Artwork Diplomacy
A Chinese art lover and museum curator promotes cultural exchanges between China and africa
within the walls of the International Museum of African Art (IMAA), thousands of artworks from many African tribes are preserved and exhibited, including wood, stone and bronze carvings, pottery, clothing, jewelry and paintings, among others.
Located in Lomé, capital of Togo, there is, however, something curious about the museum. The curator is not a Togolese, but a Chinese Xie Yanshen.
Born in 1952 in east China’s Shanghai, Xie grew up in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. His father, also an artist, studied in Japan in the 1930s, from where he brought back a large number of books on Western art history. Instead of playing with toys, young Xie at that time was always engrossed in these books.
“Thanks to my father’s work, I got to know many stories about art and many people working in this field, so I have had a great interest in art since my childhood,” he said.
In February 1989, Xie, who studied music at university and was then working for a symphony orchestra in Jiangsu, was invited to teach music and violin classes in Togo. He accepted the job right away.
“Before my departure, my father had told me that Africa was nothing like we thought. Africa has produced many masterpieces of art and music, especially sculpture. But you have to mingle with local people to really understand African art,” said Xie.