Defining The New Art Scene (July 2005)

Hello.


This is my July post.


What hav'I been doing ?



I'm doing art. I'm doing research.
I'm putting up a couple stuff up
this autumn.


I've been replying to many other blogs,
attempting to opposite the direction that
bloggers are taking at replying to blogs
on their own sites.


I've been seeing art, of course.
Nothing you shouldn't imparably miss
but the Pompeii show in Ottawa.

Maybe that Russian show in Quebec City.


I'm all so non-contemporary these days.



My art scene for the month of July (a website indicating
the emergence of an art scene) is one that I find truly
inspiring. You've probably heard of this trend:
Afrofuturism.


This to me constitutes a re-appropriation of modernism by the african imperative that thoroughly influenced it. At least an attempt to clarify this link, to pursue
the imaginary visions of an avant-garde that constantly employed motifs emulating a certain "africanitude".



Does anyone remember the tag "jungle music" associated with drum and bass music from circa 1993? (I was a big fan of 4 Hero back then)

I think the art sleeves for some of these music releases were probably
the earliest form of afrofuturist art I had encountered.


But you could also say that a Picasso was afrofuturist.
Or the dialogue that it opened with african culture.


There is one art show I will be missing this summer that is probably
one of the most important happening these days: Africa Remix.


I am jumping a little fast because I wouldn't want readers to confuse african contemporary arts with the afrofuturist movement, but there are certainly signs of it in there.


Please !! Someone !!! Make that exhibit cross the Atlantic !!!!!!!!


In the meantime, Pompidou is also showing videos from Isaac Julien
that Montreal artgoers probably saw at their Contemporary Art Museum.
That was also pinpointing at afrofuturism.



Cheers,


Cedric Caspesyan
centiment@hotmail.com