Catalogue relating to an exhibition, 1995
Published by: Serpentine
Year published: 1995
Unpaginated.

Big City: Artists from Africa catalogue. An attractive publication, which was produced to accompany one of the major contributions to the africa 95 festival of primarily visual arts exhibitions, that took predominantly took place throughout London. From the catalogue’s preface, written by Serpentine director, Julia Peyton-Jones (who co-curated the exhibition with Paris-based curator and collector André Magnin:

“The Serpentine is proud to present Big City: Artists from Africa as part of africa 95. The exhibition brings together six contemporary artists, who make compelling objects and images encompassing a diversity of cultural references, from Mali to the Northern Transvaal. The artists use a range of media; painting, sculpture, photography and installation. Georges Adéagbo has travelled to England to create an installation comprising elements transported from Benin in conjunction with objects he has found in London. Frédéric Bruly Bouabré is represented by over 200 small-scale coloured drawings from the ongoing series Conaissance du Monde, incorporating Alphabet Bété (first version) which has never been exhibited. Bodys Isek Kingelez’s architectural models embody his utopian vision of future urban environments. Seydou Keïta’s evocative black and white photographs from the 1950s and ‘60s vividly record the life of the community in which he lived. Johannes Mashego Segogela’s wooden tableaux warn us of the repercussions of violence and social injustice. Cyprien Tokoudagba has travelled to London to make a work directly on to the walls of the Serpentine Gallery, exploring the imagery he paints in the temples of Benin.”

Contents as follows:

Sponsor’s Statement

Serpentine Gallery (preface) Julia Peyton-Jones

Big City: Artists from Africa (introduction) André Magnin

Two-page interview with Georges Adéagbo conducted by Reginé Cuzin, Paris, August 1995.

Two-page interview with Frédéric Bruly Bouabré conducted by Yaya Savané, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, July 1995.

One-page interview with Seydou Keïta conducted by André Magnin, Bamako, Mali, August 1994.

Two-page statement by Bodys Isek Kingelez, Kinshasa, Republic of Zaire 1995.

One-page text on Johannes Mashego Segogela by Linda Givon, Johannesburg, July/August 1995.

Two-page interview with Cyprien Tokoudagba conducted by Romuald Hazoumé, Abidjan, Porto Novo, Benin, August 1995

Works in the exhibition/cedits

The catalogue was extensively illustrated, including full page plates for all of the artists, with the exception of Cyprien Tokoudagba, though his work adorned the front and back cover of the catalogue.