Persona

From 12 March to 24 May 2024, the 400 m2 Melbye-Konan Gallery will host the group exhibition "Persona" – Latin for mask. It brings together several contemporary artists who use the inspirational power of African masks and sculptures in their work.

“African tribal art lives – and not just as the object of a declining culture of memory and discussions about post-colonialism.”
Harald Falckenberg, 2023

The exhibition was curated in close collaboration with Harald Falckenberg, who sadly passed away in December 2023. Together with the renowned Hamburg art collector and gallery director Stella Melbye-Konan, the exhibition's thematic concept and selection of works were conceived.

“Since the beginning of the 20th century, African sculpture has influenced famous artists such as Picasso, who was himself a collector of African masks. The exhibition offers an expanded view of the diverse artistic practice and reception of traditional African masks by contemporary artists today. It encourages discussion by bringing together artists, experts and collectors from different perspectives and backgrounds.”
Stella Melbye-Konan, 2024

On display are african sculptures photographs by world-renowned and award-winning photographer Greg Gorman (born in 1949 in Kansas City, Missouri), taken in his classic portrait style, and Gary Johns' (Born in 1946 in Natrona heights, Pennsylvania) interpretations of these works. Acclaimed contemporary artist Yannick Ackah's (born 1992 in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire) multi-layered paintings are a journey through continents and time: His mask motifs span from his African origins, through Picasso's reception of Africa and Parisian modernism, to Jean-Michel Basquiat and the New York graffiti scene of the 1980s. Ngoye (born 1980 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire), a high sought-after contemporary artist, uses in a neo expressionist style the mask as a symbol to explore human dynamics and inner states. Contemporary and multi-award-winning artist Yéanzi's (born 1988 in Katiola, Côte d'Ivoire) approach is historical, philosophical and utopian at the same time: questioning the concept of identity and the notion of cultural and collective heritage to form identity is Yéanzi's main theme.

With these different approaches by the exhibited artists in mind, it is interesting to look again at the Latin term 'Persona'. Persona is the Latin translation for mask and refers to the fact that those who hide their faces are only recognisable as people by their voices. It stems from the idea that a person is only recognised as a person if he or she unconditionally submits to the duties of the state and expresses this on certain occasions, especially during ritual festivals and armed conflicts, by wearing a mask.

“Due to the artists' different geographical and disciplinary origins, the exhibition offers a variety of approaches, which are brought together in a powerful composition by the overarching theme.”
Stella Melbye-Konan, 2024