Romuald hazoume biography of martin cruz

My Paradise — Made in Porto-Novo. The work of an African artist too quickly becomes grist to the mill of ethnological categorization or development policy assessments. Africa still seems to be the counter-image of the advance of civilization, the ideal projection surface for the very different; secret, exotic, paradise. Why does a piece of the so-called natural world appear idyllic, whether it be the garden of Gerisch-Stiftung, laid out in , or the beach of Porto-Novo in Benin, with its palm trees?

Romuald Hazoumè Biography Born in , Porto-Novo, Republic of Benin.

How does this reflect our social reality? However, according to the artist, the petrol cans in his work also represent the people of his country Benin, where they are ubiquitous everyday objects. Looked at in this light, the masks not only continue a cultural tradition. These works document beach and market scenes as panoramas and the illegal trade in petrol from Nigeria to Benin.

Virtually the entire population of Benin uses this petrol, which is mixed with cheaper oil and other additives.

Romuald Hazoumè is one of Africa’s foremost contemporary artists and recipient of the prestigious Arnold Bode Prize at documenta The artist’s astute and sardonically political Missing: martin cruz.

Up to litres of petrol or 30 cans are transported on mopeds, a motorised time bomb. The petrol cans were mostly produced in Germany. This exhibition, put together for the first time in Germany, comprises around 50 mostly recent works by the artist. In the exhibition, he creates a world-spanning synthesis between regional roots and international art discourse, between self-critical stocktaking and the reflection of tourist longing; a contemporary reflection on paradise, made in Porto-Novo and in the language of international, contemporary art.

Art historian, author and curator of numerous exhibitions particularly in the public space. Curator: Koyo Kouoh.