São Paulo – The Afro Brazil Museum, in São Paulo, should be showing, starting today (8), at 7:00 pm, a Libyan art exhibit with canvases by artist Saif El Islam El Gaddafi, the son of Libyan leader Muammar Kaddafi, as well as another two painters from the Arab country, Fawzi Suwei and Salaheddine Shagroun. The exhibition also brings 28 archaeological pieces from the Libyan collection.
Exhibition “The Desert is Not Silent” brings figurative and abstract paintings that have the desert as their inspiration. “There are different mysteries in the desert, and that is why we brought it here, so it may be heard, so it may speak,” said Gaddafi, in a press conference at the Afro Brazil Museum. (Watch below a video of the interview)
The exhibition has already been shown in Paris, Berlin, London, Rome, Milan, Geneva, Vienna, Madrid, Tokyo and Montreal. According to Gaddafi, the size and importance of Brazil were the reasons for the country to be chosen as the first destination for the exhibition in Latin America.
Of the 51 canvases being shown, 39 are by Gaddafi, six by Suwei and another six by Shagroun. “This exhibition is unique, as it is the first time that the museum enters this part of Africa (the north),” said to ANBA Emanoel Araujo, director and curator at the Afro Brazil museum.
“What calls my attention most is the ruins, the part of the historic cities, as they are works that date back to 2,000 years before Christ. There is also the part with his (Gaddafi’s) contemporary art. It is dense painting, which does not plan unity, uniformity in expression. Each work has specific expression,” said Araujo.
Salem Ezubedi, the ambassador of Libya to Brazil, pointed out the importance of closer cultural ties between both countries. “This promotes a window for Brazilians to see what Libya is and what it was during the different civilisations that occupied the area.”
The exhibition may be seen up to April 18.
Service
Exhibition “The Desert is Not Silent”
Afro Brazil Museum
Ibirapuera Park
Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral, s/n (Gate 10)
From Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (visitation up to 6:00 pm)
Admittance is free
*Translated by Mark Ament
