Ferlov Mancoba
Audio file 103-2
[continued from 103-1] Wonga explains about Western art tradition and why its interesting that Ernest has a dialogue with an African sculptor who has not been exposed to that tradition; Wonga tries to answer the question, speaking about Western tradition (mentions Van Gogh, Benjamin Disraeli, Karl Marx, Lenin) and those of traditional societies, and interpreting the meaning behind the sculptor's gift
They discussed the gift in audio file 102-1 as well as the preceding 103-1 file
Wonga speaks about traditional societies' interpretation of Western culture (mentions Ousmane Sow, the film "The Gods must be Crazy" (1980))
Wonga claims Sonja Ferlov Mancoba could sense cultural objects and that a critic of the 1984 film did not believe a shaman could exist in Western society (compares Ferlov to Artaud, mentions Giacometti); that the non-rational led to breakthrough in Western art (mentions Picasso and Matisse)
the film is "Sonja Ferlov Mancoba: En dansk billedhugger i Paris", directed by Torben Glarbo
Ernest criticises Picasso for his statement "L'art negre, connais pas" (I do not know about African art)
Wonga concludes his interpretation of the African sculptor's gift as bequeathing the African tradition to Ernest as he leaves for the Western world
Wonga speaks about the other gift, the carved crocodile; he considers the symbolism of the crocodile across South Africa, speaking about transition of symbols for the Venda people
Wonga speaks of carved wooden doors of houses of the Venda and the Ndebele peoples in which the carved symbols can also be found on other cultural objects like tapestries and earthenware
Wonga observes similarity of design and structure in Ernest's early drawings and paintings and posits that Ernest's abstract work has been inspired by the carvings but not as mere decorative form
[tape stopped and restarted multiple times] Ernest is disinterested in Wonga's interpretation and states that the sculptor was right in not engaging with the West, that the role of the artist was to flag that the unity of humanity has been lost and must be regained (mentions Mozart)
Facts
PDFAbout the recordings: Ernest Mancoba's son, Marc also known as Wonga, recorded interviews with his father. The interviews seemed to serve different purposes and are not in chronological order.
ca.1990-2002 (103-2)