Murmures

Genocide Monument
juin 2002 | | Arts plastiques | Ghana

Français

Une exposition virtuelle du sculpteur ghanéen Kofi Steordji, en ligne dès aujourd’hui
Détails sur notre page anglaise

English

A virtual exhibition with the stunning artwork of Ghanaian sculptor Kofi Steordji, online now.
VIRTUAL EXHIBITION GENOCIDE MONUMENT
Accra based Setordji worked two and half years on this work of art which consists of about 300 pieces. Setordji made a travelling monument from wood, metal, clay, waste materials and paint, that consists of a number of sculpture groups and objects. This artwork that weighs more than a ton, depicts the victims, refugees, politicians, judges and eyewitnesses. The directness of the imagery speaks to the conscience of the viewer. Rows of numbered terracotta faces painfully depict the anonymity of the thousands of victims: the monument was created in memory of the more than 800,000 direct and indirect victims.

On the website (in English and Dutch) the images of the work, information on the monumental project and a biography of Setordji; an infocentre about the Rwanda genocide and other genocides.

Genocide Monument is the most recent production of the Virtual Museum of Contemporary African Art- an initiative of foundation Africaserver. www.africaserver.nl Feel free to make a link. We appreciate to be informed.

The DOCUMENTARY « Genocide Serenade » (28 minutes) A special section on the abovementioned website has been created with information about the newly released documentary « Genocide Serenade ». Three fragments of the video can be watched. When Kofi Setordji saw the television images of a bulldozer shovelling hundreds of bodies into a ditch in Rwanda in 1994, as if they were no more than waste, he decided it was time to act. He considered it his duty as an artist to show the world what had happened. For two and a half years Kofi Setordji worked on his monument, which consists of 300 pieces. He posed himself questions like: What is it that is making man waking up one day, deciding to exterminate a whole group of people? What is the role of the international community and of politicians. Dutch filmmaker Maarten Rens, followed Kofi Setordji for several weeks in February 2002. The intensive collaboration resulted in the creation of an extraordinary documentary. One comment on the film by Fleur van Dissel (filmmaker): ‘The strong sculptures of the perpetrators and victims of this horror stare at you in a penetrating manner. As a viewer, you are taken to the world behind these masks as Maarten Rens follows Kofi with his camera in close proximity, zooming in on these human-like sculptures. If you ignored the interpretation, you would be able to allow the emotional release that is experienced to break through even further. This is a meeting between two creators in which you feel that fundamental curiosity and engagement triumph.

For more in formation for viewing or obtaining the vhs tape contact the producer:
Foundation Africaserver
+31-20- 531 8499
or e-mail: [email protected]
www.africaserver.nl
www.vmcaa.nl
Partager :