A Black Art Fair: A Model for South Africa?
by Joost O. Bosland
Trade fairs are not curated exhibitions, and as such tend to show the democracy of capital. The National Black Fine Art Show (NBFAS) is, in many ways, no different. The show is an annual event at which galleries with an emphasis on black artists can showcase their stable of representation.
If a gallery pays the required fee, they are free to exhibit. With no quality control, the result is predictably uneven.
Because of its intrinsically political name, capital is not all that matters at the NBFAS. Much of the work on display might be qualified as couch art - at least it is couch art by black artists. As the American artworld is quite white, to say the least, an event like the Show is an important platform for artists and collectors alike. A predominantly black audience at an art fair is a rare sight in the States - as it would be still in South Africa, unfortunately - but at the NBFAS the vast majority of the visitors is African American.
Most of the art for sale is by Americans, but the show also includes work from Africa and the Caribbean. The quality and nature of the work on sale is not consistent. To get an idea of what was offered, try to imagine several large spaces filled with the following: historical work by celebrated African American artists like Romare Bearden, some supposedly 'authentic' African crap as sold on Greenmarket Square, boring contemporary work with a 'black' theme, and titillating contemporary work that would hold its own in the exhibition space of the Studio Museum in Harlem.
A weird juxtaposition indeed.
South Africa was represented at the fair through the Sragow Gallery. The Egazini Outreach Project, a printmaking collective based in Grahamstown with work in the South African National Gallery collection, was put in the spotlight. Of the prints on offer, Vokile Teysise's African Aloe and Leisure Times and Linga Diko's Amanz'awekho stood out.
However captivating and multi-layered the production of Egazini is, the gallery's focus on their work is a dubious decision. Black-and-white linocuts represent what is expected of Africa, and perpetuate the stereotypes that visitors to the Show might already have. The consistent misspelling of 'Xhosa' as 'Xsosa' did not help to create an impression that the gallery has a sincere interest in South African culture.
To their credit, Sragow did have other South African work on sale. The gallery obtains their South African material through David Krut, and established New York dealer of South African art.
A poor and uninteresting 2003 print by Zwelethu 'Amthethua' (sic.), Lovers III, only catered further to a prejudiced audience. The inclusion of some of Garth Erasmus' collage/photomontage works, with classical African sculptures depicted against colourful chaotic backgrounds was more commendable - Erasmus' treatment of the imagery is intricate and complex.
The most interesting South African work for sale was by Colbert Mashile. Several prints of what can be best described as an abstract bull on a cart were available, and they were absolutely intriguing.
It must be feared, however, that Egazini was better business.
A dealer that should get more praise for its approach to contemporary African art is the North Carolina based Noel Gallery. The gallery has the rights to exclusive representation of Cameroon artist Joel Mpah Dooh in the Unites States. At the NBFAS the gallery took a laudable risk, by dedicating their entire stand to the artist, who mostly makes expressionistic (critics might say, 'Basquiatish') mixed-media collages. With Venice and Dakar on his resumé Mpah Dooh already has some star status, and the Noel Gallery seems ready to push his career in the States.
Another remarkable contemporary African artist that was on show at the NBFAS was Ousmane Gueye. The P.C.O.G. Gallery (partly owned by Gueye) presented some recent sculpture by this Senegalese artist. His man-high pieces are executed in mixed ebony, and form abstract musical instruments. They are named after famous American jazz musicians who Gueye heard on the radio as a young man.
Lester Younge is a long slender string instrument veering off into a split end towards the top. The tuning pegs are located near the bottom, where a face is carved out of the base. Lionel Hampton could be a saxophone, and has a similar face near its base.
Seeing these sculptures by Gueye - discovered at age 16 by Leopold Senghor - I found it hard to understand why his work has gone relatively unnoticed in the States.
A question that should be asked is if the NBFAS is a viable model for South Africa. It seems that there would be little merit in cramming the production of black South African artists into a trade hall without attention to quality.
However, I see enormous potential for a joint black art fair organised by South Africa's serious dealers. It could attract an audience that might be reluctant to venture into galleries but does have an interest in collecting art. The new black elite is exactly that: an elite. They have the money to start collecting, and an SABFAS could be the much needed platform.
