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