UNUSUAL MATERIALS AND FORMS FOR A NEW AESTHETIC: Joël Andrianomearisoa / Abdoulaye Konaté / Troy Makaza / Samuel Nnorom / Moffat Takadiwa / Ifeoma U. Anyaeji

Primo Marella Gallery is pleased to announce its next new gallery exhibition in Milan! The gallery will propose a group exhibition, in which a precise phenomenon will be analysed, that is, "The Unusual" proposed by African artists: in material and form.

UNUSUAL MATERIALS AND FORMS FOR A NEW AESTHETIC

COMING FROM SELECTED AFRICAN ARTISTS

14th December - 30th January 2024

PRIMO MARELLA GALLERY MILANO 

Via Valtellina 31, 20159 Milan, Italy

Once, it was said that Contemporary Art had to break away from the confines of a precise and defined aesthetic. It had to dare, provoke, astonish, and disorient the viewer. 
Today, this belief still holds, but subtly, there's a sense that something has changed. 
The "challenge" each artist faces seems at times to be well-defined by a geometric scheme of ideas and visions. There appears to be a preconceived notion, an unwritten rule, something rigid that imposes limits or boundaries on an artist's vision. This obstacle is generally only overcome in the creation of sculptures. 

Certainly, throughout the history of art, numerous artists have ventured beyond the horizontal, square, or circular canvas. However, these instances have often been personal explosions, unique concepts, occasionally reaching high levels, but not necessarily giving rise to a defined movement.

Then, at a certain point, Africa Continent comes into play, devoid of readily available materials and pre-established tracks for artistic creation. For some, this lack might be seen as a curse, but for others, it's a blessing. An artist's capacity becomes evident in observing the universality of thought that permeates them—how their vision expands, regardless of their situation, life, or place of belonging. This, in turn, shaped the avant-garde of the past into what they are today in terms of critical and artistic recognition. 

There's a powerful force, a potent will to express oneself through every available means. This might evoke the concept of “Arte Povera” at first glance, and indeed, it does, but the discourse is much broader in this case.

The use of unusual materials is a hallmark of these artists. It's not merely a "Plan B" but a choice that, though preceded by economic challenges, starts with the principle of creating something new, unseen, unique in the contemporary artistic panorama. In the lives of these artists, there has never been a preconception, a foundation indicating precise rules, as they operate in a realm devoid of such constraints. I refer to the realms of creativity and art.

"Once you free your mind about the concept of harmony and of art being 'correct,' you can do whatever you want." - Giorgio Moroder

And so it has been for these artists. What we celebrate with this exhibition is not only the innovative use of materials but the great ability for spatial composition and the clear vision accompanying the utilization and juxtaposition of different mediums. The judicious use of these materials is the result of this creation, wherein artists generate compositions with indefinite, variable, yet undoubtedly intriguing and intricate geometries.

The interweaving of various materials tells a unique story within the artworks, where each characteristic is highlighted yet simultaneously amalgamated in the artist's imaginative composition. A bottle cap is no longer waste; the same goes for fabric or a plastic bag. All become fundamental chords in the artist's imaginary firmament, where each object is meticulously positioned and imbued with personal significance for their work.

This indicates, more than ever, two aspects: first, a freedom of thought devoid of rules, and second—beyond great mastery—an incredible capacity for evolution and innovation that lays the groundwork for the birth of an informal movement. The gallery proposes this based on its in-depth study of these artists because these practices are changing the perception of the usual form, offering a new interpretation and direction to the dogmatic canons of current aesthetics.

PRESENTED ARTISTS: JOËL ANDRIANOMEARISOA, IFEOMA U. ANYAEJI, ABDOULAYE KONATÉ, TROY MAKAZA, SAMUEL NNOROM, MOFFAT TAKADIWA