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L'ame   de  l'Afrique               or   the   spirit   of   Africa






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                                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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