ITINERANT MULTIDISCIPLINARY PROJECT IN THE AFRICAN CAPITALS - AFTER TRIPOLI, OUGADOUGOU:
1) ADDIS ABABA (ETHIOPIA) FROM JANUARY 25TH ON (WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT - http://web.me.com/leokosm/PROTOATELIER
"Engaging in the contrapuntal phenomenon of vacuity, The Atelier (local cultural partner in Addis) has been conceived as an open multilayered dialogue between audiences, artists, institutions, action and momentum. Upon the invitation to 'invade' the ruin/pavilion and its itinerant laboratory, conceived by visionary architect David Adjaye and independent curator Simon Njami, this exhibition participates supremely to the incremental platform, by opening a space for seven Ethiopian contemporary artists. Based in Addis or working in Belgium, their works meet in this informal space and collide, offering visual responses in there own singular manner to the 'absolute question'. Under the cosmopolitan current trends and the confusing zones of tensions impacting both the real world and its virtual extensions, it felt important to them to seize hold of this room as an ultimate attempt to face the audience with images that matters. The Trojan horse under consideration is emblematic as well as symbolic, allowing the artists to ostensibly perform some innocuous functions in the compound of the new gem of Temama Fok: the monumental head office of the African Union. May this needle inserted into the restless body of The Capital of Africa, be a means of continuing the discussion and debates on eachotherness, but also be a useful pedagogical tool and reference on a complex, yet vibrant scene. " LEO LEFORT
2) CAIRO (EGYPT), FEBRUARY 15-MARCH 7, 2012, AL AZHAR PARK.
The itinerant urban and multi-disciplinary exhibit « Visionary Africa: Art at work » opened in Cairo, Egypt on February 15, in the presence of the Cairo Governor, representatives from the European Commission, the Centre for Fine Arts, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, its curators Simon Njami and Adjaye Associates, members of the diplomatic corps of Cairo, and numerous local artists.
This project, organized jointly by the European Commission and the Palais des Beaux-Arts (Centre for Fine Arts) in Brussels, consists of an itinerant urban exhibition of contemporary African artistic practices, including artist residencies, exhibitions of local artists, and workshops on art and development in modern urban centres in Africa. It was conceived as an initiative focused on the importance of culture and creativity as motor for development and timed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the independence of many African countries.The exhibition pavilion is designed by Ghanaian architect David Adjaye. Placed in in the heart of the city, the pavilion is accessible to audiences which normally do not frequent museums or art galleries.
In Cairo, the venue chosen was Al Azhar Park, a beautifully landscaped park built by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture on the site of a large garbage dump area in a very poor neighborhood, and now called the 'green lung of Cairo'. Drawing 6000 visitors per day on average, this venue and its audiences (mainly youth and families) were deemed an excellent fit for the project's mission to reach audiences and artists who are under the radar of existing official and artistic structures.
For this edition, the Centre for Fine Arts partnered with DARB 1718, a Cairo-based contemporary art centre with a strong mission of art outreach, to produce the Egyptian artistic section added to the core traveling exhibit sections.
The exhibits made available are thus:
- 'Revolution at Work', curated by Moataz Nasr, DARB 1718 (Cairo), a showcase of young emerging artists and their reflections on the Egyptian revolution
- 'A Useful Dream', curated by independent curator Simon Njami, on African photography of the last fifty years
- 'Urban Africa' a photographic survey of the 52 African capitals by architect David Adjaye
- The 'Atlas Wall', a timeline presenting the major cultural milestones and cultural policy documents relevant to Africa in the last 50 years.
A one-day workshop for Egyptian professionals in the field of art and culture was also organized to discuss the state of things in Egypt from the point of view of practitioners of art and intellectuals.
Finally, artist in residence Tracey Rose (South Africa), produced a video/painting work inspired by Egyptian arts and culture, to be donated to the partner organization DARB 1718.
As the project calls for, the pavilion will be donated to the partner organization, based on its proposed plan for new and alternate public uses in the domain of arts presentation in or outside of Cairo.
ARTISTS: Mariam Farid, Ali Abdel Mohsen, Mohamed Monaiseer, Yiahyia Diwer, May El Hossamy, Hany Rashed, Mina Nasr Tadros
Press release, Art at Work in Cairo, February 15 > March 7, 2012
Joint-AU-EU-PR-26jan12.pdf
Joint AU-EU press release, Addis 25/1/2012
Brochure-Art_at_Work-Cairo.pdf
Brochure Cairo 2012
Focus/Brochure/Detail Visionary Africa: Art at Work
ITINERANT MULTIDISCIPLINARY PROJECT IN THE AFRICAN CAPITALS - AFTER TRIPOLI, OUGADOUGOU:
1) ADDIS ABABA (ETHIOPIA) FROM JANUARY 25TH ON (WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT - http://web.me.com/leokosm/PROTOATELIER
"Engaging in the contrapuntal phenomenon of vacuity, The Atelier (local cultural partner in Addis) has been conceived as an open multilayered dialogue between audiences, artists, institutions, action and momentum. Upon the invitation to 'invade' the ruin/pavilion and its itinerant laboratory, conceived by visionary architect David Adjaye and independent curator Simon Njami, this exhibition participates supremely to the incremental platform, by opening a space for seven Ethiopian contemporary artists. Based in Addis or working in Belgium, their works meet in this informal space and collide, offering visual responses in there own singular manner to the 'absolute question'. Under the cosmopolitan current trends and the confusing zones of tensions impacting both the real world and its virtual extensions, it felt important to them to seize hold of this room as an ultimate attempt to face the audience with images that matters. The Trojan horse under consideration is emblematic as well as symbolic, allowing the artists to ostensibly perform some innocuous functions in the compound of the new gem of Temama Fok: the monumental head office of the African Union. May this needle inserted into the restless body of The Capital of Africa, be a means of continuing the discussion and debates on eachotherness, but also be a useful pedagogical tool and reference on a complex, yet vibrant scene. " LEO LEFORT
2) CAIRO (EGYPT), FEBRUARY 15-MARCH 7, 2012, AL AZHAR PARK.
The itinerant urban and multi-disciplinary exhibit « Visionary Africa: Art at work » opened in Cairo, Egypt on February 15, in the presence of the Cairo Governor, representatives from the European Commission, the Centre for Fine Arts, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, its curators Simon Njami and Adjaye Associates, members of the diplomatic corps of Cairo, and numerous local artists.
This project, organized jointly by the European Commission and the Palais des Beaux-Arts (Centre for Fine Arts) in Brussels, consists of an itinerant urban exhibition of contemporary African artistic practices, including artist residencies, exhibitions of local artists, and workshops on art and development in modern urban centres in Africa. It was conceived as an initiative focused on the importance of culture and creativity as motor for development and timed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the independence of many African countries.The exhibition pavilion is designed by Ghanaian architect David Adjaye. Placed in in the heart of the city, the pavilion is accessible to audiences which normally do not frequent museums or art galleries.
In Cairo, the venue chosen was Al Azhar Park, a beautifully landscaped park built by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture on the site of a large garbage dump area in a very poor neighborhood, and now called the 'green lung of Cairo'. Drawing 6000 visitors per day on average, this venue and its audiences (mainly youth and families) were deemed an excellent fit for the project's mission to reach audiences and artists who are under the radar of existing official and artistic structures.
For this edition, the Centre for Fine Arts partnered with DARB 1718, a Cairo-based contemporary art centre with a strong mission of art outreach, to produce the Egyptian artistic section added to the core traveling exhibit sections.
The exhibits made available are thus:
- 'Revolution at Work', curated by Moataz Nasr, DARB 1718 (Cairo), a showcase of young emerging artists and their reflections on the Egyptian revolution
- 'A Useful Dream', curated by independent curator Simon Njami, on African photography of the last fifty years
- 'Urban Africa' a photographic survey of the 52 African capitals by architect David Adjaye
- The 'Atlas Wall', a timeline presenting the major cultural milestones and cultural policy documents relevant to Africa in the last 50 years.
A one-day workshop for Egyptian professionals in the field of art and culture was also organized to discuss the state of things in Egypt from the point of view of practitioners of art and intellectuals.
Finally, artist in residence Tracey Rose (South Africa), produced a video/painting work inspired by Egyptian arts and culture, to be donated to the partner organization DARB 1718.
As the project calls for, the pavilion will be donated to the partner organization, based on its proposed plan for new and alternate public uses in the domain of arts presentation in or outside of Cairo.
ARTISTS: Mariam Farid, Ali Abdel Mohsen, Mohamed Monaiseer, Yiahyia Diwer, May El Hossamy, Hany Rashed, Mina Nasr Tadros
