An artistic and cultural space for Africa, the Caribbean and their diaporas is how the museum bills itself. It is an offshoot of the Dapper Foundation, which was established to raise the profile of sub-saharan Africa's artisic heritage.
I took in the Mascarades et Carnavales exhibition last week. It is on until July. A fitting exhibit seeing as it is the month of carnivals. I do believe the Paris Carnival is itself an annual treat, which I missed. Quel dommage!
The museum had made use of the auditorium and the small room upstairs. Themed around carnivals and masks, it takes the visitor from the history of the carnival and various symbolic meanings behind the masks from the different regions of Africa to the French departments: Benin to Martinique. The ritual, ceremony, and festivities associated with carnivals from Central to West Africa, Martinique, Guyana to Brazil all form part of the exhibit. Videos stream the carnivals from around the various regions.
There is a small gift shop and bookstore downstairs, with an extensive collection of works from African writers, and an enviable children's books section -which I could only admire as they are all in french.
A light lunch at Café Dapper, which had an eclectic mix of people across all age groups.
From the 14th to 24th of March the museum will hold the first in a series of soirées hosted by Léonora Miano, writer and creator of the cultural movement Mahogany March. It opens with a Scène Slam titled Afropean 14th March.
See website for more details.
For the younger audience - On sunday afternoons the museum has film screenings.
Musée Dapper
35 bis, rue Paul Valery
75116, Paris.
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| Burkina Faso |
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| The jewelry display in the gift shop |
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| Senegal |
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| Decor in the foyer |
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| A sculpture at the entrance |
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| Trinidad |
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| Martinique |
Hallo there, stranger! ^^
ReplyDeleteYou're back, and with a gorgeous new blog layout! I find myself peering at the screen, wondering what is behind the window and the rain drops. Mountains?
This post brought back many happy memories of wandering through Africa's markets and looking at the carvings. That was folk art, of course, not collector's items, but still gorgeous. I remember the market in Abidjan always provided a few treasures, but I can't remember its name. Grand Marche de Marcory?
Has spring arrived in your city? Here in Tokyo we're still shivering. I'm seriously tired of winter now ...
I'm back. Spring has almost sprung- feeling much more cheerful:) Plum blossoms on Rurousha? Well, I have neva!!. You're right, they are not nearly as lovely as the cherry blossoms.
ReplyDeleteI promise I will take lots of cherry blossom photos for m'lady in France! I fully expect something similar from your side: fresh green trees along the Seine, frisky couples and bubbly champagne, whatever Parisians get up to in spring! :)
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