After a successful installation in association with Society HAE last Fall, the Dandy Lion photography exhibit garnered attention from various institutions both nationally and abroad. I am the in the process of securing more work for inclusion in an installation of Dandy Lion at a major contemporary arts space on the East Coast that is scheduled to open in October 2011. What I can share about the space is that it is an Andy Warhol Initiative institution. (More details to follow). Work will also be considered for inclusion in an installation of the Dandy Lion Exhibit at Open Ateliers Zuidoost in September 2011. All work exhibited in Dandy Lion will be included in the forthcoming Dandy Lion book project. If you are a photographer with in an interest in this subject, I invite you to submit work for consideration.
~ Shantrelle P. Lewis
Curator
About the Exhibit:
dan·dy \ˈdan-dē\
n. pl. dan·dies
1. A man who affects extreme elegance in clothes and manners; a fop.
2. Something very good or agreeable
Juxtaposed against an urban backdrop where the clothing of choice for many black men consists of a pair of sagging pants, exposed boxers, jerseys and white tees – the “hip hop” generation has produced another phenomenon of style – the New Age dandy. Noticeably different from his historical minstrel or Harlem Renaissance queer prototype, the 21st Century Dandy Lion is more masculine than metro-sexual, more of an expression of the African aesthetic and mode of swagger than an imitation of European high-brow society. A Dandy Lion is a contemporary man of SWAG who oozes creativity and makes well thought-out decisions in expressing his individuality. A performance and embodiment of sophistication, dandies are gentlemen of exceptional manners who consciously postulate what it means to be Black, masculine and full of style not simply as performance but an embodiment of a lifestyle.
Dandy Lion takes a glance at urban Black Dandies who like their continental African counterparts, Le Sapeur of Brazzaville, Congo, embody style, sophistication and a commitment to culture via dramatized masculinity. This exhibition is an examination and approbation of the contemporary dandy in Diasporan settings. Dandy Lion is an homage to the fashionable urban gentleman – an African Diasporan man of style, an urban connoisseur of sophistication and a contemporary man of SWAG.
Le SAPE -The Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes (The society for people of elegance and ambiance)
A few basic tenets of the le sapeur philosophy:
1. A Congolese Sapeur is a happy man even if he does not eat, because wearing proper clothes feeds the soul and gives pleasure to the body.
2. A real Sapeur needs to be cultivated and speak fluently, but also have a solid moral ethic: that means beyond the appearance and vanity of smart, expensive clothing there is the moral nobility of the individual.
3. When the Sapeur expresses himself through the harmony of his clothes, he is returning his admiration to God.
4. A Sapeur does not shed blood. Your clothes do all the fighting for you, otherwise you are not fit to be called a Sapeur.
WHO CAN SUBMIT:
African Diasporan photographers regardless of gender.
SUBMISSIONS:
In order for your submission to be considered complete, please forward ALL of the items below:
NOTE: Write your name and DANDY LION in SUBJECT LINE
1. Please submit 5-10 jpeg images with a description for each piece (title, medium, dimensions, date(s) of completion).
2. CV or Resume
3. Artist Statement – as it relates specifically to the exhibition’s topic.
4. Brief bio
5. For video art, email link or file. (Must be Quicktime compatible)
I will accept resized images via email that are in medium or small format. You may also send a URL of images. (Please be prepared to forward larger files upon request if selected).
TWO TYPES OF SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR CONSIDERATION:
• Pre-existing work on the topic
• New work created specifically for this exhibition.
When Submitting, Please Consider:
In addition to portraits, please consider creating a more complex view of Dandy Lions and capturing the essence of them in their environment - who they are behind the scenes, what makes them “dandy”, how they live, where they live and what is their lifestyle of choice.
Forward submissions and questions to:
Shantrelle P. Lewis at shantology@gmail.com
DEADLINE:
August 15, 2011
EXHIBITION DATES:
Amsterdam | September 2011
New Jersey | October 2011 through January 2012.
Tags: Dandy Lion Photo Exhibit
