Title: Birth of Venus
Date: 2009
Size: 95cm x 64cm x 5cm
Material: Digital Photography on Canvas
Artist: Joe Pollitt
Signed and framed by the artist
Location: Dedicated in honour of the artist Dr. Reem Hassan to the University of Alexandria, Egypt
*Nearest transport contact: N/A
Description:
The Birth of Venus is an ambitious attempt to speak-out about an awakening of the astonishing work produced by the artistic women of Africa. A “High Renaissance”, as
the Botticelli title suggests and unlike the commercial illustrator, Andy Warhol the
work is not a repetitive copy of the 1482, Sandro Botticellis, ‘Venus’ but rather the tennis player, Venus Williams. The image of Venus Williams was chosen as she is one of the relatively few black women who are regularly seen in the media and has become a huge Superstar of today and her talent for tennis will definitely be duly noted in the history books.
The interwoven images within the artwork are made up from some of the greatest artists from the Continent of Africa. The focused is on various countries of Arabic North Africa and those include works by the Dak’Art Award Winning, Fatma Charfi and the lesser-known artist, Mona Douf, both originally from Tunisia but are now living in Europe. The extraordinary, Saafa Eraas from Morocco and Reem Hassan from Alexandria in Egypt.
From East Africa, the artist has included works by the remarkable PhD Sculptor, Dr. Lilian Nabulime from Uganda and Julie Mehretu from Ethiopia.
From West Africa, Suzanne Ouedraogo from Burkina Faso, whose works are connected with the perils of female circumcision and finally from South Africa, Tracey Rose and Jane Alexander. Also included in the work are abstract images of nudes.
The work has real significance as the world focuses on the issues surrounding this complex abstract notion of Contemporary Africa and this work is best placed in the University of Alexandria to honour the efforts made by the artist and lecturer, Dr Reem Hassan.
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