Africana: Recycling, Myth-Making, Alterity

As part of cutlog NY 2013, TURF—a site-specific curatorial project—presented: Africana: Recycling, Myth-Making, Alterity. It featured some of Nathalie Mba-Bikoro's Alice in Wonderland series and Elena Cecchinato's Transpadovano and Museum Spirituality collection. Works by both artists posited that 'Africana', as embodied by people, objects, symbols and rituals, is in fact, a myth and, in constant flux. Through a range of media such as: photo-etchings; drawings; performance; and photography, both artists demonstrated how myths on gender, belonging, identity and memory are constantly being recycled and re-defined. Their works go someway in forging new identities, teetering on alterity, thereby demystifying linear notions of time and space. Meanwhile, TURF sees itself as a 'third space'—neither here nor there—where anyone can come, interact and engage with these profoundly human works, in a more inclusive visual dialogue.