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ContemporaryArtistProfile:SokariDouglasCamp
ByLizWalshak2008
SokariDouglasCamp
• Bornin1958inBuguma,Nigeria.
• RaisedKalabariinNigerDeltaRegion.
• Education:
1979‐80CaliforniaCollegeofArtsandCrafts,OaklandUSA
1980‐83CentralSchoolofArtandDesign,London,BA(Hons)
1983‐86RoyalCollegeofArt,London,MASculpture
• CurrentlyresidesandworksinLondon,England.
Kalabari,Nigeria
http://www.maplandia.com/nigeria/rivers/asari‐to/kalabari/
http://www.maplandia.com/nigeria/rivers/asari‐to/kalabari/
CityofKalabari,NigerDelta
MapofDeltaState,NigeriaShowingUrhoboLandandOtherEthnicNationalities
http://www.waado.org/nigerdelta/Maps/delta_state/delta_state_ethnic.html
SomeKalabariHistory
• TheKalabariareanIjoidethnicgrouplocatedinthewesternNigerDeltaregionofNigeria.Originally,theywereknownastheAwome.
• Language:Ijaw(EasternformofIjo)
• TheKalabariwereformerlyfishermen,tradersofsalt,fish,andpalmoil.Theyliveonaseriesof23islandsinthedeltaofRiverNiger.TheirculturalcapitalistheislandcityofBuguma(alsowhereSokariDouglasCampwasborn).
• KalabaribecamewealthyduetotraderelationswithEuropeans.
• Inthelate1800s,theBritishtookpoliticalandeconomiccontrolovertheareathatwouldbeknownasNigeria.
• In1960,independencewasdeclaredforNigeria.• Today,PortHarcourtisthemajorurbancenterofalocaleconomystronglylinkedto
petroleum.
http://amachree.com/_wsn/page2.html
FeaturedPiece
GeledeFromToptoToe(1995)
Materials:Steel,woodandchickenwire.
Dimensions:186cmhigh
Exhibitedin:SpiritsinSteel:TheArtoftheKalabariMasquerade(AmericanMuseumofNaturalHistory,NY)BlackWomanhood(DavisMuseumatWellesleyCollege,MA)
NakedGelede(1998)Materials:Steelandchickenwire.Dimensions:420cmx240cmx40cm
Asoebi(2005)Materials:Steelandchickenwire.Dimensions:420cmx240cmx40cmOnexhibitionattheBritishMuseum
• SokariusesKalabaricultureashermaininspirationforhersculptures,includingtraditionsandaestheticsofmasquerades,textiles,dances,andotherceremoniesthatshewitnessedfromdirectexperience.
• Herworkoftentimesusesthefigureasamainsubject,andshedressesitwithasculptedcostume,textiles,andorganicmaterials.
• Steelistheprimarymaterialusedinhersculptures.
• Somesculpturesarekinetic.
Formofherwork
Otobo(Hippo)Masquerade(1995)Exhibitedin:SpiritsinSteel:TheArtoftheKalabariMasqueradeMaterials:Wood,steelandpalmstembrooms.Dimensions:183cmhigh
"Ibeganmyworkbyobservinghowmasksareputontomasqueraders,howthehumanformischanged,howmenbecomegodswhentheyperform...ThewayIrememberseeingmasksandmasqueraderswhentheyperformedformytownisthemasqueradesarealiveandfrighteningandbeautifulwhentheymove.Fearinmasqueradingisanimportantelementfortheobserver.Itaddstotheplayofthespirits.Thiselementdoesnotcomeacrossinamuseum,becausethemaskisnotmovingandisusuallyinaglassbox."
‐‐SokariDouglasCamp
PoliticsBehindSokari’sWork
• SokarirespondstothestaticpresentationofAfricanmasksinWesternmuseumsasopposedtotheirlivelycontextintheiroriginalculture.
• Sheaspirestocontextualizetheobjectsanddisplaythemwiththefigureanddress,sometimeswithmotion,astheywereoriginallyintended.
• Beingawoman,herKalabaribackgroundwouldnothaveallowedhertobecomeasculptorinherhomeland.Thusherwork’spoliticalconnotationreliesheavilyuponbeingsituatedinWesterninstitutions.
• Herrecentworksarehighlypolitical,commentingontheeffectsoftheoilindustryontheNigerDelta,violence,diaspora,andotherinternationalissues.
Accessories(2005)Materials:Steel,woodDimensions:210cmx170cmx90cm
Container(2000)Exhibitedin:KnotsOfTheHumanHeartMaterials:Plastic,glass,sand,goldleaf,acetate.Dimensions:34cmx12cmx65cm
AnewmonumenttowriterandactivistKenSaro‐Wiwa,executed11yearsagoinNigeriaforhiscampaignagainstthedevastationbyoilcompaniesoftheNigerdelta,wasunveiledoutsidetheGuardian'sofficesincentralLondononNovember10,2006.The"LivingMemorial"isasculptureintheformofabusbytheNigerian‐bornartistSokariDouglasCamp,andwilltourtheUKoverthecomingyear.
Bus(2008)
www.sokari.co.uk
BibliographyandLinks
1.RobertGoldwaterLibraryBlog.PodcastInterviewWithSokariDouglasCamp.“TheEssentialArtofAfricanTextiles:DesignWithoutEnd.”October14
2008.Audiofile.http://goldwaterlibrary.typepad.com/rgl/2008/10/podcast‐interview‐with‐
sokari‐douglas‐camp.html.
2.SpiritsinSteel:SokariDouglasCamp.AmericanMuseumofNaturalHistory.1998.http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/sokari/bio.html.
3.Olson,Jim.BlackWomanhood:Images,IconsandIdeologiesoftheAfricanBody.DavisMuseumandCulturalCenter,WellesleyCollege,MA.September
172008.http://www.wellesley.edu/DavisMuseum/exhibitions/
exhibitions_black_womanhood.html
4.Camp,SokariDouglas.Artist’sWebsite.2008. http://www.wellesley.edu/DavisMuseum/exhibitions/
exhibitions_black_womanhood.html