»L'explorateur et les explorateurs devant l'histoire de l'exploration - le théâtre du monde «

'The explorer and the explorers facing the history of exploration - the world theatre'
in: Documenta 11, Halle Binding, until September 15th, 2002
please visit also the pages: 'preparation' ....'repertory' .....'video' ....'comments'

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orientation

A/B

B/C

C/D/E

D/E

F/G

c,d,f - totem 1-4

H

The sequence of images zoomes in gradually from sets of wide shots to close ups, taken during a clockwise promenade. The letters below the images indicate the location as designated on the orientation map. (a print out could be useful)

 

A

B

B/C

C

C

C

C/D

C/D

D

D

D

D/E

One of the central issues Georges Adéagbo addresses in this composition, is to what
extent an effort was made over centuries of geographic expansion to understand, analyze and integrate the information brought back ‘home’ by explorers and whether the lack of giving careful observation priority over hasty action might not be one of the causes for the disparity of cultural and economic evolution in the world.

E/F

F/G

H

H

area 'c'

area 'd/e'

area 'e/d'

area 'f'

In the realm of philosophical and artistic exploration, Adéagbo portraits several pathmakers
transcending the confinements of the art world conventions, such as Joseph
Beuys, Harald Szeemann and images of works by psychiatry patients shown by him at
documenta V, James Lee Byars and Roman Opalka. Also it might be important to notice
who is not presented in the collection.

A

A/B

B

B/C

B/C

C

C/D

D

Since summer 2001 Adéagbo exclusively researched for and prepared his Documenta
contribution. Several visits to Kassel allowed him to acquire books and plow through
photos and files at the Documenta archive, finally to bring a choice of images and texts
back to Benin to be transformed by an local artisan into large scale illustrations.
Adéagbo explored and harvested at flea-markets in New York, Chicago, Kyoto, Hamburg
and Kassel items to become part of his syntax. In Africa, he traveled to Niamey, the
capital of Niger, visited remote hamlets of the Somba tribe in Northern Benin, scanned
the streets of Accra, always searching for objects whose iconographic emission he could
use to knit the story of his work.

D

E

E

E/F

F

F

G

Map

Objects, found in public spaces both in Benin and while staying in Kassel, added the
aspect of chance putting what you need on your path, if you have the eyes and senses to
recognize it and pick it up. From the beach near his atelier, Adéagbo had a cracked dug
out fisher boat and a 19th century anchor transported to Kassel, that form together with
the four totem poles the central area of the work, an island surrounded by an ocean of
narration. In terms of singling out items that elicit the artists curiosity, he reverses the
roles as correctly described in the headline of the FAZ (June 14th) ‘Die Entdeckten
entdecken die Entdecker’ which means ‘The Explored Explore the Explorers’

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

Four totem poles were carved by Cotonou craftsman, and 63 illustrations painted, all
according to images and texts Adéagbo pulled from his reference library and gave as
Xeroxes to his team. While the composition and sequences were determined by him, the
artisans chose freely proportions, colors and style of realization.

totem # 1

totem # 2

totem # 3

totem # 3 and four

For the first time Adéagbo asked the curators to have the exhibition architects build a
space with an apse for him, thus eliminating two right angled corners of the 9x14 meters
space. His motivation was to explore the dimension cyclic energy, of revolving
movement alluding to the spin of the globe and explorers’ efforts to circle the earth.
A crest of books and various items is laid out all along the borders of the room,
interrupted only at the center of the apse and the opposite straight wall to leave space for
small altar like installations, each with a figure on a pedestal.

area 'c'

area 'c' and 'e'

area 'e'

wide view on 'e'

area 'd'

area 'f' and 'd'

area 'd'

below totem # 4

Two Persian rugs, tray for texts mostly about the meaning of art, the role of curators and
news clippings of interviews with Okwui, lead into the central installation with the
anchor and the boat. In an exhibition of 119 artists in various locations, it might be
difficult for the viewer who wants to see everything to devote the time necessary to
explore the numerous shells of the work, however, even a brief promenade with an
intuitive visual grab, can yield just what is good for one at that particular moment.

 

B

below totem #1

area 'c'

area 'c'