Partly due to the volume induced information overload, of the huge amount of work that was presented in Okwui Enwezor’s ‘All The Worlds Future’s’ in the Arsenale, very little stayed with me a few days on. Three artists work that did, were Abu Bakarr Mansaray, (born in Sierra Leoone, lives and works in Freetown and Harlingen), Chris Ofili (born in UK, lives and works in POS, Trinidad) and Mikhael Subotzky ( Born, lives and works in JHB, South Africa) . Both Ofili and Subotzky’s work benefited from relatively enclosed installations, which allowed for uninterrupted contemplation, and Abu Bakarr Mansaray, presented a large body of highly original and compelling drawings installed on two walls opposite each other in the central corridor.
Abu Bakarr Mansaray, Appajax, 2000 (2003) Graphite and coloured pencil
Abu Bakarr Mansaray, Appajax, 2000 (2003) Graphite and coloured pencil
Abu Bakarr Mansaray, Appajax, 2000 (2003) Graphite and coloured pencil
Abu Bakarr Mansaray, Sinister Project (2003) Graphite and coloured pencil
Chris Ofili’s presented 4 large paintings, installed in an octagonal space specifically designed for the work by David Adjaye,with walls painted by scene painters from the, the Royal Ballet, with whom Chris has worked over the last few years, most recently at his hugely successful show at the New Museum in NY. The space Adjaye created acts as a quiet, contained resting place within the overloaded, noisy Arsenale.
Chris Ofili Installation View
Chris Ofili Bending over Backwards for Justice and Peace (2015), Oil on Linen
Chris Ofili The Green Mirror (2015), Oil on Linen
Chris Ofili Installation View
Mikhael Subotzky, Pixel Interface (2015) Three looped digital videos of varying length with sound, polycarbonate screen, three custom made steel tables, three custom made microscopes with objectives, three digital HD microscope cameras
Mikhael Subotzky, Pixel Interface (2015) Three looped digital videos of varying length with sound, polycarbonate screen, three custom made steel tables, three custom made microscopes with objectives, three digital HD microscope cameras
