EXHIBITION
Globalisto, fragments of a community
A group show with Bianca Baldi, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Inès di Folco, Kendell Geers, Binelde Hyrcan, Hélène Jayet, Maurice Mboa, Mónica de Miranda, Sabelo Mlangeni, Obi Okigbo, Gerard
Sekoto, a Songye mask maker, Divine Southgate-Smith and Raquel Van Haver
Curated by Ntshepe Tsekere Bopape
From May 12th to June 17th 2023
In bringing together a constellation of visual artists, the exhibition Globalisto. Fragments of Community illuminates the polyphony of narratives and perspectives that arises from our fragmented, detached, and fractured realities. Framed around the notion of community, the exhibition deconstructs and reimagines what it means to commune together, amidst the raptures of the past and the dissonant whispers of the present.
Through a range of mediums such as painting, video, photography, and textiles, the artists investigate the complexities of identity, time, memory, and cultural production. Inspired by the philosophy of Globalisto, which calls upon African knowledge systems, post-apartheid transitionalism, the humanistic principles of Botho which are based on the South African culture of respect, the exhibition calls upon Achille Mbembe’s notion of a borderless world, Pan- Africanism, Black speculative future exploring how we can enhance awareness, embrace foreignness, and welcome what James Baldwin calls the ‘stranger in the village’ into our communities.
Globalisto, Fragments of Community invites viewers to explore notions of radical hospitality, care, and repair in the context of the self and the other. The vibrant, diversity of artistic voices evoke expressions and intricacies of collaboration, the opacity of pain and beauty, creating a safe space of reciprocity, dissonance, and reflection. Through their work, the featured artists challenge us to rethink our conceptions of belonging and to confront the complexities of identity and culture. The exhibition immerses its audience in the interconnections of fragmentation, inviting
them to experience the fraternisation of the collective.
Each work in the exhibition is a puzzle piece, representing a unique perspective, a voice of resistance, a story of struggle against power. They are fragments of memories, intimate remnants of histories, and embodiments of defiance. Through their collective presence, they challenge dominant narratives and disrupt the status quo, inviting viewers to engage with the complexities of power dynamics, thoughtful reflection and dissent.
As a curator, I weave together fragments from different temporalities and spaces, creating connections and narratives that speak to the human condition. Just as mycelium functions as the intricate network that connects diverse elements of an ecosystem, I serve as a connector, bringing together diverse artistic expressions that reflect the struggles, the resistance, and the resilience of communities.
Ntshepe Tsekere Bopape
Thursday, May 11th 2023
Opening from 6pm to 8pm
Les Verrières, 41 rue de Seine, 75006, Paris