African and European art, i.e. both cultures he moves in and where he collects his experience. "Differences must exist to create a middle," David Amaechi Dibiah says. "Not recognizing the differences will always pose a problem. Nobody can exist without the middle."
The exhibition's core piece is an installation, which is based on the dialogue that the artist has been involved in with the mathematician and philosopher Lere O Shakunle since 2006. His philosophy of the "Zero Spiral" says that the center of the spiral can never be filled. This "in-between" has been decisive for his artistic concept ever since. The installation of the same name consists of a spiral lying on the floor and a 3.50 meter high figure called "One Other Together" which stands in the spiral's center and is made of Nigerian materials.
David Amaechi Dibiah regards THINK TRACES as an open letter and calls upon all viewers of the exhibition to liberate themselves from bias. "It is an appeal to come together and forge a continuing bond between art and culture," he says. "A natural bond towards an awareness of identity."
Opening: Wed. April 4, 2012, 7 pm
Music by JazzRadio
GALERIE LISTROS
Kurfürstenstraße 33, 10785 Berlin
From April 4 to May 3, 2012 we present the exhibition „MAGNETFELD“ by the Angolian Manuela Sambo and German Daniel Sambo-Richter. “Magnetfeld” is the third exhibition within the series “von dort bis hier - Artistic Reflections of translocal Autobiographies“, taking place from January 2012 to April 2013 at GALLERY LISTROS.
Despite different artistic traditions and contents both artists show overlaps that stem from their working and creating in a mutual work space. Thus the exhibition reflects an intimate dialogue of cultures. Manuela Sambo’s figurative paintings deal with questions of female identity and are stylistically shaped by her Angolan cultural context. At GALLERY LISTROS Sambo presents a series reflecting both her own and Renaissance art tradition. The works by Daniel Sambo-Richter are rooted in western art tradition. His series “Space of Possibilities” - large, abstract paintings done in lacquer on canvas - address both the real, outward directed and the imagined, inward directed space.
The artistic position of Manuela Sambo, on the one hand, is characterized by stringent figuration and style stemming from the artist’s African cultural heritage. In her paintings, she addresses eros and sexuality, questions of female identity including her own as well as social constraints and norms. In her latest series, which she will premier at GALLERY LISTROS, she uses her own style language to examine the traditions of occidental renaissance painting, especially in regards to the perception of women. In this project, the artist wants to imitate the approach of the expressionists, who explicitly orientated themselves on African traditional art and style, which they adpted for their own art. In her experiment, Manuela Sambo follows the same approach thereby acquiring certain features that correspond to her own work.
The artistic work of Daniel Sambo-Richter, on the other hand, is based in Western traditions. Sambo-Richter works both figuratively and abstractly. His large-size varnish paintings "Space of Possibilities" address both the real, outward directed and the imagined, inward directed space. Thus, his exploration strategy is - abstractly and figuratively - named in two similarly marked access modes. By doing so he shows a traditional commitment to classic painting to whose formal methods he inevitably refers to and constantly interacts with.
In the joint exhibition, he contrasts his paintings with the new series of paintings of Manuela Sambo. These contrary positions achieve a tension without competing. Due to their long-standing familiarity with each other’s works, the artists see similarities not visible for the outsider at first sight. Links and parallels only become visible by contrasting both positions. Therefore, the exhibition presents a strong, nearly intimate, dialogue of cultures with the means of art, of painting.
Dalila Dalléas Bouzar - TOPOGRAPHIE DE LA TERREUR
Exhibition opening: March 1, 7 pm
GALLERY LISTROS
Kurfürstenstraße 33, 10785 Berlin
GALLERY LISTROS, Berlin from March 1 to March 29 presents the exhibition „topographie de la terreur“ by Algerien artist Dalila Dalléas Bouzar. It is the second exhibition in the series „von dort bis hier – Artistic Reflections of translocal Autobiographies“, taking place from January 2012 to April 2013 at GALLERY LISTROS.
Dalila Dalléas Bouzar dedicates her exhibition „topographie de la terreur“ to the urban areas of her biographic stations Berlin, Paris and Algiers.
She focusses on the apartment as a closed living space, which she – among other aspects - associates with terror, prison or maze. For the artist, the apartment is a personal, intimate place, in which she feels both safe and vulnerable. The buildings, where Dalila Dalléas Bouzar lives and works, are a characterizing part of her biography as an artist.
Whenever a place gains importance in her life, Dalléas Bouzar starts dealing with it - she tries to feel, to appropriate it. As an artist it is crucial to her to express and reflect how she perceives these places. Therefore, apartments have turned into obsession with Dalila Dalléas Bouzar. Like in a recurrent dream, she looks into interior spaces to understand their meaning, to define what she is trying to find and whether she really wants to explore what she might find.
In the exhibition "topographie de la terreur", Dalléas Bouzar presents fictional ground plans of apartments as well as models and drawings of urban places that she associates with violence and suppression. To the artist, the apartment that she represents for her own topography of terror, is closely linked to her current living space Berlin, whose entire urban space reflects German history for her. In the eyes of the artist, Berlin is not beautiful like Paris in a classical sense, but – by mirroring history in the cityscape – far more expressive, even than her birthplace Algiers. In Berlin the artist sees the scars of terror everywhere. She is not able to and does not want to ignore this. Therefore, the title of the exhibition refers to both her personal terror and terror in German history.
Dalila Dalléas Bouzar’s examination of the apartment gains another dimension with the series „The women of Algiers in their chamber (according to Delacroix)”. Here she reflects the intimate view of Delacroix, which he, as a western male visitor, once rendered on this enclosed world. Dalila Dalléas Bouzar has adopted this alien view and now opens up her version of the famous painting to us, this time as a view from inside. The situation of Algerian women resembles that of a prison. But within its boundaries the intimate chamber at least offers them the possibility of escape. On the one hand, Dalila Dalléas Bouzar thus examines her Algerian roots. But this series is, on the other hand, a dispute with her second home country, France. By interpreting the works of the famous French historical painter Delacroix anew, she, as an Algerian women, dares correcting him and thereby demands her own position in art history.
For more informationen and pictures please contact:
presse@galerie.listros.de oder www.vondortbishier.listros.de
Yassine Balbzioui - PARADE
Opening: January 26, 2012, 7 pm
GALLERY LISTROS
Kurfürstenstraße 33, 10785 Berlin
From 26th of January to 23rd of February 2012 GALERIE LISTROS, Berlin presents the exhibition “PARADE“ by Maroccon artist Yassine Balbzioui. “PARADE“ launches the exhibition series „von dort bis hier – Artistic Reflections of translocal Autobiographies“, which takes place from January 2012 to April 2013 at GALERIE LISTROS.
Within the framework of the exhibition series ”von dort bis hier“, artists from the African Diaspora in Germany deal with their biographical origins. Through autobiographical presentation and reflection a space for communication and interaction is opened, in which audiences are inspired by new views and perceptions.
To Moroccan artist Yassine Balbzioui an art exhibition is similar to a (carnival) parade in the street: the artist parades his works in front of an audience. In a parade carnival groups or beauty queens present themselves to the spectators. But at the same time they hide their true self. By being dressed up and/or wearing masks they play a role and they can also disappear within the group they are a part of.
This also applies to the figures in Balbzioui´s works. Their faces are hidden by plastic bags, brush strokes, their own hands or animal like masks. With the absence of a human face Balbzioui´s works become mirrors – as the spectator does not look into a face he or she has to fall back on her/himself to be reflected. His works therefore express a dialectic between “showing” and “not showing” and force the audience to decide on how to interpret what they see and to question their own self-presentation. The disguises of Balbzioui´s figures often seem grotesque or absurd – but for the artists the comical is a way to detach oneself from the “common body”.
What defines Balbzioui´s biography is being here, leaving and returning. In his works he deals with the impressions and experiences of his numerous travels. The artist regards himself as nomad who does not like to stay at one place for more than six months. He needs both being in close touch with the environment he is in and new inspirations by moving to another location.
The work series Yassine Balbzioui is presenting in the exhibition PARADE are not necessarily telling stories of his travels or his life. The artist rather wants the audience to come up with their own stories and interpretations when they see his works. He offers the ingredients that make up a story but he does not put them together.
For further information and press fotos:
presse@galerie.listros.de
Partner
JazzRadio 106,8, LoNam – das afrikanische Magazin, AfroTak, Jozi.tV, SID - Society for International Development Berlin, giz - Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH , Verein Berliner Künstler, btk - Berliner Technische Kunsthochschule, fuldwerk, AK-Kultur der SPD Berlin-Mitte
exhibition series „von dort bis hier“
Artistic Reflexions of translocal Autobiographies
GALERIE LISTROS - January 2012 thru April 2013
First exhibition opening: 26. January 2012 at 7 pm
Yassine Balbzioui PARADE
Kurfürstenstraße 33, 10785 Berlin
Opening hours: Tue thru Sa 10 am – 7 pm
Thur: Art and Cocktailbar until 2 am
From 27th of January to 11th of April 2013 GALERIE LISTROS, Berlin presents the exhibition series ”von dort bis hier – Artistic Reflexions of translocal Autobiographies”. On Thursday, 26th January 2012, 7 pm GALERIE LISTROS launches the series with the opening of the exhibition “PARADE” by Moroccan artist Yassine Balbzioui.
Since its foundation in 2003 by Ethiopian Dawit Shanko, LISTROS e.V. is a laboratory of ideas to develop new perspectives on the issue of Africa. The gallery of the same name, GALERIE LISTROS, focuses on art and dialogue and gives impulses by supporting the process of a self-conscious Africa and a European approach based on partnership.
Within the framework of the exhibition series ”von dort bis hier“, artists from the African Diaspora in Germany deal with their biographical origin and discuss their personal experiences and influences in two cultures. Through autobiographical presentation and reflection the exhibition series aims to open a space for communication and interaction, in which audiences are inspired by new views and perceptions.
The exhibition series „von dort bis hier“ is a platform for artists, who were born and raised on the African continent and have chosen to make Germany their center of life. Presented are, on the one hand, artists who have lived in Germany for decades such as El Loko (Togo), Mansour Ciss (Senegal), Manuela Sambo (Angola), David Amaechi Dibiah (Nigeria) and Ivor Sias (South Africa); on the other hand artists participate, who have only recently chosen Germany as their home, such as Yassine Balbzioui (Morocco), Christophe Ndabananiye (Rwanda), Engdaget Legesse (Ethiopia) oder Dalila Dalléas Bouzar (Algeria). The aspect of having African roots in the second generation but having grown up in Germany is also considered by presenting works of Afro-German artist Ransome Stanley.
The programme of events accompanying the exhibitions is as diverse as the artistic positions of the exhibition series. DJs of JazzRadio 106.8 accompany the openings. Each Thursday GALERIE LISTROS is open till 2 am and invites visitors to view the exhibitions and have drinks at the bar. Panel discussions will broach the issue of “Africa policy and art” as well as the situation of Diaspora artists in Germany. Mathematics – or rather the principle “Zero Spiral” by mathematician and author Lere O Shakunle – is the focus of an event within the framework of the exhibition “Think Traces”. Further panel discussion, film presentations as well music events will be announced in the course of the exhibition series.
For more information and images please contact: presse@galerie.listros.de oder www.vondortbishier.listros.de
Partners
JazzRadio, LoNam – das afrikanische Magazin, AfroTak, Jozi.tV, SID - Society for International Development Berlin, giz - Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH , Verein Berliner Künstler, btk - Berliner Technische Kunsthochschule.
