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Meschac Gaba

  • Skill Category: Painters
  • Present Address: Amsterdam, Netherland
  • Country: Benin
  • Social media:

Biography

Meschac Gaba is a Beninese conceptual artist known for installations that playfully blend African and Western cultural elements. His most notable work, “The Museum of Contemporary African Art 1997–2002,” is a 12-room installation that offers autobiographical insights and is now housed at the Tate Modern. Gaba’s artistic journey evolved from painting to using decommissioned money as a medium. He spent five years creating his own museum, featuring rooms with various themes, including a wedding room filled with mementos from his marriage. The museum showcases an array of objects reflecting Africa’s diverse cultural landscape, including unconventional items like Ghanaian money with Picasso’s face and a Swiss bank designed like an African market. Gaba’s Museum gained international acclaim and was displayed at Documenta 11 in 2002. He later settled in Rotterdam, dividing his time between there and his hometown in Cotonou. The complete Museum was exhibited at the Tate Modern in 2013, emphasizing the strength and narrative power of modern African art. Gaba’s work addresses educational gaps in African art and seeks to improve the representation of African art worldwide. In addition to the Museum, Gaba presented at the 2003 Venice Biennale and had a solo show at the Studio Museum in Harlem, featuring architectural models made from artificial braided hair extensions. His New York exhibition in 2014, titled “Exchange Market,” featured sculptures representing commodities associated with African trade. Gaba’s work has gained recognition in prominent art exhibitions and fairs.

News / Ranking / Titbits / Awards

Selected exhibitions: “Exchange Market”, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York City, 2014; “Museum of Contemporary African Art”, Tate Modern, 2013; “Tresses”, Studio Museum in Harlem, 2005

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