Cosmogonies

Beginning in the early 1990s, a trend towards aesthetic globalization brought profound change to the art world - or at least to its geopolitics. African contemporary art gained acceptance as a living reality, although not unconditionally: intellectually a clotted perception of its traditional forms persisted, all the more so in that these forms were still closely implicated in the history of modern Western art. That a foundation like the one created by the Zinsou family should exist today as an umbrella for some of Africa's leading artists is a tribute to hard work, patience and sheer stubbornness. It took a long time, however, before more hybrid artforms resonating with the Western context would gain recognition. With a selection of works by 37 African artists - characterized by a porosity between reality and the supernatural, between everyday life and legend - the Hôtel des collections of Montpellier celebrates the militant activity of the Zinsou Foundation, firmly anchored in its Beninese context while also addressing the whole world.