BARTHELEMY TOGUO: AFRICA

Galerie Samuel Lallouz presents a new exhibition of the work of franco-Camerounian artist Barthélémy Toguo from March 31 to June 30, 2015. This will be Toguo’s first exhibition in Montreal at a gallery long known for its promotion of international contemporary art.

Barthélémy Toguo’s artistic range encompasses drawing, sculpture, vidéo, watercolour, performance and installation, each one revealing his distinctive critical voice. The works on display at Galerie Samuel Lallouz focus on AFRICA.

In his impressive installation ‘Road for exil’ Barthélémy Toguo takes us aboard the hazardous barque of exile. His five-meter-long boat, made of found wood and filled with the multi-coloured bundles of its passengers suggests both the hope and the despair that have led to this journey. Its precariousness is reflected in the ‘sea’ of glass bottles all around the boat. Even if we make the crossing, will the far shore be better ?

‘The Holy Place’ consists of 7 immense carved wooden stamps. This installation was first shown in the summer of 2014 at the National Biennial of Contemporary Sculpture in Trois-Rivières. Their size and shape alone are a critique of the weight and power of bureaucratic command but Toguo engraves his own commands on the stamps, visible in the prints on the gallery walls: « bring back our girls », « straight gay lebian bi trans priest wedding », « africa bitter destiny oil diamonds », « trois-rivières – je me souviens – Canada », « in exile we are all you and me », « soon jerusalem ramallah hand by hand », « boko haram cia ? ».

In ‘Stupid African Presidents’ Barthélémy Toguo himself stands in for African presidents with all their self-importance, cynicism and electoral chicanery.

Barthélémy Toguo will paint a series of watercolours during his stay in Montreal and will display them at the gallery as they are completed.

During the vernissage on March 31, Barthélémy Toguo’s performance « Africa » will be staged.

Vernissage: Tuesday March 31 17h30 – 21h.

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