Salifou Lindou Fouanta: Social Game

14 - 26 November 2023

The Africa Centre, 66-68 Great Suffolk St, London, SE 1 0BL

Nov 14-26, 2023

10:00-18:00

 

Almas Art Foundation is delighted to present its forthcoming week of projects celebrating Salifou Lindou Fouanta at the Africa Centre, London.

Social Game will bring together pieces from seminal bodies of works like the Politiciens and the Social Game series alongside more recent works. The week will also mark the launch of a documentary film on the artist produced by Almas Art Foundation and a publication with texts by Dr Ruth Afane Belinga of Foumban University and Dr Joseph Patrice Fouman of Maroua University.

Salifou Lindou’s practice reflects the human desire and struggle to live with dignity in the face of societal and political pressures. Scheming corrupt politicians and families torn by emigration emerge out of spontaneous, energetic lines that express both the vulnerability and the power of human bodies, capturing the impulses and reactions that mark their daily struggles. Similarly, daily scenes with neighbours engaged in lively conversation or children engrossed in their games reflect the moments of connection and community. Salifou Lindou is a keen supporter and mentor to the younger generation of artists in Douala.

A self-taught artist, Salifou Lindou has experimented with a wide range of materials, including metal, leather and paper, and produced complex installations and performances throughout his career. He is a founding member of the Kapsiki Circle, whose performances, projects, and interventions transformed the art scene in Douala in the late 90s. By bringing art to the streets and the public, the Kapsiki Circle firmly established art as an agent of political commentary and social change.

In 2022, Salifou Lindou celebrated the 30th anniversary of his career. His works have been exhibited in institutions including the National Museum of Yaounde (Cameroon), Institut des Cultures de l’Islam (France), and Art Hub Copenhagen (Denmark). Lindou represented Cameroon at the last Venice Biennal (2022).