A woman and a free artist

Cesária Évora is an internationally renowned singer from the Cape Verde islands, who has left her mark on her era with her soft, deep voice. Cesária Évora has made a name for herself the world over through a repertoire and musical style typical of the Cape Verde archipelago, the Morna and its faster variant, the Coladeira. An emblematic figure of the Cape Verdean musical genre, Cesária’s songs expressed nostalgia, melancholy, hope and uprootedness. Her death in December 2011 marked the end of an era during which she made an ardent contribution to the promotion of her country, Cape Verde, a former Portuguese colony located in West Africa, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean between Africa and America, off the coast of Senegal. Cesária Évora embodies the image of a free, sometimes transgressive woman who has built her life outside traditional models. It was her meeting with José Da Silva, a Frenchman of Cape Verdean origin, that enabled her to expand her aura and propel her onto the international music scene.

Organizing an exhibition on Cesária Évora is a no-brainer. The atypical career of the woman affectionately known as “The Barefoot Diva” (la Diva aux Pieds nus), her fame and her contribution to the international reputation of her country, the promotion of the Morna musical genre throughout the world and, more generally, the atypical music of Cape Verde, all justify an exhibition devoted to her. Through unique archives made available by the artist’s family and friends, this exhibition will, for the first time, present Cesária as she had never been seen before. The exhibition retraces her life, from her apprenticeship, her influences and the difficult times she went through after Cape Verde’s independence in 1975, to her return to the stage in the 80s, her meeting with her manager José Da Silva, and the start of her international career. She will conclude with the undeniable impact of Cesária Évora on Lusophone and Cape Verdean music.

This exhibition plunges us into the artist’s career, allowing us to discover his influences and messages. It immerses us in his history, establishing links with themes that are still relevant today, and showing the lasting impact of his work on generations. The exhibition is intended to be shown in Paris, but will also travel to Lisbon (Portugal), Luxembourg and the United States.