SelectedWorks

an exhibition organized especially for the World Trade Organization
Selected works from
COLLECTION

4
CONTENTS
06
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA
World Trade Organization
ANDREIA LUKENY SILVA
AFRICANA Art Foundation
LOUISE STEFANII
AFRICANA Art Foundation
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THE ARTISTS
NÚ BARRETO
FRÉDÉRIC BRULY BOUABRÉ
EDSON CHAGAS
TERESA KUTALA FIRMINO
MÁRIO MACILAU
CRISTIANO MANGOVO
PEDRO PIRES
ANA SILVA
NELO TEIXEIRA
YONAMINE
DOMINIQUE ZINKPÈ
14
16
18
24
26
30
38
40
46
48
52

5
56
CREDITS

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YELLOWSERIES #1, PEDRO PIRES, 2019

7
Acknowledgments
World Trade Organization
African art and artists are often unknown or
underappreciated. It is therefore a pleasure to
welcome you to two exhibitions, both produced
in collaboration with AFRICANA Art Foundation.
The first, held at the WTO Centre William
Rappard, is called UBUNTU: I Am Because
We Are. The second, held at the Geneva
International Conference Centre, showcases
works from AFRICANA’s Collection.
Both exhibitions feature talented African artists
from across the continent. UBUNTU is entirely
made up of female artists. This selection mirrors
our goals for the future of Africa; we strive to
make the continent a place where youth can
thrive and where women are not only equally
appreciated, but also important members and
leaders of society.
NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA
Director - General
On behalf of the WTO, its members and staff, I
would like to thank AFRICANA for championing
African art and artists.

8
Acknowledgments
AFRICANA Art Foundation
AFRICANA would like to express its deepest
gratitude for inviting us and allowing us to
showcase these incredible African artists to a
multinational and exquisite audience. A special
thank you to Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for bringing
us here.
ANDREIA LUKENY SILVA
Board Member
I would also like to thank and show our
appreciation for all the artists in our exhibitions.
AFRICANA goes beyond being a foundation.
It’s a community which strives to open doors,
especially those that have been closed for
a long time. We celebrate multiculturality,
creativity, openness, and exchange, and
aspire to demonstrate what can be achieved
when shared human values meet the desire
for positive change. We hope you will take
this opportunity to immerse yourselves in our
vision, so that together we can contribute to a
flourishing African culture.

9
Letter from the Curator
In a broad sense, “philosophy” refers to the search for knowledge that began when humans first
started to understand the world through reason. In an academic sense, the word is used to designate
the set of metaphysical conceptions about the world.
During the colonial era, colonists were forever in search of ways
to diminish and degrade conquered territories and their peoples.
One key way was known as “scientific racism,” which justified
white supremacism using pseudoscience. The result was the
stifling of African philosophy, as well as beliefs and culture
more generally. African philosophy only began to reemerge in
the twentieth century, revealing complexity and sophistication
of thought on par with anything Western European culture
had produced. One example is the philosophy of UBUNTU:
the central focus of one of the exhibitions created especially
for the World Trade Organization. The other, Selected Works
From AFRICANA Art Foundation's Collection, showcases the
inspiring art of talented emerging African artists.
UBUNTU, which recognizes common humanity, togetherness, and generosity, is a
particularly powerful philosophy bridging ethnic, linguistic, and regional boundaries.
It no doubt flourished as Africans sought to reconnect and rebuild in the wake of
colonization. A shared vision of the world was proposed with “creator energy,” whether this
be from the germination of plants or the fertilization of women, as the fundamental value.
Recently, a new, invisible enemy has arisen, one we all have in common. In the face of it, we
have been forced to socially distance ourselves, not shake hands, to be away from our loved
ones, to be more individualist. Yet, despite this and all the suffering and loss, we have seen
an unprecedented coming together. Now, more than ever, we have to remind ourselves of
our combined power. Together, not only can we defeat this deadly virus, but we can finally
address the mistakes of the past, and denounce both intellectual and territorial imperialism.
I would like to thank Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for allowing us to champion African art in such a
prestigious venue. I would also like to thank Alexandre Costa Lopes, AFRICANA Art Foundation’s
visionary president, who has dedicated most of his life to supporting the arts in Africa. Our Board
of Trustees is formed mostly by women, as the president wishes to empower women at every level.
Finally, I must thank my colleagues and board members for their dedication, care, and support. This
foundation, which operates like a family, aims to solidify the idea that Africa, beyond being the place
where we all came from, is the teacher we all need, especially at this pressing moment in history.
LOUISE STEFANII
Founder-Director & Curator / AFRICANA Art Foundation

10
REFLEXIONS
ON

11
AFRICAN CULTURE
HERITAGE
POWER

12
THE
ARTI
AFRICANA ART FOUNDATION

STS
13

14
NÚ BARRETO
(b. 1966, Guinea-Bissau)
Nú Barreto’s practice combines drawing,
recycling, and collage, inviting the viewer into
his process. In his visually-striking works that
incorporate symbolic colours and motifs, he
highlights recurring social problems in Africa
and around the world, denouncing suffering,
violence, and corruption.
He has lived in Paris since 1989, where he
received training from the AEP School of
Photography in Paris and the École Nationale
des Métiers de l'Image des Gobelins.

MIA LUAANDA, 2019
ACRYLIC, CERAMIC PENCIL AND COLLAGE ON PAPER
140 X 100 CM

16
FRÉDÉRIC
BRULY
BOUABRÉ
(b. 1923, Ivory Coast - d. 2014, Ivory Coast)
Frédéric Bruly Bouabré grew up in Abidjan.
Extreme poverty kept him from completing
his education. In the 1940’s, he had what he
described as “a magnificent sunlit vision,”
which led him to adopt the name Cheik Nadro
the Revealer and dedicate his life to the state of
Africa and the meaning of life.

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1 2
3
4
5
1. GROKO PAGNE TRADITIONNEL EN PAYS BÉTÉ
2. LES GRANDS BÂTISSEURS: LES RACES DE
L'HUMANITÉ ADMIRANT LE COLISÉE
3. LES GRANDS BÂTISSEURS: LES RACES DE
L'HUMANITÉ ADMIRANT LA STATUE DE LA LIBERTÉ
4. BRULY PRÉSENTE ICI UNE BELLE EUROPÉENNE
5. GROKO PAGNE TRADITIONNEL EN PAYS BÉTÉ
FIVE CARDS, 2009
COLORED PENCIL AND BALLPOINT PEN ON CARDBOARD
VARIABLE DIMENSIONS

18
EDSON
CHAGAS
(b. 1977, Angola)
Edson Chagas uses cities and objects to
discuss the consequences of globalization and
consumerism. His series are rarely considered
finished, ensuring their longevity, the possibility
of return, and a long evolution.
In 2013, he represented his country at the Angola
Pavilion at the Venice Biennale with his series
Found, Not Taken. In 2015, he participated in
Ocean of Images: New Photography 2015 at
the MoMA. He is the 2018 winner of the African
Art Award by the Smithsonian National Museum
of African Art. He lives and works in Portugal.

19
OIKONOMOS, 2017
INKJET PRINTING ON PHOTO PAPER WITH SATIN LAMINATION
100 X 100 CM

20
OIKONOMOS, 2017
INKJET PRINTING ON PHOTO PAPER WITH SATIN LAMINATION
100 X 100 CM
EDSON CHAGAS

21
FERNÃO V. POKO, TIPO PASSE, 2019
INKJET PRINTING ON PHOTO PAPER WITH SATIN LAMINATION
100 X 80 CM

22
JOHN S. CHIKERE, TIPO PASSE, 2019
INKJET PRINTING ON PHOTO PAPER WITH SATIN LAMINATION
100 X 80 CM
EDSON CHAGAS

23

24
TERESA
KUTALA
FIRMINO
(b. 1993, South Africa)
Teresa Kutala Firmino is a multimedia artist
based in Johannesburg working with paint,
photography, and performance. In her work, she
negotiates trauma, both personal and collective,
constructing scenes of past and present, which
are sometimes intertwined.
She received her MA in Fine Arts from the
University of the Witwatersrand, and is part of
the collective Kutala Chopeto, which started
as an investigation into the collective’s shared
history of the 32 Battalion, which settled
in Pomfret after the Border War. Firmino’s
exhibitions include solo shows at Everard Read,
London, and The Point of Order, Johannesburg.
Her work has also been exhibited at Goodman
Gallery, Cape Town; Nirox Sculpture Winter Fair,
Johannesburg; and Luanda Museum of Natural
History, Angola.

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HIDDEN EXCHANGE, 2020
ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE ON CANVAS
104 X 107 CM

26
MÁRIO
MACILAU
(b. 1984, Mozambique)
Mário Macilau is a multi-disciplinary artist
mostly known for his photography. He started
his journey as a photographer at the age of
14, when he shot a woman selling cassava in
a street market using a borrowed camera. In
2007, he traded his mother's cell phone for his
first camera.
Macilau’s specialty is long-term photography;
he produces projects centered around time,
space, Man, human labour, and social injustice
in the context of the passage of time. For him,
photography has the power to display the truth,
to develop social consciousness, and create a
wider perception of the world.

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JOJO ALFREDO (SERIES FAITH), 2015
INKJET PRINT ON PAPER
80 X 120 CM

28
CIRCLE OF MEMORIES X, 2017
INKJET PRINT ON PAPER
91 X 138 CM
MÁRIO MACILAU

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UNTITLED, 2017
INKJET PRINT ON PAPER
92 X 139 CM

30
CRISTIANO
MANGOVO
(b. 1982, Angola)
Cristiano Mangovo’s vision is rooted in the rich
and complex socio-cultural landscape of his
hometown; Cabinda is an exclave territory of
Angola formerly known as Portuguese Congo,
bordered by both the Republic of Congo and
the Democratic Republic of Congo. Here, local
customs and traditions have merged with those
left by the Portuguese and the French.
Mangovo earned his degree in Painting and
Visual Arts from the Academy of Fine Arts of
Kinshasa. He lives and works between Luanda
and Lisbon.

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MOMENT OF THE MUSEUM, 2017
ACRYLIC ON CANVAS
100 X 100 CM

32
MANKAIA, 2019
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE AND CARDBOARD
58 X 37.5 CM
CRISTIANO MANGOVO

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GAITANO, 2019
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE AND CARDBOARD
58 X 37.5 CM

34
STOP, BALANCE N.1, 2019
ACRYLIC ON CANVAS
135 X 200 CM
CRISTIANO MANGOVO

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THE EQUALS, 2019
ACRYLIC ON CANVAS
135 X 200 CM

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THE PERPETRATORS, 2019
ACRYLIC ON CANVAS
200 X 135 CM
CRISTIANO MANGOVO

37

38
PEDRO
PIRES
(b. 1978, Angola)
Pedro Pires explores stereotypes, identity,
exploitation, and mass production with
mediums such as fire over paper. He also uses
everyday industrial items like plastic containers
and brooms.
He received an MFA from Central Saint Martins
College of Art and Design, London, UK (2010),
and a BA in Sculpture from the Fine Art Faculty
of Lisbon, Portugal (2005). In 2004, he received
the University of Athens’ Fine Art Erasmus
Scholarship. A finalist of the Laguna Art Prize
(Venice, Italy) and the Artemar Competition
(Cascais, Portugal), he lives and works between
Lisbon and Luanda.

39
YELLOWSERIES #1, 2019
FIRE AND MACHINES ON PAPER
84 X 59 CM

40
ANA SILVA
(b. 1969, Angola)
Ana Silva’s work is personal, deep, and delicate,
combining various materials to explore notions
of legacy, more specifically the passing of
knowledge from one generation of women to
the next.
Her practice is anchored in personal experience;
the Angolan civil war forced her to keenly
examine her surroundings and tap into her
extraordinary creativity.
Her work has been featured in exhibitions
including The Power of my Hands, part of
Africa2020, held at the City of Paris Museum
of Modern Art, and Filam(a)nt at the Fondation
Blachère, among others.

UNTITLED, 2015
FABRIC, WALLPAPER, CUT SEE-THROUGH SHEET WITH POSCA PEN DRAWINGS IN BLACK AND WHITE
95 X 49 CM
41

42
UNTITLED, 2015
FABRIC, WALLPAPER, CUT SEE-THROUGH SHEET WITH
POSCA PEN DRAWINGS IN BLACK AND WHITE
74.5 X 46.5 CM
ANA SILVA

UNTITLED, 2015
FABRIC, WALLPAPER, CUT SEE-THROUGH SHEET WITH POSCA PEN DRAWINGS
53 X 66 CM
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UNTITLED, 2017
FABRIC, K-LINE, POSCA PEN DRAWINGS IN BLACK ON CUT SEE-
THROUGH PAPER SHEET
70 X 50 CM
ANA SILVA

45
UNTITLED, 2017
LACE, FABRIC, K-LINE, POSCA PEN DRAWINGS IN BLACK ON CUT
SEE-THROUGH PAPER SHEET
70 X 50 CM

46
NELO
TEIXEIRA
(b. 1974, Angola)
Nelo Teixeira studied painting and sculpture
through the National Union of Plastic Arts
(UNAP) workshops. He favors paint as well as
recycled waste, like metal, plastic, aluminum,
and glass.
He also makes masks, a family tradition, and
uses urban spaces as inspiration, questioning
the borders between the urban ghetto and the
new city under construction.
He was an artist-in-residency at the Association
for Visual Arts (AVA) (Cape Town, 2018). Lives
and works in Lisbon.

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SOBA KALUNGA AND THEIR WARRIORS, 2010
DIVERSE MATERIALS
VARIOUS DIMENSIONS

48
YONAMINE
(b. 1975, Angola)
Yonamine's work is marked by the interaction of
various means of production. This is expressed
in the diverse ways his pieces are constructed:
he redeploys significant cultural hierarchies and
sociological typologies into an ever-expanding
cumulative practice. His diverse international
experiences—he appropriates images and
actions from Luanda; Cali, Colombia, where he
was a resident artist; Asia, and Oceania—have
made him feel like a significant part of the world
and the environment.
He lives and works in Greece.

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TYPE OF BREAD, 2005
ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE ON CANVAS
100 X 70 CM

50
ALI BOMA YE III, 2013
PHOTOLITH FILM (FOTOLITO)
117 X 92 CM
YONAMINE

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MY PEOPLE, 2013
PHOTOLITH FILM (FOTOLITO)
125 X 103 CM

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DOMINIQUE
ZINKPÈ
(b. 1969, Benin)
Dominique Zinkpè's paintings are inspired by
his country's rich history and the impact of
colonization. They have a surrealistic quality,
presenting loose forms moving and tackling
each other, with often large blank spaces. A
recurring theme is motherhood; warm and
nurturing women are represented. Another
theme is religion; Zinkpè celebrates Catholicism,
Animism, and other indigenous traditions, but
also explores the tensions between them. His
media includes oil on canvas, sculpture, acrylics,
and found objects. He won the Prix Umeoa at
the 2002 Dakar Biennale and the Prix Jeune
Talent Africa in 1993.

53
UNTITLED, 2008
OIL AND PASTEL ON CANVAS
35 X 30 CM

54
UNTITLED, 2008
OIL AND PASTEL ON CANVAS
35 X 30 CM
DOMINIQUE ZINKPÈ

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56
CREDITS
STOP, BALANCE N.1, CRISTIANO MANGOVO, 2019
World Trade Organization
NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA
Director General
WERNER ZDOUC
Director of WTO Knowledge and
Information Management,Academic
Outreach and WTO Chairs Programme
DANIO CAMPANELLI
WTO Ministerial Conferences
Coordinator
NINEZ PIEZAS-JERBI
Chief, Knowledge
Management Section
CHRISTINE BOYER
Head of Unit, Administrative &
Events Logistics Service
AFRICANA Art Foundation
ALEXANDRE COSTA LOPES
Founder & President
LOUISE STEFANII
Founder-Director & Curator
ANDREIA LUKENY SILVA
Board Member
CARLOS SILVA
Board Member
ALEXANDRA HERBEZ
Board Member
BIANCA DANTAS
Curatorial Assistant
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION TEAM
Editor
CHRISTOPHER IMPIGLIA
Design
FULL HOUSE PARTNERS

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MIA LUAANDA,
NÚ BARRETO, 2019

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