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L'ame de l'Afrique or the spirit of Africa
r
In his latest book, L'Ame de and sculptures. Over the Needless to say, these two
l'Afrique, Serge Diakonoff years he acquired a rmique great men found a cominon
takes us to Africa, more collection with more than ground, and, although they
precisely on a guided tour 900 masks and sculptiires, inight be different, they share
in addition to a prodigious many of the same qualities -
of African art.
knowledge about the diffe- faii'ness, honesty and integi'ty.
More than a famoris painter and rent objects.
photographer, Serge Diakonoff Serge Diakonoff
demonstrates in this book his hi2003 he was coinmissio- I'ame delAfrique
greatknowledge ofAfrican ait. It ned to paiiit the portrait of Photos byAndre Longchaiy'ip
is a masterpiece, richly illustra- Professor Godwin Olu Les Mitions de lAmateur
ted with more than 500 plioto- Pah'ick Obasi, WMO secre- ISBN978 28 5917 43 78
graplis of different objects and tary-general, who was
masks, witli shoit explications of goiiig to retire that year.
each object sl'iedding new light When Professor Obasi
on the coherence and diversity of came to Serge's
theAfiican ait that has been sucli [Diakonoffs?] artist studio,
a great inspiration to artists such he has ovei'wliehned by tl'ie
as Picasso, Breton and Matisse, niunber of objects, some of
wlffch lie had seen iii lffs
to ment'on only a few.
native Nigeria as a child.
Serge's [Diakonoff'sl love of Professor Obasi told me at
that tiine that he was prorid
Africa, and of African art in par-
to have his portrait done by
ticular, has its roots in his youth
an aitist who loved Africa.
when lie started to collect masks
40 5 2006 Diva
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