Wangechi Mutu là một nhà nghệ thuật người Kenya. Bà đã tổ chức nhiều triển lãm tại các viện bảo tàng trên khắp thế giới như London, Hongkong, Venice, và Brussels.
Một trong những triển làm nổi bật của bà là The NewOnes, will free Us, trưng bày bốn bức tượng đồng tại Bảo tàng Nghệ thuật Metropolitan tại Newyork.
Trong bài thuyết trình này, Wangechi Mutu sử dụng các vật liệu tìm thấy và các cấu trúc mê hoặc khai mở những cảm xúc sâu thẳm, các tác phẩm của Wangchi tôn vinh lịch sử sưu tầm và khám phá cách nghệ thuật truyền đạt đến tương lai. Từ những nét chạm khắc trên đá tại Sahel cho tới chính các tác phẩm siêu thực của mình, bà chia sẻ chúng ta một hành trình tự khám phá, và nhắc chúng ta về một thứ ngôn ngữ cổ xưa mà chúng ta đã quên lãng, ngôn ngữ của nghệ thuật.
Phần thuyết trình này do TEDtalks thực hiện
Summarizing
0:00 – 2:30 Wangechi Mutu begins her talk by expressing her belief in art as an ancient language used for communication across time. She shares her experience of visiting prehistoric art deep in the desert of Niger, where she saw delicate drawings and engravings on rock faces, created tens of thousands of years ago. These ancient artworks, she explains, are messages that travel across time and culture, reminding us of our origins.
2:30 – 5:00 Mutu talks about her personal journey with art, particularly her focus on women. She describes the figures she creates, which range from pregnant creatures to fierce feminine machines, all aimed at showcasing the power of the female body. She also shares her experience growing up in Nairobi in the 1970s, during a time of political unrest and restrictions on freedom of expression. Art, for her, was a means of escape and a way to communicate freely and fearlessly.
5:00 – 7:30 After moving to New York, Mutu began creating large paintings using pictures and objects she found on the city streets. These works, she explains, were a way for her to remember her roots and heal from her experiences. She also talks about her first large sculpture, a reclining woman titled “She’s Got the Whole World in Her,” which represented a new beginning.
7:30 – 10:00 Mutu discusses her return to her childhood home and the creation of her “Earth Queens” sculptures. These figures, made from materials she collected during her visit, represent the resilience and diversity of African women. She also mentions her bronze sculptures, which include mythical creatures from East African lore.
10:00 – 12:30 In 2018, Mutu was invited by the Metropolitan Museum of Art to create new sculptures for the building’s facade. She created four seated deities, each representing tranquility, dignity, africanity, and the feminine divine. These works, she says, became symbols of hope and healing during the global pandemic.
12:30 – End Mutu concludes her talk by emphasizing the importance of art in reminding us of our origins and pointing us towards the future. She expresses her hope to continue making art that empowers women and points to Africa, where art originated.
