Fusion Africa 

4 April 18h00 –  6May 2006
34 Long Street Cape Town

April 2006 promises to be a dream month for art lovers in Cape Town. 
 
Picasso and Africa, a major exhibition of more than eighty Picasso works and a selection of African sculptures will be on show at the South African National Gallery. Included will be studies for Les demoiselles d’Avignon, widely considered one of the seminal paintings of Western art history, in which Picasso combined his fascination with African carvings and ancient European visual concerns to create a prophetic image of twentieth-century cultural turmoil.
 
34LONG salutes the art historical significance of this event by presenting Fusion Africa, a diverse collection conceived as a complement to Picasso’s presence in Cape Town. Fusion Africa opens at 18h00 on 4 April 2006 at 34 Long Street. 
 
34LONG and The Collector jointly presents a carefully selected collection of African tribal pieces and modern works to highlight the ongoing artistic dialogue between Africa and Europe. Influences and confluences, borrowings and assimilations relate the realities of colonialism in the universal language of art.
  
Throughout the twentieth century, local artists with Western roots have assimilated their African environment into their artistic language. To name but a few: Irma Stern travelled to Congo and Zanzibar, Alexis Preller sought inspiration in the bright colour of the Ndebele, Walter Battiss was fascinated with rock art, Karel Nel and Jane Alexander poetically appropriated African mythology in urban contexts. The list is endless. 
 
An unusual assortment of artefacts and artworks, sure to challenge any preconceived notions about the distinctions between these categories, will delight and challenge the gallery visitor. Works by many prominent South African artists will be included.
 
As promised by the title, Fusion Africa will be a uniquely eclectic synthesis of images and surprises from Africa. Collectors may look forward to a festive opportunity to acquire works of rare beauty and value.