Monument de la Renaissance Africaine
| Monument de la Renaissance Africaine | |
|---|---|
 The Monument de la Renaissance africaine |
|
| Data | |
| place | Dakar |
| builder | Mansudae Overseas Projects |
| architect | Pierre Goudiaby |
| Construction year | 2010 |
| height | 49 m |
| Coordinates | 14 ° 43 '19.5 " N , 17 ° 29' 41.9" W |
The Monument de la Renaissance africaine or Monument of the African Renaissance is a 49 meter high bronze statue in the Senegalese capital Dakar . The monument was erected at Cap Vert on one of the basalt cones known as Les Mamelles in the Ouakam district and is the tallest statue in Africa .
description
The monument is intended to embody the idea of the African Renaissance . It is made from three centimeter thick bronze sheets and shows how a woman and a man with a child on his left arm rise from a volcano together. The child's outstretched arm points west across the ocean. At night the monument is illuminated by several spotlights and the man's headdress shines in changing colored lighting. There is an exhibition inside. An elevator can be used to drive into the man's head to a viewing platform. The monument is the only one of the prestige buildings planned by Abdoulaye Wade in Senegal to have been completed.
history
After planning by the Senegalese architect Pierre Goudiaby , the monument was built by the North Korean company Mansudae Overseas Projects . The idea for the building comes from the former President of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade . The preparatory construction work on the approximately 100 meter high hill began in 2006, the construction of the bronze statue began on April 3, 2008. Originally, the completion of the monument was planned for December 2009, but the official inauguration did not take place until April 4, 2010 due to construction delays , Senegal's national holiday, which is celebrated to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the country's independence from France.
inauguration
On April 3, 2010, one day before the official inauguration, the monument was unveiled in front of 19 African heads of state and government. The musician Akon , Jesse Jackson and representatives from North Korea were also present . In his inauguration speech, President Wade said: “The monument brings life to our common destiny. Africa has arrived in the 21st century and is ready to take its fate in hand. ”The President of the African Union , Bingu wa Mutharika said:“ This monument not only belongs to Senegal, it belongs to the people of all of Africa.
Criticism and construction costs
The cost to build was about $ 27 million. Financing was publicly propagated through the state budget, but construction costs were probably also financed by a Senegalese businessman, who in return received around 30 to 40 hectares of building land cheaply. The country itself is in a deep economic crisis, which prompted criticism against the construction at an early stage. In this context, the deputy leader of the opposition in Senegal criticized the monument as an economic monster and a financial scandal. During the unveiling ceremony, the streets were secured by a large police presence, as many people had gathered to demonstrate against the structure.
The execution of the monument also caused criticism. Art critics pointed out that the memorial was strongly reminiscent of a Stalinist style and that the facial features of the family group were hardly African. The building was also described as the macho-sexist self-portrayal of the African authoritarian rulers. Ousmane Sow , a Senegalese sculptor, objected to the construction by a North Korean company, which means that the monument is nothing more than a symbol of African resistance, but not a work of art. In Senegal, Islam is the main religion. Some imams condemn the half-naked portrayal of men and women and the monument as idolatrous.
Others
The then President Wade secured 35 percent of the profits from the proceeds with his claim to the intellectual property of the monument. This created a controversy with the opposition, who argued that the president's request was in contradiction to his work and as a holder of a public office.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Reuters, April 4, 2008: Senegal plans "African Renaissance" Monument ( Memento from December 24, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ TAZ: Wade longs for his rebirth , March 21, 2012
- ↑ BBC News - Senegal President Wade apologises for Christ comments
- ↑ BBC News - Senegal imams use prayers to condemn giant statue
- ↑ " Senegal colossus proves sore point ", from BBC News , November 16, 2009
- ↑ " Senegal President Wade apologises for Christ comments ", from BBC News , December 31, 2009