Benefit Auction for South African Artist Diane Victor

Diane Victor, And all the books she had planned to read, charcoal on paper, 90 x 150 cm, 2010. Courtesy The Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg

The Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg will hold a benefit auction on April 20, to support a vital medical procedure required by the ailing artist, Diane Victor. I do not know much about the artist's medical condition, but it does not matter. What is important is that this auction is for a noble cause, especially considering that Victor is such a very important artist known for her incomparably powerful draftsmanship and prodigious, haunting imagination. Several marquee artists, including William Kentridge, Kendell Geers, David Goldblatt, Sue Williamson, Sam Nhlengethwa, Penny Siopis, Clive van den Berg, Brett Murray, Kagiso Pat Mautloa, Mikhael Subtzky, Kudzanai Chiurai, and more have donated work. And there are also available works by Robert Hodgins, Norman Catherine, Willem Boshoff, Johannes Segolela, and others. Even if we forget for a moment that this is a benefit auction, it is still an incredible line up of some of the most accomplished South African artists. So, my hope is that this auction is successful, and that Ms. Victor will get the treatment she needs: contemporary African art will be the richer for it. 

Marcia Kure: "Tease" @ Susan Inglett--Press Release

Welcome Reception @ Princeton

Last night here in Princeton we had a reception for newly admitted graduate students of color; rare sights in these parts--Du Bois's so-called "Talented Tenth"! Karen Jackson-Weaver, the energetic associate dean of Academic Affairs and Diversity for the Graduate School, was the host, and there were a few faculty on hand to cheer the new class. You see, I was there to welcome one of my own two new doctoral students: Jessica Bell, who is coming from Northwestern and will be doing research in the Caribbean. The ever-reliable Doyin Teriba who is completing his dissertation on Afro-Brazilian architecture in West Africa was there to show support, as was Jennifer Wilson, who is also finishing at Slavic Studies with a dissertation of the uses of Chastity in 19th-century Russian writing. To Jessica, and Perrin Lathrop who will also be joining Doyin, and Jonathan Fine, and Kristen Windmuller-Luna in September, a big welcome! I will be posting on Perrin's upcoming exhibition of Simon Ottenberg's gift of Contemporary Nigeran art works to the Newark Museum shortly.

Dean Weaver, Jessica Bell, Doyin Teriba, Jennifer Wilson @ the Carl A. Fields Center, Princeton Univ.

  

The Image of the Black in Western Art Symposium @ Yale

CHINUA ACHEBE (1930-2013)

Photo: Chika Okeke-Agulu

The Eagle has fallen
And with it the Iroko
The mightiest of trees
In the world's forest

Campaign against Nigerian Looters of Public Funds

The organization Enough Is Enough Nigeria has launched a worldwide signature drive in support of its demand that European and American governments stop giving visas to Nigerians convicted of looting public funds. Please support this effort on the Change.Org website.  

Presidential pardon is official jailbreak

The Nigerian government, led by President Jonathan, just granted "Presidential Pardon" to a man indicted by British authorities for financial crimes; a man who escaped from Britain disguised as a woman; a man whose criminal stench was so bad that he was impeached as a State Governor (Jonathan was his deputy and replacement), and, for the first time in Nigeria, found guilty and jailed for money laundry, embezzlement, etc. this is the character granted pardon.
What is to be done about Nigeria? That is the question. I despair to think that this criminal enterprise that masks itself as democratic government still continues to impoverish the citizenry unfettered.
Here is a perspective on this travesty of a pardon that speaks for me and millions of Nigerians:

Presidential pardon is official jailbreak