DAK’ART 2016 of May, 3 – June, 2 — 2016

12th Edition of the Dakar Biennale « The City in the Blue Daylight »

Simon Njami, Artistic Director

PRESS RELEASE

CONTENT

1. What Is Dak’art

2. The City In The Blue Daylight

3. Who’s Simon Njami

4. The Program of Dak’art 2016

5. Participating artists

6. Contact 1. WHAT IS DAK’ART

Dak’Art, The Dakar Biennale, is the first and the major international Art event dedicated to the Contemporary African creation. Initiated in 1996 by the Republic of , the biennale is organized by the Ministry of Culture and Communication. Its 12th edition will take place from May 3, to July 11, 2016. The aims of Dak’Art are to offer the African artists a chance to show their work to a large and international audience, and to elaborate a dis- course in esthetic, by participating to the conceptualization of theorical tools for analyse and appropriation of the global art world. Mahmadou Rassoul Seydi is the General Secretary of Dak’Art. Simon Njami, writer and independant curator, is the Artistic Director of the 12th Edition of the Dakar Biennale. As a departure for Dak’Art 2016, with the title « The City in the Blue Daylight », Simon Njami chose an extract from a poem written by Leopold Sedar Senghor :

« Your voice tells us about the Republic that we shall erect the City in the Blue Daylight In the equality of sister nations. And we, we answer: Presents, Ô Guélowâr ! »

Those verses inspire Simon Njami’s ambition for the Biennale : to make Dak’Art a « new Bandung for Culture ».

3 2. THE CITY IN THE BLUE DAYLIGHT 3. WHO’S SIMON NJAMI

« Your voice tells us about the that could apply on a global level, to Simon Njami (born in 1962 in Lau- ennale (2010), Picha (Lumumbashi Republic that we shall erect the insure Dakar’s role in the develop- sanne) is a writer and an indepen- Biennale – 2010), SUD ( Tri- City in the Blue Daylight ment of a more balanced interna- dent curator, lecturer, art critic and ennale – 2010), among others exhi- In the equality of sister nations. tional art scene. If, indeed, Dakar’s essayist. bitions and international art events. And we, we answer: Presents, role in Africa, in the transformation He has published his first novel The exhibition “The Divine Com- Ô Guélowâr ! » and dissemination of contemporary “Cercueil et Cie” in 1985, followed by edy – Heaven, Hell, Purgatory by practices is crucial, thanks to Pres- “Les Enfants de la Cité” in 1987, “Les Contemporary African Artists” was Léopold Sédar Senhor ident Senghor who understood the Clandestins” and “African Gigolo” in shown at MMK, The SCAD Muse- importance of culture of any devel- 1989, notably. He wrote two biog- um of Art and at Smithsonian Insti- The title of the pan-African exhibi- opment, the danger the Senegalese raphies, about James Baldwin and tution/ Museum, Wash- tion is closely linked to the general biennale might be face with is the Léopold Sédar Senghor. ington, from 2014 to 2015. theme of the biennale that invites replication of what is conceived in Njami is the co-founder of Re- He recently curated the Walther artistes and beyond the artists all Af- the West. If Africa remains our pri- vue Noire, a journal of contempo- Collection at Maison Rouge (), ricans to invent new strategies and ority, we must, nevertheless, create rary African and extra-occidental end of 2015, beginning of 2016. aesthetics in order to re-enchant the some new tools of reflection and art, and he was Visiting Professor world and the continent. That for implementation of new ways and at UCSD (University of San Diego me, how to translate the erection new ideas regarding theories, prac- California). of that City in a Blue Daylight that tices and production. After conceiving the Ethnicolor Senghor was wishing for and that is This is the reason why I have Festival in Paris in 1987, he curat- yet to be build. Africa once had the decided to invite five guest curators ed many international exhibitions useful dream of freeing it self from from regions that are not explored being among the first ones to think any form of domination. During the enough, to rebuild new networks of and show African contemporary art- independences period, all countries communication and to exchange on ists work on international stages. chanted and danced, caught in the social and curatorial experiences. He has served as Artistic Director enchantment of a world to invent, These new dialogues, I believe, will of Bamako Encounters, the African relationships to forge. More than bear fruits for the future. And set a Photography Biennale, from 2001 half a century later, some have been space for new platforms of interac- to 2007. Njami is the curator of “Af- abused; others have lost that en- tions. rica Remix”, showed in Düsseldorf thusiastic flame that was enlight- (Museum Kunst Palast), ening their gazes. That flame that (Hayward Gallery), Paris (Centre is the only drive capable of giving Pompidou), (Mori Museum), the strength to change things. The Stockholm (Moderna Museet) and re-enchantment is the ability to in- Johannesburg (Johannesburg Art stil a new energy, a new creativity, Gallery), from 2004 to 2007. He and a new driving force. co-curated the first African Pavilion The equality of the sisters na- at the 52nd . He cu- tions forces us, once we have de- rated the first African Art Fair, held clared the role of the Dakar biennale in Johannesburg in 2008, and was in Africa, to reflect on the strategies the Artistic Director of Luanda Tri

4 5 4. THE PROGRAM OF DAK’ART 2016

The international exhibition: Carte Blanche pose an exhibition of three to five Ouso Chakola, Martin Chramosta, Re-enchantments This first carte blanche will be of- artists who would globally reflect Samit Das, Julien Froment, Pisur- The title of the main exhibition is fered to the Doual’art space in Cam- the theme of the 2016 edition. We wo Jitendra Suralkar, Raphaël Jul- closely related to the overall theme eroon, in tribute to Didier Schaub. will ensure that these exhibitions liard, Naresh Kumar, Saviya Lopes, of the biennial which invites artists, Last year, Didier Schaub, co-founder are financed by the countries of ori- François Mazabraud, Aurélien Mole, and above all Africans, to invent and artistic director of the Doual’Art gin of the guest curators. The invit- Charlotte Moth, Somnath Mukher- new ways to re-enchant the world space, left us. Since the early 90s, ed curators, their projects and the jee, Seema Nusrat, Amol K Patil, and the continent. Africa, the prac- Didier Schaub and Marilyn Douala participating artists are: Mai-thu Perret, Chloé Quenum, tical dream of a liberated Africa, re- Bell, his wife, have been promot- Fazal Rizvi, Mithu Sen, Janek Simon, sponsible for herself, the dream of ers and defenders of contemporary Nadine Bilong (Cameroon) Eric Stephany, Sawangwongse Yan- a continent whose sons sang and creation in Africa. It is a tribute to Title: Le Manifeste de la Cité dans le wghwe. danced the freedom recovered at their pioneering commitment and jour bleu independence, caught in the spell through them, to the work produced With: Jean-François Boclé, Fred Eba- Sujong Song (Korea) of a future to be reinvented, has by private organizations across the mi, Myriam Mihindou, Marc Alexan- Title: Hybrid/ Metamorphosis had its ups and downs. Some have continent, that is given. dre Oho Bambe & Albert Morisseau With: Wang Qingsong, Phan Quang, been disillusioned, others have lost, Leroy, Barthélémy Toguo. Noh Suntag, Pradeep Thalawatta, in their gaze, this enthusiastic flame Anida Yoeu Ali. which alone can give the strength Invited Curators Orlando Britto (Canary Islands) to change things. The re-enchant- Dakar capital of the world is the Title: About denaturalizations, car- ment is the reintroduction of new principle that underlies this section, tographies and legends URBI energy, a new creativity, a new mo- as it does that of the invited coun- With: Idaira del Castillo, Marc Lata- Co-curated by Simon Njami and mentum. List of the artists below. tries section. The Senegalese capital mie, Valeriano Lopez. Delphine Calmettes, this pro- must become the place where con- gramme has been designed to temporary spaces are discovered Solange Farkas (Brazil) build a network throughout the A Tribute to the Senegalese art- and appreciated that even Europe Title: Crossings city and re-enchant popular places ist: Issa Samb aka Joe Ouakam has not had the curiosity to explore. With: Sonia Gomes, Daniel Lima, which up until now had been left (Sénégal) By inviting people who, thousands Thiago Martins de Melo, Paulo Naz- dormant. La Corniche, on which we of kilometers away, are asking the areth, Moises Patricio. plan to install shipping containers And Tributes to: question of art with the same terms that will be artist studios and in- Great artists have passed away in that it is debated on the continent, Valentina Levy (Italy) formation kiosks, the Market, the the course of the past months: Ou- we are expanding the range of pos- Title: The witnesses of the invisible Place de L’Indépendance whose mar Ly (Sénégal), Souleymane Keita sibilities by breaking the frustrating With: Stefano Canto, H.H. Lim, Emo hotel’s facade could be revitalized (Sénégal), Amadou Sow (Sénégal), North / South dichotomy that has de Medeiros, Chai Siris by graffiti artists and many other Ismaïla Manga (Sénégal), Sidy Di- prevailed for too long. We intend to places will be invested to give each allo (Sénégal), Leila Alaoui (Maroc- assert the international character of Sumesh Sharma (India) Dakarois, and beyond that each co-France) and Kiripi Katembo (DR Dak’Art, its openness to the world, Title: India’s surch for power 1966- Senegalese, the opportunity to par- of Congo). The biennial will bestow to mutual exchange and confronta- 1982 ticipate, each in his or her own mea- upon these artists the recognition tion. For this, six curators from four With: Yogesh Barve, Kemi Bassene, sure, in this celebration of African they deserve. continents will be invited to pro- Zied Ben Romdhane, Judy Blum, creativity. We plan to move some

6 7 of the immobile railroad cars from Workshops The Dakar Biennale is organized the station on the Avenue ... where Many artists have, quite rightly, ex- by the Ministry of Culture and these unconventional places will pressed the desire for information Communication of Senegal. be invested by artists and will also on international events, market serve as information kiosks. movements, copyrights, etc. With support from: Two workshops are organized for The City of Dakar, Organisation In- States of Opacity young Senegalese professionals: ternationale de la Francophonie This symposium is curated by Elvira - A workshop dedicated to Cultural (OIF), Royal Air Maroc Transporteur Dyangani Ose and Mara Ambrožič. mediation, directed by Dagara Da- officiel, UEMOA, Ambassade de Alioune Diop had opened the con- kin, to introduce them to the exhibi- France à Dakar, Institut français, Wall- ference of Black writers and artists tions of the Biennale. They will thus onie Bruxelles, Ministère des Affaires held at the Sorbonne in Paris in 1956 become the mediators for the local étrangères du Maroc, Ambassade with these words: “After Bandung, and international audience to the art du Luxembourg au Sénégal, Ambas- the first most important event for works. sade des Etats-Unis au Sénégal, Tigo, non-European consciences, the 1st - A workshop dedicated to the Art ASPT, Conseil National du Patronat World Congress of men of black cul- critic, directed by Frédérique Cha- du Sénégal (CNP), Total, Eiffage, ture is the second event of the de- puis. During the opening week, a Senegal Handling Services, Senbus cade.” Alioune Diop, Présence Africaine, n°8/9/10, 1956 daily newspaper will be produced Industries, GSIE Technology, Port It is up to us to awaken this use- by the participants of the workshop. Autonome de Dakar, Senegal Hotels, ful dream through the precious tool Necotrans, Amnesty International, that is the Dakar Biennale. We must The catalogue Galeria Mendes wood DM, Ministe- return to the beginning of things, A catalogue in two volumes is rio da Cultura do Governo Federal not to reproduce a pale and outdat- produced, in partnership with the (Brazil), Ministerio des Relaçôes Exte- ed copy, but to update the terms of Kerber publishing House, that will riores do Governo Federal Itamaraty the debate and forge the weapons bring together the different sec- (Brazil), Embaixada do Brasil no Sen- of a creative sustainability of re-en- tions of the event. egal, Associaçâo Videobrasil, Minis- chantments. try of Culture of Thailand. With: Kader Attia, N’Gone Fall, Kodwo Eshun, Jorge Fernandez Tor- With the participation of : res, Cheryl Finley, Henriette Gunkel, Lettera27, 1:54, Londres, Also Srećko Horvat, Aliocha Imhoff, Joa- Known as Africa, L’Agence à Paris. sia Krysa, Achille Mbembe, Doreen Mende, Miran Mohar, Nana Oforiat- Media partners: ta-Ayim, Bisi Silva, Bonaventure Soh TV5, Canal +, Radio Television Suisse Bejeng Ndikung, Ivor Stodorovky, (RTS), le Soleil. David Zerbib.

8 9 5. PARTICIPATING ARTISTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION

Kemang WA LEHULERE (SA) 66 artists are part of the interna Badr EL HAMMAMI (Marocco) Youssef LIMOUD (Egypt) tional exhibition which includes William WAMBUGU (Kenya) a “Special projects” section: Yesmine ELMELEEGY (Egypt) Michèle MAGEMA (DRC / France) Ouattara WATTS (Ivory Coast) Theo ESHETU (Ethiopia/ UK) Akirash AKINDIYA (Nigeria/ USA) Anna MAPOUBI (Cameroon) Modupeola FADUGBA (Togo) Heba AMIN (Egypt) Safaa MAZIRH (Marocco) Franck FANNY (Ivory Coast) Special projects : Héla AMMAR (Tunisia) Fatima MAZMOUZ (Marocco) Jellel GASTELI (Tunisia) Joël ANDRIANOMEARISOA (Mad Kader ATTIA (Algeria / France) Yara MEKAWEI (Egypt) agascar) François-Xavier GBRÉ (Ivory Abdulrazaq AWOFESO (Nigeria) Coast) Nandipha MNTAMBO (SA) Jean-Pierre BEKOLO (Cameroon)

Yassine BALBZIOUI (Marocco) Yo-Yo GONTHIER (Ile de la Aïda MULUNEH (Ethiopia) Bili BIDJOCKA (Cameroon) Réunion) Sammy BALOJI (DRC) Lavar MUNROE (Bahamas) Anne HISTORICAL (South Africa) Simon GUSH (South Africa) Arébénor BASSENE (Senegal) MWANGI/ HUTTER ( Kenya / Ger Jems KOKO BI (Ivory Coast) Delio JASSE (Angola) many) Yesmine BEN KHELIL (Tunisia) Fabrice Monteiro (Benin) Mouna JEMAL SIALA (Tunisia/ Moataz NASR (Egypt) Nabil BOUTROS (France/ Egypt) France) Alexis PESKINE ( Brazil/ France) NDOYE DOUTS (Senegal) Poku CHEREMEH (Ghana) Euridice Getulio KALA (Mozam PUMÉ (DR of Congo) bique) Aimé NTAKIYICA (Burundi) Mimi CHERONO NG’OK (Kenya) Samson KAMBALU (Malawi) Folakunle OSHUN (Nigeria) Julien CREUZET (Martinique) Mouna KARRAY (Tunisia) Amira PARÉE (Egypt / Nether Gopal DAGNOGO (Ivory Coast) lands) Bronwyn KATZ (South Africa) Dalila DALLEAS BOUZAR (Al Maurice PEFURA (Cameroon) geria) Ala KHEIR (Sudan) Tracey ROSE (SA) Monica DE MIRANDA (Portugal) Wanja KIMANI (Kenya) Henri SAGNA (Senegal) Mbaye Babacar DIOUF (Senegal) Moridja KITENGE BANZA (DRC) Hippolyte SAMA (Burkina Faso) Victor EHIKHAMENOR (Nigeria) Moshekwa LANGA (SA)

10 11 CONTACT — Massamba Mbaye +221 77 63 88 585 [email protected]

DAK’ART 2016