Outside Influences: Jack Lenor Larsen and African Aesthetics

by Nelima

Larsen Design Studio, Kano Cloth, 1963, cotton, silk, gift of Cowtan & Tout, Inc. Courtesy MIA website.

There’s a hidden treasure in the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s, and its hidding in gallery 279. Track it and you will find a collection put together by world-reknown textile designer, collector and author, Jack Lenor Larsen. His small, but amazing collection is showcasing a variety of African textiles; from a Morrocan Fez, a Kuba cloth, a Swazi mohair to delicate coptic textiles and even African motifs on a Swedish cloth  and then some more. As the MIA puts it;

Inspired by his trip to Africa in 1962, Jack Lenor Larsen gave his studio designers the task of creating a fabric collection based on the designs, colors, and aesthetics of African cultures. This exhibition contrasts Larsen’s African Collection with authentic African textiles. 

This exhibition runs through January 29th 2009. Make sure you get a chance to catch a glimpse of this exhibition.

Kenya: Obama’s ‘dead-beat’ dad.

Obama The Musical: A story of a Kenyan American told in Dance, Music, Narrative and Song

by Nelima

I am a Kenyan and a number one supporter of Obama. And yes even I get carried away sometimes and wonder if Obama could possibly be my uncle by some complex relationship through my dad’s grandma who is said to partly belong to the same tribe that Obama’s biological father hails from. Then I think, what if it was true? Then what? Nothing. Because plain and simple; Obama is as Kenyan-American (as he is now being called) as Oprah is Liberian-American. Similarly, Obama is as Kenyan as he is Muslim. Obama’s parents separated when he was two, divorced when he was four and Obama’s dad showed up in his life only once when he was about 10. In his best seller “Dreams from my Father” (not Realities from my Father) Obama seems to be the one reaching out to Kenya and not the other way round . 

A deadbeat dad?

by nekessa

Last week I interviewed Edwin Okon’go a Kenyan journalist who used to live here in the Twin Cities. Edwin had just returned from a trip in Kenya where he had been researching “The Obama effect on the land of Obama’s father.” Anyway, I am interested in the take of MinneAfricans on Kenya being a deadbeat dad. Edwin’s argument:

In my view, Kenya is acting like a deadbeat dad who only returns many years later to claim credit for his son’s success. Kenyans refuse to accept that they did not raise Obama and, therefore, they should not expect him to understand their problems.

My interview with Edwin here.

Edwin’s video from his Kenyan trip– a very interesting journey that Edwin takes drawing parallels between his own life and that of the Senator from Illinois.

TGIF! Its’s Halloween weekend, what are YOU doing?

Happy Halloween MinneAfricans!

Another weekend’s here and voting is just around the corner! What will you be doing dressing up in costumes? On the campaign trail? Looking for other options? Here are some suggestions;

1. Josiah Rasugu will be having a Halloween party today at uptown’s La Bodega Tapas Bar, Sound of Fujun, Dj Choches and Dj Dan will be playing the best of Reggae, Urban African and Hip Hop.
2. Tomorrow, Kilimanjaro Entertainmentw will host it’s monthly ‘Wakilisha’ bash at Blue Nile. This time round Dj Sisqo from Dallas will be playing the best of East African hits and upcoming artists Q-Stick also based in Dallas will perform.
3. Also tomorrow, Dj Dave Kinyaiya will have a ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ halloween party at 2022 Ferry St. N, Anoka, MN . This party goes til 5:00am – after the party it’s the afterparty!
4. Also on Saturday, tour the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s African Gallery from 3-4pm.
5. On Sunday Mezesha Entertainment has their 2nd annual ‘Wicked’ Halloween party. If you were there last year, it was a lot of fun and there was a costume contest for the ladies. Dj Hustla who was the only guy in a costume (he was dressed as a nun) was the default winner for the guys. Come dressed up to party to the hottest reggae tunes at the Lounge. 
6. The MIA (Minneapolis Institute of Arts) has an ongoing exhibition that you should check out. Outside Influences: Jack Lenor Larsen and African Aesthetics features an awesome fabric collection based on the designs, colors, and aesthetics of African cultures. It runs through January 25th 2009 in Gallery 279.
7. Lastly and most importantly, get involved with the campaigns – volunteer and and get your friends to volunteer. And if you can, on Tuesday get out and VOTE! 

At Last a Curator for the African Gallery at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts

by Nelima

On June 9th Dr. Jan-Lodewjik Grootaers started working for the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA) as the curator of its African, Oceanic, and Native American Art (AONA) department. This appointment comes after a long period without a curator for the departments and an enthusiastic Dr. Grootaers explained that the pros and cons, “I start afresh and don’t have to symbolically kill my predecessor, but at the same time the collection and installation are in poor state and health”. Unbeknown to many Africans, the MIA has one of the nation’s broadest collections of African art featuring outstanding examples of sculpture, as well as basketry and ceramics. 

The MIA began acquiring art for its AONA galleries from as early as 1928 and continues to do so. In 2007 the museum acquired a rare bronze sculpture made at the height of the Kingdom of Benin culture, between the mid-sixteenth and mid-seventeenth centuries. Also of international acclaim is a large terra-cotta figure of a seated dignitary from the Nok culture, which flourished between 700 B.C. and A.D. 300. As with many African galleries, the vast majority of the objects in the MIA’s collection are from West and Central Africa. Dr Grootaers attributes this to three theories; arts were thought to stimulated by kingship and other political organizations, which were abundant in West and Central Africa, there were more nomadic and semi-nomadic societies in Eastern Africa and these groups had less possessions and lastly, but more important was that the definition of art in Africa was predominantly relegated to masks and statues, which were very common in West and Central Africa.

Vegas Booming

by Ibe

Bad economy? Well that depends on who you ask. Like many things in life, the economy is apparently a seesaw.

When some are down, others are up. In this bad economic times, some business (if not entire industries) are experiencing a boom.

This became clear to me earlier this week when I visited Las Vegas, the gambling capital of the world. Conventional belief would have you believe when people don’t have enough for groceries, the last thing they do with their change is gamble. Well, apparently conventional belief is wrong. In fact I heard, in these hard economic times, your neighborhood State Lottery is enjoying record number of players. I guess when people are struggling to fit their life in one and two jobs, they turn to divine intervention. And winning the lottery (or hitting the jackpot) is as divine as it gets. Unfortunately, despair doesn’t know the golden rule that says you can never beat the house. When it comes to gambling (illegal or state sanctioned) for every winner, there are thousands of losers. And more often, today’s winners become tomorrow’s losers. Maybe despair understands perfectly well. But when it’s dark all around, a sliver of light is just as bright as the sun.

Bowled over by AIM

by Eva

AIM Successfully hosted its 3rd Networking event on October 17th 2008.  To read more about AIM please read the 2nd Volume of the AIM Gazette which contains:  

• An Article by Helen Kinuthia on the 3rd AIM HH and pictures,
• An article on the Fundraising efforts on behalf of St. Jude Childrens’ Hospital, and 
• Details of the 4th AIM Networking event have changed. The HH will be held at Picosa Restaurant on November 21, 2008.

Cheers!  

Hip Hop artist Talib Kweli sounds off on Africa and African musicians

by Nelima

About three weeks ago I went for a phenomenal concert featuring Lil’ Brother and Talib Kweli. After the show I tried to get a chance to talk to Talib to get his thoughts on his experience in Africa. Yes, whenever I go to a concert I always try to get the musicians to talk about Africa. Sometimes I am unsuccessful (like at the Nas concert) and other times I get lucky like with Talib. What I really wanted was an interview for Mshale, but he was leaving the next morning so after some chit chat I managed to get his email.  The next morning I sent him an email with some questions and because I was determined I kept resending the email until I got an answer. (It’s never worked with Oprah by the way). Well yippee yay! This morning I got my answers and I want to share them with you  :)

Wassuuup 8 years later.

by Nelima

Remember that very popular wassuuup Budweiser Commercial, which first aired around 1999/2000? Let me refresh your memory.

Look like someone caught up with these friends to see how they’re doing in these very trying times. 

Genius!

Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’ turns 50.

by Nelima

I could be wrong, but I think every one who went to an African school (primary or secondary), must have at some point read Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”. I can’t speak for anyone else, but literature was the only class in which reading didn’t make me sleepy – well I take that back. When we had ugali for lunch I almost always lost to the force of gravity on my eyelids. Well anyways, I just read in The Economist, that this the golden jubilee year of Okonkwo’s Story. Its been 50 years since the book was first published and to date it’s been translated into 50 languages and sold 10million copies. Supposedly there have been parties all around the world from Portugal to Texas to London and Nigeria. I’m thinking Minnesota needs to have a HUGE yam festival too. Any takers?

Nonetheless, the memory of the joy I had from reading African literature makes me want to get back into the habit of reading African literature again. I am curious about the new novels out there and I am taking suggestions.

A couple of personal favorites (old school ones) I would like to share are;

*Tsitsi Dangarembga’s ‘Nervous Conditions’

*Ferdinand Oyono ‘Houseboy’

*Camara Laye ‘The Dark Child’

*Meja Mwangi’s ‘Striving For The Wind’

*Chimanda Ngozi Adichie ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’