Solo Exhibition — A Sul. O Sombreiro
October 14 — November 27, 2016
MAAN Luanda, Angola

Video (excerpt: 2:06 of 9:00).
Triple channel video, 9'00''.
Life-size projection. Luanda, Angola;
Stuttgart, Germany


Silent, but exhibited together with the multi-channel audio installation ‘pele de tatu (cui-
rass)’ reproducing bird calls imitated by human voices and sounds of the tropical forest, by composer and designer of contemporary musi-
cal instruments Victor Gama. The sound breaks the implicit silence, giving us a virtual or meta-
phorical involvement with the figures, envel-
oping us like a skin, giving us another potential layer of meanings and interpretations.

Poetically, the projections reflect the
Bakamas from northernmost Angola (Cabinda), the ethnic origins of my African family. These masked dancers embody the spirits of Ances-
tors. They allow the living to interact with their forefathers, securing reconciliation between the Living and the Dead.

They are formed into groups of up to 12 mem-
bers attached to a specific community by blood ties. Different masks may be used for different rituals. Each mask represents an Ancestor who merits to be remembered. The Bakamas may act only within their district and appear during significant family or community events, such
as the funeral of a revered person. They always wear their costume of dried banana leaves, which are burned after every appearance.

The fixed camera observes the movements
of the performer wearing a costume made up
of many strings of fabric upon which reflective material was sewn. The strings were inspired by “missangas”, the tiny beads adorning the thin plaits used mostly as a children’s hairstyle.
A meditative flow of sparkling dots in the dark casts a dreamlike atmosphere, creating a symbolic link to the ancestors.

Acknowledgements
Lothar Heinrich
Andrea Krolo
Natalie Weber
Eva Natzke