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Artists in Dialogue 2, the second in a series held at the National Museum of African Art that pairs ii artists from distinct parts of the globe and asks them to create works in conversation with one another, features Southward African artist Sandile Zulu and Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira.

Meeting for the offset fourth dimension over a year ago, Zulu and Oliveira, who work with fire and woods, respectively— two elements that would seem dangerous when used in tandem— quickly establish common footing. "The commonality that we seemed to share in terms of our creative imagining is our fascination with the body, biology, science," Oliveira said, themes that are reflected in their works. They kept in touch via email, Skype and with exhibit curator, Karen Milbourne. "Their works are a call and response," she said.

​Sandile Zulu, "working with universal themes in a vocabulary of minimalism," created works, including: Large Colon (y) Brownprint—a histopathological case (2010), Old basic, One-time genes—a population groups case (2010) and Spinal Diagnosis—a regenerate case no. 1 (2010) that reverberate an interconnectedness between the human trunk and society. In his slice Spinal Diagnosis—a regenerate instance no. 2 (2010), Zulu experimented with Oliveira'due south textile, flexible plywood, to depict parallels betwixt the two. "Considering the spine is the backbone of an private, this symbolic association is that if an private has got a salubrious courage, he is stable or she is stable," Zulu said. "Past extension, the lodge is stable."

Zulu, who came of historic period in the 1990s, chose fire, a seemingly untameable, uncontrollable chemical element, intentionally. "The utilise of burn down was important to me because of the political situation in Due south Africa then," he said, referring to the inequalities that existed for decades nether apartheid. Coming to terms with being one of the few blackness fine art students during that tumultuous time was a process. "I had to look for visual language about my own agreement of philosophy of art and do," he said. "The actual human activity of burning was a revolutionary suggestion to me." Zulu now incorporates the other three elements— water, air and earth— in his artwork besides. His use of burn down allows him to "piece of work with a subversive force in a creative fashion to permit for healing."

Henrique Oliveira started out as a painter 14 years ago and began making installations in 2003. His painting Untitled (2005) symbolizes the vocabulary he brought into the dialogue. His newer works, including the painting Blue Abyss (2010) and his two installations, which protrude from the gallery's walls, continue the chat. Oliveira layered weathered strips of wood (tapumes) to create Bololô (2011) and Xilonoma Chamusquius (2010), on which he also experimented with Zulu's medium of fire. Oliveira likens his technique of layering to "a DJ that samples sounds and combines them into some other element."

Oliveira initially used plywood found on the street and in dumpsters because it was "iconic of poverty," as experienced in his native Brazil. The employ of wood in his art references the situations of those existing on the periphery of cities similar Sao Paulo, who make their homes wherever they tin can— favelas and shantytowns— and with whatever material they can find. In Oliveira's hands, the wood, initially rigid and unyielding, is bent and shaped into something new, "like a Frankenstein," he said. "I accept the discarded pieces and remake information technology."

Neither Zulu nor Oliveira intendance to assign specific meanings to their works. "I'm not going to dictate the meaning on a i to one level of each piece," said Zulu. Instead, they invite viewers to make their own connections. "Beingness open to many ways of understanding, that makes it interesting," said Oliveira.

"What we see or exercise not see as African or Brazilian isn't the point," said Milbourne. Perhaps engaging in what the museum director, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, calls, "multi-logues, lots of us talking to each other," is.

The African Fine art Museum invites viewers to join in the conversation via twitter, by uploading questions to the artists on YouTube, using their first mobile exhibit app (in both English and Portuguese) or by joining them in person at "Africa Underground," an later hours event at the museum this Friday night.

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Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/artists-in-dialogue-ii-is-now-open-at-the-african-art-museum-5928339/

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