This is for Matt James and Cordon Bleu...
Thursday 24 June 2021
Thursday 5 March 2020
THE ART NEWSPAPER | ALEX DA SILVA ~ 1974-2019
Alex da Silva | Xand Artist
 |
| Photo by Max Dereto |
Obituary
for Alex da Silva (1974 – 2019)
Author: Joe Pollitt
As a young boy Alex excelled at sports in and out of the
water; he was a competitive basketball player and a veritable trailblazer,
introducing his friends to the joys of body-boarding and spear-fishing.
Initially, he had his sights on becoming a Marine Biologist but harbouring in
the back of his mind where thoughts of being an international artist. It wasn’t
long before São Vicente seemed rather
claustrophobic for an ambitious and confident young artist. In 1993, aged 19,
he was granted the prestigious Prince Claus Scholarship to Willem de Kooning
Academy in Rotterdam to study Art and Architecture. Alex welcomed the challenge
and found the Academy to be the perfect institution for his style of art.
At the Academy, he worked diligently on his technique,
exploring the human anatomy, stretching limbs and torsos; creating tortured
exaggerated figures on the canvas. To
the artist’s delight the Academy allowed him to explore and develop his own
distinctive “Xand” style and after three amenable years, Alex da Silva
graduated with honours in 1996.
A year later, the artist participated in the ‘SOCRATES-ERASMUS Exchange Programme’ and he
was able to study a further two years at Alonso Cano Faculty of Fine Arts in
Granada, Spain. Being in Granada, the heart of flamenco country, Alex
surrounded himself in the rich Spanish culture and cuisine; enjoying the music,
dance, olive oil and red wine.
In 1999 he exhibited in Cape Verde, the Netherlands and
Spain. The shows where received well by the critics but sales of his works
where not forthcoming. In 2000, he returned to the Netherlands and gained his
Post-Graduate and Masters of Art, at Minerva Academy, Groningen. After his
initial exhibitions news quickly spread and Alex became a “jobbing-Artist”,
which meant that he was invited to attend workshops, be apart of group shows
and create his own solo exhibitions. During the following decades Alex was
constantly working and invited to exhibit in United Arab Emirates, Dak’Art
(off) Senegal, Luxembourg, Curaçao,
Açores, Macau and China. He also attended various workshops in France,
Portugal Norway and Italy.
In 2007, Alex went to São
Vicente to construct and set up ZeroPoint Gallery. The gallery
quickly became the cultural hub, boasting international architects, dancers,
musicians and even writers. To support the new-build, Alex taught both drawing
and architecture classes at the University of Mindelo. By 2008 the Gallery was
almost complete and Alex returned back to Rotterdam. Now, having a permanent
space, the artist started to split his time between two worlds. He became increasingly interested in the
development and global positioning of Contemporary African Art.
In 2012 he was assigned to create a monument, entitled
“Clave”, in Rotterdam, to celebrate 150th anniversary of the abolition of Dutch
slavery from the Surinam and Antilles in the Dutch Caribbean. This was a great
honour as Rotterdam has one of the finest Sculpture Collections in the world.
Alex certainly felt that this was a turning point in his artistic development.
He worked with some very talented architects from Mindelo, Moreno
Castellano and Eloise Ramos | Ramos Castellano Architects. At the base of the monument there are words stencils in Dutch, "Het lichaam
dat slaaf is vertrekt de ziel die vrij is blijft" (The body of the slave
is taken but their spirit remains forever free) from a traditional Cape Verde
'Morna' folk song. The sculpture was unveiled in 2013. This monument honouring
the Slaves is now a permanent fixture in the Cityscape of Rotterdam. Alex da
Silva is today housed among some the greatest sculptors of all time: Henry
Moore, Auguste Rodin, Picasso and Carl Nesjar, Ossip Zankine, George Rickey and
many others. All credit to the multicultural Rotterdamians for paying homage to
an African artist and placing his Masterpiece “Clave” in such a prominent
location, at the mouth of the world famous Rotterdam harbour at Llody Pier.
Although Alex will perhaps be best remembered for his “Slave
Monument”, it is his paintings, his complex brutal agonizing figures and
multiple portraits that need more exploration and exposure. As an artist he was
prolific and leave a substantial amount of artworks behind. Alex had an
incredible ability to work with paint, mix media, sculpture and architecture.
He comfortably manoeuvred between the different mediums with such ease. His
passing leaves a vacuum in regards to the cultural development of Creative
Africa.
 |
| Alex da Silva in the Studio |
Alex da Silva leaves behind his partner Brenna and
their six year old daughter Odile.
For further information contact:
Alex da Silva | http://alexdasilvaxand.com/work/
Morena and Eloise | https://www.ramoscastellano.com/
Rotterdam Sculptors | https://www.cbkrotterdam.nl/en/2013/06/18/onthulling-slavernijmonument-rotterdam/
Willem de Kooning Academy | https://www.wdka.nl/news-events/in-memoriam-alex-da-silva-1974-2019
Alex da Silva | http://alexdasilvaxand.com/work/
Morena and Eloise | https://www.ramoscastellano.com/
Rotterdam Sculptors | https://www.cbkrotterdam.nl/en/2013/06/18/onthulling-slavernijmonument-rotterdam/
Willem de Kooning Academy | https://www.wdka.nl/news-events/in-memoriam-alex-da-silva-1974-2019
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Thursday 13 February 2020
Alex da Silva | Xand Artist
|
| Photo by Max Dereto |
Obituary
for Alex da Silva (1974 – 2019)
Author: Joe Pollitt
As a young boy Alex excelled at sports in and out of the
water; he was a competitive basketball player and a veritable trailblazer,
introducing his friends to the joys of body-boarding and spear-fishing.
Initially, he had his sights on becoming a Marine Biologist but harbouring in
the back of his mind where thoughts of being an international artist. It wasn’t
long before São Vicente seemed rather
claustrophobic for an ambitious and confident young artist. In 1993, aged 19,
he was granted the prestigious Prince Claus Scholarship to Willem de Kooning
Academy in Rotterdam to study Art and Architecture. Alex welcomed the challenge
and found the Academy to be the perfect institution for his style of art.
At the Academy, he worked diligently on his technique,
exploring the human anatomy, stretching limbs and torsos; creating tortured
exaggerated figures on the canvas. To
the artist’s delight the Academy allowed him to explore and develop his own
distinctive “Xand” style and after three amenable years, Alex da Silva
graduated with honours in 1996.
A year later, the artist participated in the ‘SOCRATES-ERASMUS Exchange Programme’ and he
was able to study a further two years at Alonso Cano Faculty of Fine Arts in
Granada, Spain. Being in Granada, the heart of flamenco country, Alex
surrounded himself in the rich Spanish culture and cuisine; enjoying the music,
dance, olive oil and red wine.
In 1999 he exhibited in Cape Verde, the Netherlands and
Spain. The shows where received well by the critics but sales of his works
where not forthcoming. In 2000, he returned to the Netherlands and gained his
Post-Graduate and Masters of Art, at Minerva Academy, Groningen. After his
initial exhibitions news quickly spread and Alex became a “jobbing-Artist”,
which meant that he was invited to attend workshops, be apart of group shows
and create his own solo exhibitions. During the following decades Alex was
constantly working and invited to exhibit in United Arab Emirates, Dak’Art
(off) Senegal, Luxembourg, Curaçao,
Açores, Macau and China. He also attended various workshops in France,
Portugal Norway and Italy.
In 2007, Alex went to São
Vicente to construct and set up ZeroPoint Gallery. The gallery
quickly became the cultural hub, boasting international architects, dancers,
musicians and even writers. To support the new-build, Alex taught both drawing
and architecture classes at the University of Mindelo. By 2008 the Gallery was
almost complete and Alex returned back to Rotterdam. Now, having a permanent
space, the artist started to split his time between two worlds. He became increasingly interested in the
development and global positioning of Contemporary African Art.
In 2012 he was assigned to create a monument, entitled
“Clave”, in Rotterdam, to celebrate 150th anniversary of the abolition of Dutch
slavery from the Surinam and Antilles in the Dutch Caribbean. This was a great
honour as Rotterdam has one of the finest Sculpture Collections in the world.
Alex certainly felt that this was a turning point in his artistic development.
He worked with some very talented architects from Mindelo, Moreno
Castellano and Eloise Ramos | Ramos Castellano Architects. At the base of the monument there are words stencils in Dutch, "Het lichaam
dat slaaf is vertrekt de ziel die vrij is blijft" (The body of the slave
is taken but their spirit remains forever free) from a traditional Cape Verde
'Morna' folk song. The sculpture was unveiled in 2013. This monument honouring
the Slaves is now a permanent fixture in the Cityscape of Rotterdam. Alex da
Silva is today housed among some the greatest sculptors of all time: Henry
Moore, Auguste Rodin, Picasso and Carl Nesjar, Ossip Zankine, George Rickey and
many others. All credit to the multicultural Rotterdamians for paying homage to
an African artist and placing his Masterpiece “Clave” in such a prominent
location, at the mouth of the world famous Rotterdam harbour at Llody Pier.
Although Alex will perhaps be best remembered for his “Slave
Monument”, it is his paintings, his complex brutal agonizing figures and
multiple portraits that need more exploration and exposure. As an artist he was
prolific and leave a substantial amount of artworks behind. Alex had an
incredible ability to work with paint, mix media, sculpture and architecture.
He comfortably manoeuvred between the different mediums with such ease. His
passing leaves a vacuum in regards to the cultural development of Creative
Africa.
|
| Alex da Silva in the Studio |
Alex da Silva leaves behind his partner Brenna and
their six year old daughter Odile.
For further information contact:
Alex da Silva | http://alexdasilvaxand.com/work/
Morena and Eloise | https://www.ramoscastellano.com/
Rotterdam Sculptors | https://www.cbkrotterdam.nl/en/2013/06/18/onthulling-slavernijmonument-rotterdam/
Willem de Kooning Academy | https://www.wdka.nl/news-events/in-memoriam-alex-da-silva-1974-2019
Alex da Silva | http://alexdasilvaxand.com/work/
Morena and Eloise | https://www.ramoscastellano.com/
Rotterdam Sculptors | https://www.cbkrotterdam.nl/en/2013/06/18/onthulling-slavernijmonument-rotterdam/
Willem de Kooning Academy | https://www.wdka.nl/news-events/in-memoriam-alex-da-silva-1974-2019
Monday 19 August 2019
Ugandan War
The
word impunity has popped up a lot of late. I had to look it up. The
Leaders of East Africa are killing with impunity. (at first, I thought
it was some kind of nerve agent...impunity gas maybe or something like
that? I hate you, I hate you..I'm going to kill you with impunity like
they do in East Africa.)
*Impunity meaning exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action.
I mention "Impunity" because it implies some kind of acceptance by World Leaders. It implies that those in their Offices, (those without jobs, as Mister Daniel would say) are giving the Leaders of East Africa a thumbs up; even going as far as to note, that those that are capable of such monstrous acts are model citizens and should be emulated right across the region.
Tony Blair is the Political Advisor to Paul Kigame of Rwanda and lovely-fluffy Tony is doing it for FREE! Read between the lines here people...."Bloodshed" is Tony's Specialty. Once the "White Monkey" gets a taste for killing of course he'll happily do it for free. Where better than Rwanda, global experts in this field.
Once we begin to understand that human life is a BUSINESS we are now getting closer to the truth. Daniel states, WAR IS A BUSINESS...African lives are being used as bargaining chips to pull the heart strings of the UN...as some white hotel owner in Kampala told me with a smile, "BLOOD IS READ!" The phrase "blood is read" means the more you kill the more media you receive...and it takes a lot of killing to make International headlines. Rwanda was just a taste of what is to come.
Are we so blind that we cannot see? There are massacres, genocides and holocausts happening today being executed by mass-murderering Leaders in seats reserved in the United Nations in New York City. There is a silent world war happening; where the more kills you make, the more Aid you create.
So this is what I learned from my travels. Africa is on the Rise but the cost of Development and Modernization comes with Great Rivers of African Blood.
Here is an interview about the War in Uganda, up in the North, which I shot, rather unprofessionally, with Quentin, the interviewer who is talking to Mister Daniel.
*NB: It is important to note how brave these men are in speaking at this time, 2017. The country is under constant surveillance and many people have simply disappeared, so a huge "THANK YOU" Gentlemen.
PART 2 ~ JOSEPH KONY | What is important to note here is why would the Ugandan Government have a State Funeral for a Warlord's Mother? Clearly to those in the North and Greater North they see War as a business and the more kills you make the more Aid you create.
*Impunity meaning exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action.
I mention "Impunity" because it implies some kind of acceptance by World Leaders. It implies that those in their Offices, (those without jobs, as Mister Daniel would say) are giving the Leaders of East Africa a thumbs up; even going as far as to note, that those that are capable of such monstrous acts are model citizens and should be emulated right across the region.
Tony Blair is the Political Advisor to Paul Kigame of Rwanda and lovely-fluffy Tony is doing it for FREE! Read between the lines here people...."Bloodshed" is Tony's Specialty. Once the "White Monkey" gets a taste for killing of course he'll happily do it for free. Where better than Rwanda, global experts in this field.
Once we begin to understand that human life is a BUSINESS we are now getting closer to the truth. Daniel states, WAR IS A BUSINESS...African lives are being used as bargaining chips to pull the heart strings of the UN...as some white hotel owner in Kampala told me with a smile, "BLOOD IS READ!" The phrase "blood is read" means the more you kill the more media you receive...and it takes a lot of killing to make International headlines. Rwanda was just a taste of what is to come.
Are we so blind that we cannot see? There are massacres, genocides and holocausts happening today being executed by mass-murderering Leaders in seats reserved in the United Nations in New York City. There is a silent world war happening; where the more kills you make, the more Aid you create.
So this is what I learned from my travels. Africa is on the Rise but the cost of Development and Modernization comes with Great Rivers of African Blood.
Here is an interview about the War in Uganda, up in the North, which I shot, rather unprofessionally, with Quentin, the interviewer who is talking to Mister Daniel.
*NB: It is important to note how brave these men are in speaking at this time, 2017. The country is under constant surveillance and many people have simply disappeared, so a huge "THANK YOU" Gentlemen.
PART 2 ~ JOSEPH KONY | What is important to note here is why would the Ugandan Government have a State Funeral for a Warlord's Mother? Clearly to those in the North and Greater North they see War as a business and the more kills you make the more Aid you create.
Saturday 18 August 2018
Musical Language | Musical Ghosts
 |
| Musical Ghosts by Joe Pollitt |
Dear Editor of The Guardian,
To me, the keyboard is a piano and I the composer; making sense out of letters, the jumbled up words that sound nonsensical. The baloney sounds that shriek from the rooftops and those fluid gobbledygooks, the sloppy jibber-jabbers and mind dingalingers, the domdomdrops coupled with the old Frosbyflop, take-off and flyover.
Fingers tinkering on the ivories ~ stroking the notes with authority ~ gently touching the keys with controlled passion, as the writer tries to make his words speak for themselves. Then all of a sudden the keyboard becomes a drum-kit as it beats out the rapper tapper dodar and double-do-deday with the boom chap tapper, the tile tip topper, the thinga-me-jig, the two time loser, the big fat boozer, the good of the two, the best of the rest, the no good drinker, the top hat thinker, pinker, sinker, linka and dodopatti-day.
Then the keyboard turns into a violin without strings. A cold slap snapper, a chick flick meeting, a sidedish, swordswipe, tongue-licking-peedee. I'll have a far flung dodee, a fat cat seeme, a boasemassimi dodar, a rum-bum-dobee, a first-time taka, a digga-de-do feedme, a pill-poppin yippee, a silly, dizzy hippy, a down on my luck seesaw, a swing by me Judy, a tea-total jambee, a washedout swinga, alost out dodee, a sweet sandwich eata, a popswinging teacher, and then at the end of the day it was time for a quick snooze infront of the newsbox doda, a snoozeme Granny, a wetdown puppy, a wicked cup of coco, a mocka-choca-medee before bedtime stories and out with the lights before 10pm2am sharp.
I touch-type and punch every key to make sense of the way the world is now, if not for you, then for me.
(For my dear friend | Simon Wajcenberg)
Wednesday 9 May 2018
Are you Qualified to SPEAK?
For quite some time I have been feeling a
little despondent; it is mainly to do with this idea of the
“Institutionalization of African Art”. Writing out an oral culture, which is
clearly impossible, an oxymoron in fact. This talk really harps back to the days
of dependency and that omnipresent hangover of Colonialism. The questioning of,
who exactly is qualified to talk on the subject of Africa? This is a matter of
control. It is an ugly way to find order and gain rights to have opinions and
what and whose opinions matter? To take charge of the way in which the words
are placed and what phraseologies work best, sadly now, these inconsequential
issues are of enormous importance. This maybe so today, but was never so in the
recent past or beforehand. Personally, my passion for Contemporary African Art
stems from the easy ignorance, that enlightening lack of education and the
freedom to play with the idea of a brave new world. Its very strength lay in
its lawlessness and nonconformity. There was no decorum or airs and graces;
this gave the whole environment a sense of liberation, an awareness of an
incredible newness, something unique and special with ideas that where
inclusive and at the same time, that quintessential accessibility to the
creators of the artworks too. Initially, unbeknown to me, this “Otherness” was
a door that I had been blindingly seeking my entire adult-life. Today, the
artists who are being bestowed grants and awards are simply over-qualified,
many have done their MFA, Masters in Fine Art, some have even gone as far as
doing PhD’s, so the whole idea of Africa is now leaning towards the academics,
the historians, the wealthy educated privileged and drifting quickly away from
supporting the true, original, raw and authentic impoverished artists. So, with
that in mind I wrote this today...
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