It's got zombies, old movies and a spirit of death who might let you live if you give him a glass of rum.
But a new exhibition at Nottingham Contemporary also knocks some stereotypes on the head as it introduces talented artists from a sometimes forgotten land.
The exhibition presents a very different image of vodou -– that's the spelling for what is practised in Haiti, as opposed to Louisiana's voodoo. It shows vodou not as Hollywood shorthand for evil, but as a religion that helped inspire a nation to throw off the shackles of slavery.
Kafou: Haiti, Art and Vodou, which opens on Saturday, brings together 177 paintings, sculptures and sequin flags from 35 artists, all from Haiti. It is one of the largest exhibitions of the country's art ever held.
"When Haiti is in the headlines it tends to be pitied or feared," said Nottingham Contemporary director Alex Farquharson.
"Feared for its political strife and a religion described as black magic.
"As a country it has produced a phenomenal number of inspired artists, most of whom had little or no access to formal education and lived, and continue to live, in great poverty.
"We think the exhibition will be a revelation to contemporary artists today.
In the run-up to its launch the exhibition has received national attention in art and culture circles, and its opening is expected to draw attention from the art world.
But you need no specific expertise to enjoy an exhibition designed to examine both the realities and fictions of vodou in some entertaining ways.
If you're only vaguely familiar with vodou, you'll probably still know the leering visage of Baron Samedi, the spirit of death. He's recognisable by his tuxedo, top hat, cane and skull-like face.
"It's said that if you don't want to die you call upon him to make you better," assistant curator Laura Smith said. "When he arrives you should give him a glass of rum and dance with him."
He's one of the vodou spirits who's made it into popular culture, with a CV that includes James Bond film Live and Let Die, the book Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett and the video game World of Warcraft.
Something else popularised and mangled by Hollywood, the zombie, also plays a role in the exhibition.
Many older paintings show slaves as zombies, as slavery was said to turn people into beings with no will. This metaphor has been the inspiration for one of the exhibition's more unusual events – a zombie movie night on Tuesday, November 6. The 1932 film White Zombie and 1978's Dawn of the Dead, will be show.
More contemporary works have been produced since the 2010 earthquake, mainly by the Atis Rezistans art school based in downtown Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. The sculptures are made from materials including car parts and industrial objects left by the quake.
Kafou: Haiti, Art and Vodou is at Nottingham Contemporary in Weekday Cross from October 20 to January 6. As always, entry is free.
~thisisnottingham.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment