Version FLASH
DOUAL’ART : THE SUM OF CROSSED DESTINIES Let me bring you this time in Douala, Sincity, Suncity, city of all opinions and businesses. It’s the city of the unconventional actors, of dissidents and the unconditional fief of voices too often muzzled. As usual we’ll be going “downstairs”, towards the alternative world of fellows underneath. The adventure has been lengthy and great, full of encounters, but summarized in only two episodes which I hope will portray adequately the contemporary vibe in this area of the world, where art in general is intrinsically underground...
ALL THAT GLITTERS... Dark and tragic, twisted models embody an unveiled reality, like a morbid celebration of human decadence. Take a close look at those sorrowful and scrawny characters. They lost everything, sometimes even their lives, and remain the shadow of their own past existence. It’s in a post-apocalyptic background that we explore the vestiges of an extinct autophagic society, thining up its last resources. Men have been swallowed by their own system and the last living wrecks survive on a dried up and starving land, ripped off from its organic wealth: Welcome to the world of Andria Matta. In her drawings, it’s as if Men shackled themselves to a vision of development, to end up dying in the abyss of what they persistently call “progress”. Andria is indignant infront of a society whose priorities have been totally shifted. Adding to that an unfair distribution of fates (cf «Paying customers only » and « Reaching for the stars »), and a frantic draining of energy, our children are condemned to inherit and evolve in a world they won’tbe able to control nor improve. « Till death do us part » and « Born unleaded » are two good examples What is intriguing about Andria’s work is her faculty to make us rethink everything that surrounds us. It’s an interesting mind exercise to point each detail of a piece in order to understand its global meaning. However I am more fascinated by the series « Abuelitos » (“Grand-parents” in spanish). Indeed, besides the genius touch of ink, it evokes the degeneration of Mankind, a species of living deads, emptied of all their substance by dint of struggle in a climacteric world. Andria has a young daughter to who she would like to ensure a future safe from over-materialism. She denounces the gentrification of guettos in her hometown Vancouver, at the expense of a new class of homeless-to-be (cf « Condos for the rich »). The soul of the powerless is constantly bought with some tangible reason to stay silent, or at worst, with an ounce of shallow hope destined to vanish. It’s from the other end of the world that I discussed during long hours with this wandering and committed character, whose style inspired me. Behind the dexterity of this professional tatoo-maker, some could be occasionally upset at the view of her work. But isn’t “odd” a first step towards awe? Because bright and glowy, aesthetic models may embody a veiled illusion. Douala, September 08th 2008
URBAN NOMADISM Escape, inspiration, interaction, open-mindedness… all notions that an artist is looking foward to experiencing when working. Francis Koch a.k.a Überbrain believes recognition is nothing if the artist is not in symbiosis with his own work. Most of his pieces reflects an assertively revolted « self », concerned about the social issues of his generation. He speaks out against an overly capitalist society, emotionally sterilized, belligerant and controled; a huge theatrical stage based on deception and whose active characters are being privileged at the expense of the mass. His drawings often depicting the industrialized world with helmeted characters recalls an alternative dimension, a kind of matrix. However Francis confesses to me that during his last trip to Europe, part of which been largely spent in Switzerland, he has become another man. The issues stay the same, as well as the frustration that results from it, but now subtlety seems more appropriate. It is interesting to observe the effects of travelling on this artist, like this constant idea of leaving a part of him on the way, like a blueprint. He would for instance draw an on-the-spot graffiti on a wall during a walk, and leave it there casually at the sight of the first bypasser. Most of the time the piece wouldn’t be there upon his return. He is fascinated by this tendancy of the world to absorb his inner substance, fruit of a random incidental spit. « Überbrain » is an anglo-germanic neologism which defines everything that his above basic critical thinking. It’s like a motto appealing for a transcendental comprehension of certain notions that are to be applied in a broader philosophy of life. Francis insists however on the accessibility of his art. « I sure do not wanna over intellectualize my work », he says. To which extent is it possible for an artist to realize « down-to-earth » artpieces but still keeping it very cerebral underneath? Montréal, September 08th 2008
DID YOU SAY TOTALLY NUDE? CaroH is part of those for who beauty is better raw. By going beyond any aesthetical standards whose appreciation is conditioned by media, CaroH apprehends human morphology through all its imperfection. Her most interesting artwork is the pallet of her self-portraits, and more broadly the way she perceives There’s definitely something very attractive in the figure of the average Jane Doe, with the rolls of fat, and the curves, generous but not gratuitous. As for every fan of nude, romance never flirts with obscenity. Sometimes she lightly touches up with digital, by playing with colors, textures, fonts, by funnily repeating images, as to place them correctly in her album (cf « des mains et des seins » - hands and breasts pt I, II et III). However we would like to see sometimes less obvious titles. In « Nus féminins » (nudes of women), Finally, a very interesting notion to be observed is the link CaroH seems to share with Larz. Caroline Hélie is the representative in Grand Montréal of the CAPA (The Canadian Association for Photographic Art). Discover her universe on http://www.larznangel.com Montréal, August 2008
ALLEGRA MCHADDAM Call her Allegra. She comes from Australia and her Italian name tacitly rhymes with versatility. Her various skills are stretched from painting, drawing and photography. But she definitely chose to embrace digital art. This last has been limited in the minds of number of us to editing, retouching or transforming aesthetically, but through Al’s work we discover a medium in itself, like the pencil or the paintbrush, and a means of expression. Whether she starts from traditional painting or photos, Al rarely goes without her baby MAC. My favorite series is undoubtedly the one based on anagrams, alpha-numeric characters, and calligraphic designs. Conceptually those are very interesting to analyze, and the observer is often propelled in an incredible deciphering exercise, which surprisingly happens to be less complex that it may seems. But that quest of the enigmatic something is seeable in so many other elements: the zoom on a raindrop, her obsession about albinos, the secrets unleashed in the sculpted silhouette of a nude, to finally fork towards more abstract and sometimes cubic models. I meet her at a café downtown, eager to distinguish the face behind the mind. On top of her 21 years of existence, I get to know a young lady obviously very balanced, a priori like others. I discover what would be a citizen of the world for some and a fearless bohemia for others, who lands wherever she smells a pinch of adventure. After being to 69 cities one could wonder why settling down in Montreal. And there she goes faithful to her spontaneity: « I just like it here! ». The fact is there’s unquestionably something sparkling in those eyes always embracing beauty where it is, and those lips, constantly biting the apple of life. Allegra understands the challenge of living of one’s passion, but can’t stop dreaming about living of hers. She’s the rose that never blooms without living petals on her way. But what is the artist looking for so far from home? Is travelling an escape or an inspirational quest? Is it possible to free one’s mind without moving and get to the level of artistic maturity to which Al aspires? Hints on http://saltyshadow.carbonmade.comMontréal, July 1st, 2008.
A night of a kind Nine p.m. Let’s disconnect from the real for a while, and take a deeper view at the surrounding. A cup of wine later, and carried away by the rhythmic electro jazz mix of Dj Syed, we head to our next destination: the second floor, Yan D Soloh’s wonderland. We join him in his celebration of Abstract Art After a while, a good acquaintance hands us a martini and some finger food, inviting us to discover Exhibition GENESIA, May 2nd 2008.
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