Usually representing spirits, ancestors or the primordial couple, these figures were placed in shrines and treated with great respect. Through a wide range of style, scale, belief and function the couples depicted share a timeless, serene equality necessary to the continuity of their societies.
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African Modernism Exhibition at Shifteye Gallery Studios Nairobi by Manuel Herz
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- 05 November 2017
- Kubai Koigi
- Opinion , archiDATUM News , Architecture , Architects , African Modernity , African Modernism , Modernism , Modern Africana , Articles Books & Magazines , Shelfie ,
Manuel Herz was in Nairobi early last month to open the exhibition based on his book, African Modernism, to over 100 architects and artists who showed up. The organisers, the University of Nairobi and Goethe Institute Nairobi gave the opening remarks before Manuel Herz gave his informative lecture.
Manuel, an award winning architect and academician based in Basel, Switzerland and Colone Germany, is also a publisher who has written on refugee camps and the relationship between architecture and nation building. The exhibition, is based on his book African Modernism- Architecture of Independence, is running from 9th October to 22nd October.
The book covers five African countries namely Ghana, Kenya Zambia, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal. A total of 100 buildings were photographed by Dutch photographer Iwan Baan and South African Photographer Alexia Webster showing the building’s current state and how the current human condition juxtaposes against the edifices. Manuel hinted that a second book is in the offing which would cover six more African countries to add on this narrative. The exhibition consists of an archival section showing more than eighty buildings in a well summarised format where timeline based info-graphics give a detailed correlation between political events that influenced the construction of the featured buildings in the spirit of nation building.
The featured buildings were constructed after independence, however it was noted that majority of the key professionals involved were foreign architects, only a handful native architects like Architect John Owusu Addo of West Africa had designed buildings during this era which have been featured. This observation raised some questions as to the legacy of modern buildings in Africa, would there be a continuation of the style in the future by indigenous Africans, given that several generations have gone through the formal training? If so, what aspirations of the future would we be projecting?
Manuel pointed that the thing that makes these buildings unique and striking is that they are found in the heart of the cities where they are located, unlike in Europe, where such buildings designed and constructed in the modernism era are mainly found in the outskirts of the cities thus giving them a disadvantage of not having any nodal emphasis is put on them thus least likely to be used as landmarks like in Africa. Examples of modern buildings which serve as landmarks in Africa are KICC in Nairobi and Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan.
The featured buildings were intentionally put up as a positive manifestation of the country’s future upon independence, as a result, they became huge capital investment projects with a purpose to inspire citizens on the new possibilities of the countries. The design and attention to detail applied on these buildings made them eye to eye with other buildings across the world constructed at the time. Worth noting, is even with countries with similar climate such as Nairobi and Lusaka, the buildings in the era are different, the specificity is through building materials and craft used.
The exhibition has been made possible by the support of Goethe Institute Johannesburg, Goethe Institute Nairobi and Vitra furniture.
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© Architecture of Independence African Modernism ...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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© Manuel Herz speaks at Shifteye Gallery in Nairo...
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