Text by Camille Mary Weiner.
Published for the artist's solo presentation at Frieze New York, Betye Saar: FESTAC '77 includes a selection of the artist's work organized around her participation in the festival FESTAC '77. The exhibition highlights how, inspired by her FESTAC journey, Saar's assemblages and collages from the period investigate concepts of the ritual, community, inherited traditions, and how objects retain the histories of their owners. Betye Saar: FESTAC '77 is conceived and designed by the 91 year-old artist.
FESTAC '77, or the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, was a major international arts festival held in Lagos, Nigeria in 1977. In terms of scale and ambition, FESTAC '77 had no precedent. The month-long event showcased internationally a wide range of African fine art, literature, drama, dance, and music. 16,000 participants, representing 56 African and African Diaspora nations and countries, performed; the American delegation included artists Betye Saar, Samell