A search for podcasts produced in and around Africa might easily lead one to the conclusion that the predominant discourse about matters pertaining to the continent is taking place in American academia or at the BBC and that it evolves around either the past (kingdoms, masks, slavery etc.) or a myriad of present-day crises (war, AIDS, poverty etc.).
“Artists on Africa” is an experimental series of podcasts and an attempt to contribute to content generation about Africa, from Africa from a different perspective. It spotlights the ways in which artists and their creative practices located in – or dislocated from – Africa define or redefine the parameters of what might constitute “African” – knowledge, narratives and experiences. It engages the artist as researcher and thinker, inventor, mentor and entrepreneur, as storyteller and translator and perhaps most importantly as expert and inspirer of new ideas.
The podcast takes the form of conversations – recorded via Skype, email or in person; featuring artists working across diverse disciplines –performance to animation, installation to writing, street art to sound, film to architecture and more. Each episode offers unique insights into the artists’ distinctive work, approaches and ideas and how they relate to knowledge and understanding of Africa as part of a global experience – past, present and future.
This endeavour was initiated by Kadiatou Diallo and has its conceptual roots within the SPARCK programme (Space for Pan-African Research, Creation and Knowledge), which she co-directs with Dominique Malaquais. It has been developed between March and July 2013 at the inaugural Joule City Arts Incubator programme by a diverse group of collaborators:
Victoria Wigzell (performance/ installation artist/ sculptor), Jess Kramer (economist, now artistic entrepreneur), Tazneem Wentzel (anthropologist and professional collaborator), Clementine Hugo-Hamman (architect and founder of fashion label), Themba Tshabalala (literacy activist), Gavin Krastin (performance artist/ choreographer), Kwanele Matakane (radio broadcaster) and Kadiatou Diallo (artist/ facilitator).
We regret that we don’t have the capacity at this time to offer this podcast series with French subtitles.We are aware of the necessity and importance of doing so and would like to reassure our French speaking audience that plans to remedy this are afoot.
Nous regrettons de ne pouvoir actuellement offrir une version de notre série de podcasts sous-titrée en français. Dans un futur proche nous remédierons à cette lacune.
WORDS OF THANKS
Thanks to Joule City for providing the space over five months to develop this project in 2013; to Rigard Kruger for designing and hosting this website; to James Mudge for making the trays for the launch performance; to Richard Kramer for the free printing of our “public advertising”; to Nic Kramer for his camera assistance; to Jarrett Erasmus for letting us use his sound recorder and to all the artists who have so generously shared their knowledge and stories.
Special thanks to Pro Helvetia Johannesburg and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC for its ongoing support.
