To Jane Alexander : thank you so much...

            This picture shows a beautiful sculpture by the south african artist Jane Alexander. 12 years ago i was surprised in her fascinating work, complex, an incredible allegory of interracials/ethnic/cultural relations. In South Africa, and in all Africa, it was so 'subversive'. The subject of Identity was very important for me, french-gabonese, it's still important. And an artist could express what i thought with scupltures.

            ...And i loved this name, the melody : Jane Alexander... I was looking for a new name, a kind of new identity, a rebirth, just i wanted to be myself. I did'nt want to sing with my civil name. Of course, i like my civil name, but it's not my choice. Some years later, i can say that most of people call me Jann, Jann Halexander, it's natural -unless for my parents and some people in my family. Life is really strange. I wanted to say 'merci' to Jane Alexander when i began my artistic career, in 2003. But i didn't know how to contact her. In 2007, i think so, i don't remember exactly, or maybe 2008, a friend of her sent me an email to know if it was true, if i took my name thinking about Jane Alexander. Maybe it was noticed in an interview or a short biography...Of course, yes it's true, i said ! It was so disturbing and really beautiful to meet this fabulous artist in Bruxelles, in Belgium in 2011, the first day of her exposition. I was shy, Jane too, but i was so happy. My only regret, it's stupid, but i think i haven't a picture of Jane Alexander and I. Quel dommage !

Jann Halexander, singer, Paris, France

http://africanpainters.blogspot.fr/2006/11/jane-alexander-south-african-artist.html

http://www.exponaute.com/expositions/1026-jane-alexander/