Bridges of Culture. Contemporary African Art through Women's Eyes
OOA GALLERY (Out of Africa Gallery)
22 days left
Bridges of Culture. Contemporary African Art through Women's Eyes
OOA GALLERY (Out of Africa Gallery)
22 days left
OOA Gallery and The Museum of Ethnology and Cultures of the World in Barcelona proudly present the exhibition "Bridges of Culture: African Contemporary Art through Women's Eyes." This event goes beyond a simple art show: it is a powerful platform where the creativity, talent, and unique perspective of African female artists take center stage.
REWA, Olivia Mae Pendergast, Miska Mohmmed, and Tiffany Alfonseca invite audiences on an emotional and visual journey that reflects the identity, heritage, and social issues that inspire them, while challenging preconceived notions about African art and the role of women within it. Each artist uses her work as a medium of expression and a voice for cultural narratives that have traditionally been underrepresented, transforming her art into an exploration of the complexities and diversity of African culture from an intimate and personal viewpoint.
Bridges of Culture highlights how these talented women convey Africa's roots, heritage, and traditions in their pieces, creating a dialogue with African identity and the diaspora.
This exhibition at MuEC not only celebrates the richness of African art but also highlights the importance of diversity and equity in contemporary art. At OOA Gallery, we believe that initiatives like Bridges of Culture are essential to fostering inclusive and transformative cultural dialogue. Each artwork invites the viewer to experience the intersection of tradition and modernity, as perceived by these women who, through their stories and perspectives, enrich the global art landscape.
REWA captures African femininity in vibrant portraits.
REWA’s work speaks to a duality and multiculturalism that is both informed by European ideals and conventions, but also celebrates her West African heritage. The artist, like her muses, are a hybrid of indigenous beliefs and practices, specifically of the Igbo people of South-Eastern Nigerian, fused with Western sensibilities and style, informed by the artist’s upbringing between the UK and Nigeria.
REWA I anyanwu / Sunshine I 2024 I 122cm H x 91,4cm W I Acrylic and ink on canvas
Afro-politans
This cultural melting pot has come to be described as 'Afro-politans', or 'Afropeans', and speaks to a growing and increasingly significant section of the African diaspora, whose identities are firmly rooted to Africa, but have clear cultural connections and ties to North America and Europe.
REWA in her studio I Lagos, Nigeria.
Mohmmed's mindscapes
A colorful abstraction composed through a series of horizontal brushstrokes and freely drawn lines, Miska's landscapes are notable for the circular forms that move our eyes across the picture plane. Inspired by swirls on the Nile, these forms soon became a signature part of her improvisational landscapes, which became even more experimental as Mohmmed added quickly rendered lines and dots to her lively way of creating an environmental scene—whether real or imagined.
Miska Mohmmed I Breeze I 2024 I 110cm H x 145cm W I Acrylic and markers on canvas
A symphony of colors
Reducing mountains and trees, buildings and lights, rivers and seas to color and form, Mohmmed creates harmonious pictures that represent a sense of a scene, a feeling of a place. The landscape keeps changing and she is trying to capture all of these changes. Aptly described as “a symphony of colors that dance across the canvas,” her landscapes are painted with intuitive emotion. Making memory maps, Mohmmed creates a pliable world—one that pulsates with exciting possibilities.
Miska Mohmmed in her studio I Sudan
Pendergast captures the human spirit
Through expressive brushstrokes, Pendergast captures the human spirit and dignity of women in everyday settings. She captures "ordinary" people in their "ordinary" activities in their everyday life and makes them enter our visual field with ease, almost without doing it intentionally. As part of the Catalonian Art Week, the artwork "Mother holding Babe" will be exhibited at Montserrat Museum Barcelona from November 30th till January 12th, 2025.
Olivia Mae Pendergast I Mother holding Babe I 2024 I 90cm H x 60cm W I Oil on canvas
Olivia connects on a deeper and more ethereal level
Empathy and a quest to truly see and appreciate people as they are, is integral to Olivia’s practice and motivations. Her loose, almost transparent brush strokes, and soft, muted colour palette, serves as an intentional visual device to see beyond, and through the obvious physical traits of her sitters in an attempt to capture their true essence and spirit, and connect on a deeper and more ethereal level.
Olivia Mae Pendergast in her studio I Nairobi, Kenya
Tiffany celebrates the energy of Afro-descendant culture
Tiffany Alfonseca reveals the connections between Africa and the Caribbean through bold colors and patterns that celebrate the energy of Afro-descendant culture. Through the use of bold colors, textured brushstrokes, and compelling figures, Alfonseca brings to life narratives that resonate with personal and collective experiences, reflecting her deep connection to her Dominican roots.
Tiffany Alfonseca I Amor en soledad I 2024 I 152 x 122cm I Acrylic, pencils and glitters on canvas
Tiffany celebrates beauty and resilience of Black & Brown communities.
Tiffany Alfonseca is a remarkable artist whose work is deeply rooted in her Afro-Dominican identity. Through her vibrant and expressive paintings, she celebrates the beauty, resilience, and complexity of Black and Brown communities. Her work serves as both a celebration and a form of resistance, challenging stereotypes and offering a nuanced perspective on the experiences of Afro-Diasporic people.
Tiffany Alfonseca in her studio I Dominican Republic
