ROOTS 2024: Film Cycle “Maison Tropicale” by Manthia Diawara
Date: November 27 at 9 p.m.
Venue: Lagos Municipal Library
Free entry
A documentary that resurrects the hidden stories and memories of those who remained in Africa when the Maison Tropicale was removed. Mireille Ngatsé lived at Maison Tropicale in Brazzaville for several years. The house was designed by Jean Prouvé, the famous French builder and architect. Mrs Ngatsé describes the aluminum construction as comfortable, even though it had no electricity or running water. She loved the fresh air and the bluish light coming in through the round windows.
One day, four men arrived in Brazzaville from France and carried the Maison Tropicale in containers. Today, Mireille Ngatsé sees the photographs in a catalog and realizes that her house is being exhibited all over the world as a precious artistic object.
The documentary by Manthia Diawara, a native of Mali, complements Ângela Ferreira’s artistic project on Jean Prouvé’s Maison Tropicale, which was shown at the 2007 Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art. The film resurrects the hidden stories and memories of those who remained in Africa when the Maison Tropicale was removed, thus revealing itself as an investigation into identities, African art and the notion of cultural heritage in a post-colonial context.
