‘Africa, Artistic Expressions of a Continent’ at the Oscar Niemeyer Museum has to be one of the most inspiring exhibitions I’ve seen in the past few years. Although the very broad scope of the show seemed dubious the exhibition did include an amazing array of fascinating objects. They included beautifully carved wooden masks, sculptures and dynamic displays which presented artworks on walls and on various plinths in a dimly lit gallery with spotlights picking out key areas. This gave the show a mysterious atmosphere and exciting energy.
Out of all of the amazing objects on display I was really inspired by a group of masks from Liberia. Together they explore different approaches to representing the human face in the most inventive ways. They were fierce and grotesque but they also had a comical quality which reminded me of cartoon monsters. I was excited to see how these objects used such different forms and shapes and materials to represent human features. They had a great energy and seemed so alive. It was a revelation to see these works and to see how such invention could also inspire new creative projects.
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