Review / Informed Opinions

 

November Issue 1998

Collective Visual Memory: Tiebena Dagnogo: Memory Speaks and Images from the Ivory Coast: Selections from the Merton D. Simpson Collection at The Halsey Gallery, College of Charleston's October Show

 

by Lese Corrigan

 

Memory is a person, thing, happening or an act remembered. It is a commemoration. Abstraction is expressing a quality separate from any particular instances or objects. Charlestonian Merton Simpson's collection of masks and figures from the Ivory Coast presents a visual history of 19th century African tribal art and provides a basis for viewing contemporary pieces by Tiebena Dagnogo. Dagnogo is a young artist in his mid-thirties who is of French/African ancestry and was an artist in residence visiting from the Ivory Coast. The early Ivory Coast pieces on the first floor of the Halsey Gallery are traditional, representational pieces carved from wood. The modern pieces on the second floor of the gallery are abstractions of masks in the sense they use symbols on old wooden boards to represent the idea of masks - they present a face or facade - not eyes, nose, mouth.

Tiebena Dagnogo's work is visually pleasant, positive and intriguing, composed of remnants like memories of the collective unconscious. As graffiti on driftwood or leather stitches pulling together medieval knights, there are bits and pieces alluding to places, things and persons. The work is made up of symbols in relief, carved into or hanging on irregularly edged pieces of wood. The symbols are often similar to those found in American and East Indian art such as birds, arrows, cross marks, triangles and rough tools done in earth colors.

The piece Dozo resembles collected warrior's utensils or workers' tools hanging off a shelf just used or ready for action. Banco resembles a wall with old windows which are decorative but worn and burnt. These openings resemble eyes also, the windows to soul, passages which flow two ways. Blacksmith seems to be three faces with bandaged heads with tags, like on cows ears or labels hanging from body bags, while Kong is a monumental piece resembling a sky view of a war hospital or graveyard with mirrors such as in memory jugs reflecting depth, eyes, the light within which keeps away evil by reflecting instead of absorption.

The Guardians of Tradition reminds one of hobo's trail marks while Goli Masque appears to be the crowned king leading to Nyamien which shows the strong, intense leader speaking to the weaker - questioning right side - the big person speaking to the little person as an advisor speaking to the follower. Bai Fall Clothes has the appearance of a patchwork quilt or a bed with the decorative part of the blanket at the head. Again, the head following the body.

These refreshingly modern interpretations of masks are also reminiscent of outsider art made from old boards, tin roof pieces, bits of found objects. The earlier African masks are often "fleshed out" and decorated with found objects - shells, nails and such. One see traditions shared in the approach and appreciation of available objects as well as the eye for beauty and history recognized in discarded objects which most people overlook or shake their heads at.

Dagnogo prefers to use old materials. They show a collective memory (memory is collection of "material" over a time - bits and pieces of information integrated in a mind or community). There is experience in old materials. They have character which is developed over time, earthiness which develops in everything as natural decay begins. This balances the plastification of life shown in the shiny, sterile new, without memory, without history. These are reminders of our closeness to nature - basics, objects simplified, symbols consistent to humans regardless of location which lead to the universality of art - symbols - life.

Simpson's wondrous collection of African sculptural masks and imagery are obvious as in the bird painted with triangles. The image appears flattened in the Senufo bird figure. The pipe eyes in the Dan Kran mask show the simplification and the tall thin figure of the Dida ceremonial staff could be echoed in the contemporary pieces if they were viewed on end. The triangular mouth and round eyes of the Dan mask show the simplification of form as do the two examples of Dan spoons. They are abstractions for ceremonial and practical purposes.

There is a timeless tradition and respect for it which is shown in objectification. Masks permit an objectification which is so basic in tradition of primitives. They are symbols - the representation of ideas, feelings, pieces of information.

Integrate means to make whole by putting the parts together. Integration of oneself into the world and the flow of ideas and symbology presented to us throughout history by man and the natural forces is the goal. The etymology of the word symbol is to throw together, so a symbol is in and of itself an integration - a mask is often used as a means for integrating an idea or custom or permitting an individual to feel comfortable in a given context by permitting an anonymity thereby giving an opportunity for involvement (integration) which might not happen without the comfort of the mask - in the same way symbols can communicate concepts without the sting directness often causes. A mask is a covering for the face to conceal or disguise the identity. Masks were often used to bring outcasts into the given society - as a teaching tool. For example, a mask showing a physical deformity would be work in ceremonies showing that the bearer of the deformity was accepted as part of the community.

Merton Simpson with his wonderful collection of earlier African masks has brought us visual reminders of history, place and experience while Tiebena Dagnogo freshly interprets people, things, happenings and act in a colorful, textural manner which straddles the line between the second and third dimension. Memory - what remains - the remnants of our collective experiences on this physical earth expressed in an earth product, wood - this is what these two gentlemen have quietly, visually presented to us.

Lese Corrigan is involved in the art on many levels including creating, teaching, and consulting. She lives in Charleston, SC.

 

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