Annansi Chronicles

Starchitect David Adjaye brings his building art to America

YG points to a new exhibit by UK-based Ghanaian star architect David Adjaye opening today at the Studio Museum of Harlem in New York City. The exhibit, Making Public Buildings, introduces Adjaye’s architecture to American audiences by carrying viewers through his working process-from inspiration to completion-through ten projects, both built and uncompleted. Having been awarded an Order of the British Empire by the queen for services to architecture, following several public works including his Idea Stores, which have shaken up the notion of the library, and his Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Mr. Adjaye is set to take on America. With both a New York office for his company Adjaye/Associates and his Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver opening this fall the star architect has his American debut all lined up. About his current work Mr. Adjaye tells New York Magazine:

We are building a house for an amazing art collector [Adam Lindemann and his wife, gallerist Amalia Dayan] on the Upper East Side. It is quite hermetic. In ten years, 50 percent of the world will live in cities; they are becoming massive. The home is something that becomes an emotional incubator and resuscitator. It is not about tricks but about the way in which you reorient a person’s perceptions by focusing on water or on a tree or on a texture of a wall, making the home a meditative space. For this house, the thing the house reflects on will also be art.

David Adjaye’s Making Public Buildings opens today, July 18, 2007, with a 7pm reception at the Studio Museum of Harlem. The exhibition continues through Sunday, October 28, 2007 (Wed-Fri: 12-6pm / Sat: 10am-6pm / Sun: 12-6pm).

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Peter Beard limited edition book

Some years ago, I was walking through SoHo and came across an exhibit at a nondescript art gallery. I was struck by the large image of a man resting calmly in the gaping mouth of a crocodile. The man was laying on his stomach writing in a journal with his legs extending into the creature’s mouth. Being the ever inquisitive art student, I walked into the gallery and into my first experience with photographer/artist/writer Peter Beard’s work. When you first happen upon Beard’s work as I did so many years ago, you are at first shocked. There’s blood, old photos, animal skin, and all sorts of other materials. Beard’s work is organized chaos at it’s best and an organic one at that. Beard first started traveling to Africa in 1955 and since then he’s been obsessed with Africa’s land, people, and animals. Beard is one of those artists who lives and breathes his work. He is easily compared to Warhol, in his art and celebrity, but his knowledge of and adoration for Africa sets him apart. Beard recently released a 500-page limited edition book of his work through Taschen books. Follow Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore’s lead and get yourself a copy. If you can’t afford it get a pair of Peter Beard sandals.

African woman European standards

For the past few years I’ve been reading a lot about a talented Kenyan-born artist named Wangechi Mutu. Ms Mutu’s art “explores the contradictions of female and cultural identity and makes reference to colonial history, contemporary African politics and the international fashion industry”.

Having seen images of her work I can see what all the fuss is about. At first the images are intentionally awkward and grotesque; taking a closer look you see a butt here, an eye there, a headline somewhere else, which points to the deeper imagery. Piecing together magazine imagery with painted surfaces and found materials Wangechi Mutu is able to create satirical scenes of her take on “a European preference to physique that has been inflicted on and adapted by Africans, resulting in both social hierarchy and genocide”. Still in her early 30’s Ms. Mutu is heralded one of the best young artists. Coming from a solo show at the San Francisco MoMA, Wangechi Mutu’s works will go on display May 12 – June 17, 2006 at the Sikkema Jenkins & Co gallery and at Salon 94 May 21 – July 7, 2006.