POP 176 Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Today’s Pop is Paul. As our birthday present to Carsten (see yesterday’s 65
Brazzaville Congo. Not the sort of place you’d want to consider for a winter vacation. But, you know what? There are some seriously dressed-up dudes down there that would put most fashionista wardrobes to shame. No kidding.
For those of us visiting or living in London, we got a taste of ‘les saps’ courtesy of Carsten Höller’s remarkable art project, The Double Club earlier this year. Smart of Fondazione Prada to support such a unique venture. Not least because it showed another side to the horrific atrocities the region is usually associated with.
The originating concept of The Double Club was a style tribe unique to central Africa that has long fascinated Western visitors. S.A.P.E. – Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes is a colourful topic ripe for any cultural anthropologist. Photographer, Daniele Tamagni’s book, ‘Gentlemen of Bacongo’ (Trolley) shows the sapeurs of Brazzaville on their home turf, toughing out a life of otherwise abject poverty with some natty threads. They’re big on colour and cuts. Yohji is considered the pinnacle of sartorial superiority, but some Dn’G or classic Cardin will do nicely. Here, they are local celebrities. The VIPs you’d want at your daughter’s wedding. It’s that big a deal in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Tamagni’s ongoing work on African & Caribbean cultures has travelled around through several exhibitions this decade. The Gentlemen of Bacongo is the latest and currently on show over the next two weekends at the londonewcastle Project Space. Kanye keeps finding excuses not to go but you definitely should!
Trolley at
23
12 – 7pm, Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th December.
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- Published:
- 08.12.09 / 1pm
- Category:
- ART, POP OF THE DAY
- Tags:
- Carsten Höller, Daniele Tamagni, Les Saps
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