Exhibition – African Art and Cultural showcase

African Art and Cultural showcase 4th – 29th Sept 

Preview night Wednesday 5th Sept  6-10pm with music and talks.
An educational Exhibition consisting of a wide range of historical artifacts from the continent of Africa with talks, workshops and music to complement the diverse range of African culture and history.
Schools and College groups are welcome but please call us beforehand so we arrange for you to have the guided tour of the work on show.
 

The Tribal Eye Gallery was founded by two people based in Somerset.
We promote African art through exhibitions, alongside an on-line presence http://www.tribaleyegallery.co.uk
We have spent many years collecting, researching and selling tribal art, gathered throughout Africa and Europe.
All the work sourced and sold, is of original African origin. With our extensive artistic background, we feel this enables us to have a good eye for quality.
In this exhibition, we focus on tribal works from circa early 20th century to the mid 80’s and hope to encourage others to see the fine qualities and beauty found within ethnography, plus, recognise the influence it has had on European art and many 20th century artists.
Please note, some of the artworks at the exhibition are for sale, giving us the opportunity to carry on our adventure into the wonderful place, that is, the continent of Africa.

( If you would like to know more, please email :- pennymilout4@yahoo.co.uk or visit www.tribaleyegallery.co.uk )

Dogon door, Mali, West Africa
Doors such as this protect the village grain store. The relief carving depicts sacred animals and ancestors.

Detail from a Tribal Eye Gallery exhibition, including (in the foreground), a Dogon Hermaphrodite seated figure and a Boli ‘boar’ Bamana, both from Mali.
Suspended on the wall, Cote d’Ivoire, West African dance masks. Carved to use at festivals celebrating new crops, welcoming important visitors and during periods of mourning, aiming to remove any negative spirits present in the village.

Songye shield, Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire)
The central Kifwebe mask, represents power plus hallucinatory strength and the horizontal stripes call upon spirits and ancestors.

Nigerian bronze figure, with verdigris patina 
Created using the lost wax process —- molten metal is poured into a mould, the wax melts and drains away.
Music:
We are excited to introduce some live music with Hélélé to support our art exhibition of African culture.
Wed 5th Sept 7.30pm Tickets at £8 online. £10 on the door. Concessions £5 (students, unwaged, on income support)
Doors 7.30pm. Start 8pm
Click on the following link for more details

LINK TO FOLLOW

Inspired by the rhythms of the Bantu Forest of West Africa, Alphonse Daudet Touna from Cameroon formed the band to ‘enrich and share his music with the world.’ He started at an early age playing the drums at traditional village ceremonies where he developed his talent as a composer, performer and teacher.The haunting vocals, sung in his own tribal language ‘Bassa’, send messages of peace and hope. Alphonse plays the Balafon (African Marimba) he made himself – adding an exotic and original sound to the music. With influences from Makossa to Bikutsi – the grooves are guaranteed to exhilarate audiences.The band – composed of some of Bristol’s finest session musicians – has headlined at festivals and major venues across the UK and supported well known artists such as Eliades Ochoa of the Buena Vista Social Club. Performances include Glastonbury (Jazz Lounge) Shambala, Marlborough Jazz Festival and London’s South Bank Centre.
Talks: ( More information about dates and times of talks will be issued nearer to the date of the exhibition opening)
Visiting African Art specialist –  Oro Gnoka Michel
I was born in a village called Labia department of Daloa in Ivory Coast.
My family have for generations been artisians, creating and restoring our identity as a people, expressing our culture through our stories, using music and tribal art.
It is so important that we the people retain our identity, through our Art and to show the rest of the world what a wonderful and progressive culture we have.
Even in the face of colonialism, our culture through our art remained strong. It gave us respect and a sense for survival of our identity.
I decided from an early age that my goal was to show the world the art of my people and the people of the rest of Africa.
So I began travelling Western Africa, crossing borders and meeting other cultures and tribes, securing work and collections, for my plan to exhibit and show people of the 1st world.
Now I am travelling all over Africa seeking the works from many tribes, to show what a wonderful mix of creativity we have.
I intend to create a fine exhibition of African Art with history and talks.
I would like to make this happen for my African heritage and culture and share this to people in your country.”
The exhibition will also provide a promotional platform for a number of charities and organisations supporting multi culturalism in the local area such as :

• Somerset Diverse Communities. Community Council Somerset
• Family First. A charity working with families of children with special needs in Africa
• SARI. Stand against racism and inequality. Somerset

https://www.helpingpaul.com/contact
We hope that this month long African Cultural showcase and programme of activities will help promote multiculturalism, inspire people to work together in creating a healthy and supportive environment for the community in Taunton Deane.