AlAin Weill 137 T. A. M.: It seems like what you’re saying is that colonial art has meaning and signifi cance in the recent history of societal encounters and cultural shocks. Can it be seen as a form of political art, or is it an early expression of modernity? A. W.: African artists describe what they see, and that is not always going to be an appealing subject. Obviously they had political vision, and many of their works were ironic mirrors for exorcizing demons. Many of their works were even vitriolic caricatures, though certainly not all of them. Regarding the question of modernity, African sculptors freed themselves of stylistic constraints little by little. They innovated new approaches, deviating in some ways from traditions that were rooted in the sacred and gravitating toward a more lively and personal art. The latter has elements of the profane, and as such is basically more modern. T. A. M.: The exhibition at the Arnaud Foundation shows sculptures by African artists but also features works by European sculptors and painters. Is this Africanist imagery also part of what can be referred to as “colonial art”? A. W.: Obviously not. The painters who have been dubbed “Africanists” and whose works function as an interface in this exhibition are essentially Belgian and French artists. Moreover, there aren’t many of them, and what their work mostly has in common with so-called colonial art is that it is also little known and seldom exhibited. This exhibition will also help familiarize its audience with these artists’ unjustifi ably ignored work. T. A. M.: So the term “colonial art” is one that should be considered carefully and needs to be better defi ned. A. W.: Absolutely. In fact, I prefer the term “art métis,” or “blended art,” but even that isn’t entirely satisfactory. This art is truly a hybrid, which is what fascinates me about it, and that is what the Homme blanc–Homme noir exhibition is intended to demonstrate. It is the fi rst of its kind in Europe and the fi rst to examine the various facets of the subject. Since it is so comprehensive, it does not rely solely on pieces from my collection. Its three curators, Nicolas Menut (curator of documentary acquisitions at the Musée du Quai Branly, FIG. 12 (below): Saltcellar. Sapi-Portuguese, Sierra Leone. Early 16th century. Ivory. H: 34.8 cm. © Musée des Beaux-Arts, Dijon. FIG. 11 (left): Auguste Mambour (1896– 1968), Sculpteur africain à l’herminette, c. 1925. Charcoal on paper. 90 x 63 cm. Photo: Alberto Ricci.
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