September 19-October 14, 2012, Kampala Railway Station Gardens.
Visionary Africa – Art at Work is an itinerant urban exhibition of contemporary African artistic practices
organized jointly by the European Commission and the Palais des Beaux-Arts (Centre for Fine Arts) in Brussels,
including artist residencies, showcases of local artists, and workshops on art and development in modern urban centers in Africa. As several African countries celebrate their 50th independence anniversary, the Exhibition’s intent is to focus on the importance of culture and creativity as a motor for development. The aim is to further provide, through the work of artists, a snapshot of transformations that have occurred on the African continent during the last half century, as well as put its future development into perspective.
Ghanaian architect David Adjaye has designed the exhibition pavilion installed in the gardens opposite the
Kampala Railway Station, which will house several exhibits, free to the public:
• Pan-African photography, from the exhibit A Useful Dream, celebrating 50 years of African photography, curated by Simon Njami;
• The photo-documentary, Urban Africa, a decade long personal survey by David Adjaye on the architecture of African capitals;
• Traces and Routes, a showcase of Ugandan photographic archives and contemporary photographies co-curated by Katrin Peters-Klaphake,
curator of the Makerere Art Gallery/IHCR, and Margaret Nagawa, independent curator.
All works exhibited are reproductions.
Furthermore, the project includes a regional conference on the role of art and architecture in urban development (18 September), led by David
Adjaye and Joe Addo; and a workshop for Ugandan artists on education, structures and projects for art (20 September), led by Simon Njami.
Finally, the project proposes an artist residency for an African artist from another region. Freddy Tsimba, sculptor from DRC, will spend three
weeks in Kampala, working on a new project inspired by the city and its artists, to be donated to Uganda upon completion.
IMPORTANT DATES
17 September, 2012:
VISIONARY AFRICA – Art at Work press conference. Media Center, Kampala, 10:00.
18 September, 2012:
Regional Conference on art and architecture in urban development. Kampala City Hall 9:00-17:00. On invitation.
Press interview with David Adjaye. 17:00-17:30. On appointment.
Art at Work pavilion opening, Kampala Railway Station Gardens, 18h30. On invitation.
19 September-14 October, 2012:
VISIONARY AFRICA - Art at Work exhibit, Kampala Railway Station Gardens. Open to the public.
20 September, 2012:
Workshop on artistic curatorial practices at the Uganda Museum. On invitation.
October 9, 2012:
Donation ceremony for sculpture by artist in residence Freddy Tsimba, DRC. Location to be confirmed.
CONTACTS
International : Hélène van den Wildenberg, Cecoforma press: press@cecoforma.com
Uganda : Simon Kasyate, European Union Delegation: Simon.KASYATE@eeas.europa.eu
Anna Kucma, Bayimba Foundation: annakucma@gmail.com
ABOUT VISIONARY AFRICA – Art at work
This exhibition is presented in several African cities. After a launch in Tripoli (Libya) in the form of preview at the 2010 EU-African Union Summit, it was presented in full in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso, 2011) during one of the focal points of celebration of African culture, the pan-African cinema and television festival FESPACO. It was then held in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) at the headquarters of the African Union on the occasion of the African Union Summit (January 2012), in the ‘green lung’ of Cairo (Egypt), Park AL AZHAR (February 2012), in the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare (Zimbabwe) during Africa Week (May 2012), and in Bujumbura (Burundi) at the Palace of Sports and Culture (July 2012).
Press release, Art at Work in Cairo, February 15 > March 7, 2012
Folder-Art_at_Work-Cairo.pdf
Folder, Art at Work in Cairo, February 2012
Joint-AU-EU-PR-26jan12.pdf
Joint AU-EU press release, Addis 25/1/2012
PR-Art_At_Work-Bujumbura.pdf
Communiqué de presse Bujumbura (Burundi), 12 au 30 juin 2012
PR-Visionary-Kampala.pdf
Press release Kampala Sept 2012
PD-Visionary-Kampala-long.pdf
Press release Kampala Sept 2012 (long)
Focus/Brochure/Detail Visionary Africa: Art at Work
ITINERANT EXHIBITION PLATFORM IN AFRICAN CAPITALS
September 19-October 14, 2012, Kampala Railway Station Gardens.
Visionary Africa – Art at Work is an itinerant urban exhibition of contemporary African artistic practices
organized jointly by the European Commission and the Palais des Beaux-Arts (Centre for Fine Arts) in Brussels,
including artist residencies, showcases of local artists, and workshops on art and development in modern urban centers in Africa. As several African countries celebrate their 50th independence anniversary, the Exhibition’s intent is to focus on the importance of culture and creativity as a motor for development. The aim is to further provide, through the work of artists, a snapshot of transformations that have occurred on the African continent during the last half century, as well as put its future development into perspective.
Ghanaian architect David Adjaye has designed the exhibition pavilion installed in the gardens opposite the
Kampala Railway Station, which will house several exhibits, free to the public:
• Pan-African photography, from the exhibit A Useful Dream, celebrating 50 years of African photography, curated by Simon Njami;
• The photo-documentary, Urban Africa, a decade long personal survey by David Adjaye on the architecture of African capitals;
• Traces and Routes, a showcase of Ugandan photographic archives and contemporary photographies co-curated by Katrin Peters-Klaphake,
curator of the Makerere Art Gallery/IHCR, and Margaret Nagawa, independent curator.
All works exhibited are reproductions.
Furthermore, the project includes a regional conference on the role of art and architecture in urban development (18 September), led by David
Adjaye and Joe Addo; and a workshop for Ugandan artists on education, structures and projects for art (20 September), led by Simon Njami.
Finally, the project proposes an artist residency for an African artist from another region. Freddy Tsimba, sculptor from DRC, will spend three
weeks in Kampala, working on a new project inspired by the city and its artists, to be donated to Uganda upon completion.
IMPORTANT DATES
17 September, 2012:
VISIONARY AFRICA – Art at Work press conference. Media Center, Kampala, 10:00.
18 September, 2012:
Regional Conference on art and architecture in urban development. Kampala City Hall 9:00-17:00. On invitation.
Press interview with David Adjaye. 17:00-17:30. On appointment.
Art at Work pavilion opening, Kampala Railway Station Gardens, 18h30. On invitation.
19 September-14 October, 2012:
VISIONARY AFRICA - Art at Work exhibit, Kampala Railway Station Gardens. Open to the public.
20 September, 2012:
Workshop on artistic curatorial practices at the Uganda Museum. On invitation.
October 9, 2012:
Donation ceremony for sculpture by artist in residence Freddy Tsimba, DRC. Location to be confirmed.
CONTACTS
International : Hélène van den Wildenberg, Cecoforma press: press@cecoforma.com
Uganda : Simon Kasyate, European Union Delegation: Simon.KASYATE@eeas.europa.eu
Anna Kucma, Bayimba Foundation: annakucma@gmail.com
ABOUT VISIONARY AFRICA – Art at work
This exhibition is presented in several African cities. After a launch in Tripoli (Libya) in the form of preview at the 2010 EU-African Union Summit, it was presented in full in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso, 2011) during one of the focal points of celebration of African culture, the pan-African cinema and television festival FESPACO. It was then held in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) at the headquarters of the African Union on the occasion of the African Union Summit (January 2012), in the ‘green lung’ of Cairo (Egypt), Park AL AZHAR (February 2012), in the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare (Zimbabwe) during Africa Week (May 2012), and in Bujumbura (Burundi) at the Palace of Sports and Culture (July 2012).
