ArtAids at île de Gorée
Île de Gorée, 2 kilometers at sea from the main harbor of Dakar; a small island, 900 m long and 350 m wide, sheltered by the triangle of the Cape Vert Peninsula. The ‘Maison des Pompiers’, next to the old Town Hall on the island is one of 140 ‘lieux d’expositions’ for Dak’Art 2010, the 9th Biënnale of Contemporary African Art. Here, curator Stef Van Bellingen of ArtAids will develop an art project in conjunction with Dak’Art (mai 7-june 7).
The ArtAids foundation was set up by the Dutch writer and art collector Han Nefkens, owner of the H+F Collection. Nefkens’ discovery in 1987 that he was HIV positive brought about a radical change in his life. ArtAids uses art in the fight against Aids by inviting leading artists to produce work dealing with Aids and related issues. These works of art must raise public consciousness and to encourage involvement.
It is no coincidence that Belgian artist koen Vanmechelen will show part of his Cosmopolitan Chicken project on this island. For centuries this tiny piece of land was home to Franco-African Creole merchants or Métis. Descendants of people from different racial backgrounds. Central theme to Vanmechelens oeuvre is hybridization and diversity. On mai 7 and 8 his work will occupy two wings of the ancient building. Vanmechelen will show two cages, integrated into the building.
One wing will contain a ‘sea’ of 10.000 chicken eggs, cooled by ventilators and warmed by a big heat lamp. Waiting to hatch after 21 days. It will be the first time that Vanmechelen’s eggs can be seen by an African public. A gigantic banner above the eggs shows the heads of the Mechelse Orlov and the Mechelse Cochin. The Mechelse Orlov is the latest new chicken species of the artist created by crossing between the Mechelse Ancona and Russia’s feathered pride: the Orlov. It was ‘concieved’ in 2009, at the Biënnale of Moscow. The Mechelse Cochin, is a genetic mix of Mechelse Orlov and the Cochin or Cochin China, originally known as the Chinese Shanghai. This crossing wil probably premiere at the World Expo in Shanghai (Mai 1 to October 31, 2010). The link between Senegal and China is obvious: the growing Sino-Senegalese cooperation has recently been symbolized by the 50 meter high bronze statue commemorating the ‘African Renaissance’. It was built by North-Korean workers.
The other wing of the Maison des Pompiers will be occupied by a caged Senegalese cock. Not that a specific Senegalese chicken species exists, waiting to be incorporated in Vanmechelen’s Cosmopolitan Chicken Project. But apparently the chicken plays an important part in the rituals performed by the Senegalese marabout, an Islamic religious leader and teacher. A Dakar’ marabout Vanmechelen visited during his prospection in December 2009, told him to use a white cock in his work on Île de Gorée. This cock being flesh and blood pendant of the transparant cock that is the symbolical goal of his wordlwide crossing project. The prediction of Vanmechelen’s artistic future by the marabout will be visible on a video screen, in between the two wings of the ancient building.
The Dakar project will run for two days. Starting with a vernissage and ending with a big feast. At the end of the second day Vanmechelen and some local cooks will transform the 10.000 eggs into a big savory omelet, served for the people of Dakar.
As usual, Vanmechelen’s artistic project has a social pendant. The children of the organisation ‘Empire of The Children’ (L’Empire des Enfants) will paint the empty egg shells. L’ Empire is an a non-governmental centre in the Medina that takes in streetkids confronted by violence, exploitation and loneliness. It tries to reunite these homeless children with their families. Last year the children at Empire des Enfants formed the circus company MEC that performs at festivals and in events at other centers.
