Interview

Interview with designer Stephen Burks

A short interview with designer Stephen Burks, of Stephen Burks Man Made, on the occasion of 1:54 New York 2016 – where he designed the 1:54 Lounge and presented pieces with Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, from Seattle, USA.

For 1:54, Burks brought together several of his Material Compositions designs with his Ahnda lounge seating collection for outdoor furniture manufacturer Dedon. Many of these designs have been presented for the first time. Large-scale recycled carpets completed the lounge installation. Like islands of patchwork, color and pattern, the Material Composition Lounge was both functional and imaginative.

Lounge at 1:54 New York 2016, designed by Stephen Burks Man Made © Kristina Sorrentino
Lounge at 1:54 New York 2016, designed by Stephen Burks Man Made © Kristina Sorrentino

Interview with designer Stephen Burks

A short interview with designer Stephen Burks, of Stephen Burks Man Made, on the occasion of 1:54 New York 2016 – where he designed the 1:54 Lounge and presented pieces with Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, from Seattle, USA.

For 1:54, Burks brought together several of his Material Compositions designs with his Ahnda lounge seating collection for outdoor furniture manufacturer Dedon. Many of these designs have been presented for the first time. Large-scale recycled carpets completed the lounge installation. Like islands of patchwork, color and pattern, the Material Composition Lounge was both functional and imaginative.

Lounge at 1:54 New York 2016, designed by Stephen Burks Man Made © Kristina Sorrentino
Lounge at 1:54 New York 2016, designed by Stephen Burks Man Made © Kristina Sorrentino

Interview with Dave McKenzie

A short interview with Dave McKenzie on the occasion of 1:54 New York 2016 – where as a special project for FORUM, Dave McKenzie produced a slow text-based performance using prototyped sneakers: This ship would set sail, even anchored as it was, 2016.

The soles of the shoes act like keys on a typewriter, which allowed him to print text on a paper surface through touch and bodily pressure. With reference to the centennial anniversary of Pan-African leader Marcus Garvey’s arrival in New York City in 1916, the text was generated as a series of short performances/gestures that reveal itself over time.

Trained in printmaking, McKenzie’s new work references and reimagines newsprint, a communication tool and vital organizing vehicle for Garvey once he arrived in the United States. Much like letterpress, lithography, and woodblock printing, McKenzie’s actions produce misprints as well as a record of the act of mark-making impressions. In McKenzie’s hands, the newspaper is rendered an ephemeral form as the artist creates images and text using his body and objects, creating a visual and sonic matrix through which we come to think about the possibilities for a story and a body to merge as image and speech.

Dave Mc Kenzie performing 'This ship would set sail, even anchored as it was' at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino
Dave Mc Kenzie performing ‘This ship would set sail, even anchored as it was’ at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino
Dave Mc Kenzie performing 'This ship would set sail, even anchored as it was' at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino
Dave Mc Kenzie performing ‘This ship would set sail, even anchored as it was’ at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino

Interview with Dave McKenzie

A short interview with Dave McKenzie on the occasion of 1:54 New York 2016 – where as a special project for FORUM, Dave McKenzie produced a slow text-based performance using prototyped sneakers: This ship would set sail, even anchored as it was, 2016.

The soles of the shoes act like keys on a typewriter, which allowed him to print text on a paper surface through touch and bodily pressure. With reference to the centennial anniversary of Pan-African leader Marcus Garvey’s arrival in New York City in 1916, the text was generated as a series of short performances/gestures that reveal itself over time.

Trained in printmaking, McKenzie’s new work references and reimagines newsprint, a communication tool and vital organizing vehicle for Garvey once he arrived in the United States. Much like letterpress, lithography, and woodblock printing, McKenzie’s actions produce misprints as well as a record of the act of mark-making impressions. In McKenzie’s hands, the newspaper is rendered an ephemeral form as the artist creates images and text using his body and objects, creating a visual and sonic matrix through which we come to think about the possibilities for a story and a body to merge as image and speech.

Dave Mc Kenzie performing 'This ship would set sail, even anchored as it was' at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino
Dave Mc Kenzie performing ‘This ship would set sail, even anchored as it was’ at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino
Dave Mc Kenzie performing 'This ship would set sail, even anchored as it was' at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino
Dave Mc Kenzie performing ‘This ship would set sail, even anchored as it was’ at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino

Interview with Joël Andrianomearisoa

A short interview with Joël Andrianomearisoa on the occasion of 1:54 New York 2016 – where a solo exhibition of his work was presented by the Madrid-based Sabrina Amrani Gallery.

The title [of the work presented at 1:54 NY 2016] is Antananarivo, my hometown, the ‘Love playfield’ and ‘Dead tree of my new life’. It’s an emotional diary, a day in Antananarivo, without any clichés. It’s more about the emotions that I have, the relationship that I have with the capital of Madagascar. I’m sharing these emotions, from death to life, from happiness to drama, from tears to joy. With all of these elements, you have to feel them first. For me, emotions are the most important thing in art.

– Joël Andrianomearisoa

Joël Andrianomearisoa, 'Antananarivo', presented by Sabrina Amrani Gallery, Madrid, Spain, at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino
Joël Andrianomearisoa, ‘Antananarivo’, presented by Sabrina Amrani Gallery, Madrid, Spain, at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino
Joël Andrianomearisoa, 'Antananarivo', presented by Sabrina Amrani Gallery, Madrid, Spain, at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino
Joël Andrianomearisoa, ‘Antananarivo’, presented by Sabrina Amrani Gallery, Madrid, Spain, at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino

Interview with Joël Andrianomearisoa

A short interview with Joël Andrianomearisoa on the occasion of 1:54 New York 2016 – where a solo exhibition of his work was presented by the Madrid-based Sabrina Amrani Gallery.

The title [of the work presented at 1:54 NY 2016] is Antananarivo, my hometown, the ‘Love playfield’ and ‘Dead tree of my new life’. It’s an emotional diary, a day in Antananarivo, without any clichés. It’s more about the emotions that I have, the relationship that I have with the capital of Madagascar. I’m sharing these emotions, from death to life, from happiness to drama, from tears to joy. With all of these elements, you have to feel them first. For me, emotions are the most important thing in art.

– Joël Andrianomearisoa

Joël Andrianomearisao, Sabrina Amrani Gallery from Madrid, Spain, at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino
Joël Andrianomearisoa, Sabrina Amrani Gallery, Madrid, Spain, at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino
Joël Andrianomearisao, Sabrina Amrani Gallery from Madrid, Spain, at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino
Joël Andrianomearisoa, Sabrina Amrani Gallery, Madrid, Spain, at 1:54 New York 2016 © Katrina Sorrentino

Interviews with François-Xavier Gbré, Yo-Yo Gonthier and Vincent Michéa

As part of the Transmissions project, three artists represented by Galerie Cécile Fakhoury in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire responded to a few of our questions in Dakar, Senegal.

François-Xavier Gbré and Yo-Yo Gonthier were both selected for the International Exhibition of the 12th edition of La Biennale de Dakar; while as part of the OFF, Vincent Michéa hosted the group show Une Collection Particulière in his studio in Dakar, showcasing works from six artists represented by Galerie Cécile Fakhoury.

In these interviews, the artists discuss their involvement with La Biennale de Dakar and the work they’ve presented as part of the IN and OFF.

François-Xavier Gbré, ‘Wo shi feizhou’, exhibited at the 12th edition of La Biennale de Dakar, May 2016. Image courtesy of Galerie Cécile Fakhoury.
François-Xavier Gbré, ‘Wo shi feizhou’, exhibited at the 12th edition of La Biennale de Dakar, May 2016. Image courtesy of Galerie Cécile Fakhoury.

Yo-Yo Gonthier, ‘L’éclaircie’, exhibited at the 12th edition of La Biennale de Dakar, May 2016. Image courtesy of Galerie Cécile Fakhoury.
Yo-Yo Gonthier, ‘L’éclaircie’, exhibited at the 12th edition of La Biennale de Dakar, May 2016. Image courtesy of Galerie Cécile Fakhoury.

View of the exhibition 'Une collection particulière', Dakar, Senegal. Image courtesy of Galerie Cécile Fakhoury
View of the exhibition ‘Une collection particulière’, Dakar, Senegal. Image courtesy of Galerie Cécile Fakhoury

Interviews with François-Xavier Gbré, Yo-Yo Gonthier and Vincent Michéa

As part of the Transmissions project, three artists represented by Galerie Cécile Fakhoury in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire responded to a few of our questions in Dakar, Senegal.

François-Xavier Gbré and Yo-Yo Gonthier were both selected for the International Exhibition of the 12th edition of La Biennale de Dakar; while as part of the OFF, Vincent Michéa hosted the group show Une Collection Particulière in his studio in Dakar, showcasing works from six artists represented by Galerie Cécile Fakhoury.

In these interviews, the artists discuss their involvement with La Biennale de Dakar and the work they’ve presented as part of the IN and OFF.

François-Xavier Gbré, 'Wo shi feizhou', exhibited at the 12th edition of La Biennale de Dakar, May 2016. Image courtesy of Galerie Cécile Fakhoury.
François-Xavier Gbré, ‘Wo shi feizhou’, exhibited at the 12th edition of La Biennale de Dakar, May 2016. Image courtesy of Galerie Cécile Fakhoury.

Yo-Yo Gonthier, 'L'éclaircie', exhibited at the 12th edition of La Biennale de Dakar, May 2016. Image courtesy of Galerie Cécile Fakhoury.
Yo-Yo Gonthier, ‘L’éclaircie’, exhibited at the 12th edition of La Biennale de Dakar, May 2016. Image courtesy of Galerie Cécile Fakhoury.

View of the exhibition 'Une collection particulière', Dakar, Senegal. Image courtesy of Galerie Cécile Fakhoury
View of the exhibition ‘Une collection particulière’, Dakar, Senegal. Image courtesy of Galerie Cécile Fakhoury

North-South Divide,
A Fabricated Concept
Two Questions to Jihan El-Tahri

“This notion of North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa separated by this belt of nothingness that is the Sahara is a fabricated concept. The Sahara has traditionally been a space of cultural exchange, of trade, of all sorts of exchange.”

– Jihan El Tahri

North-South Divide,
Fabricated Concept
Two Questions to Jihan El-Tahri

“This notion of North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa separated by this belt of nothingness that is the Sahara is a fabricated concept. The Sahara has traditionally been a space of cultural exchange, of trade, of all sorts of exchange.”

– Jihan El Tahri