PUMA.Creative 2009 00101 2009 02 PUMA.Creative 2009 Creative African Network (CAN) www.creativeafricanetwork An initiative of puma.creative, Creative African Network (CAN) www.creativeafricanetwork.com is a virtual platform with global reach, connecting the creative world within and outside of Africa, giving visibility to the talents working in contemporary art, film, architec ture, design, and the performing arts. CAN is also a social networking website that allows individuals and institutions to create their own profiles. CAN also includes a cultural directory and is updated dailly with news of events, biennales, art and book fairs, music and film festivals, awards, reviews, calls for artists, and other opportunities, providing professional information valuable to high-profile and emerging artists and cultural liaisons. CAN’s current membership base is over 5,000 people strong and continues to grow daily since its launch in March this year. It has already proven itself as an invaluable resource to professionals accessing African-based art practice. puma.creative was a major sponsor of the Joburg Art Fair where it launched Creative African Network in April 2009. PUMA.Creative 2009 00303 Future CAN collaborations this year include the 8th African Encounters of Photography Bamako Biennale as well as Arts in Marrakech festival, two established and important African cultural events. We are delighted to be able to express our PUMAVision through these collaborations. The CAN project was developed by Dutch curator Macha Roesink, director of Museum de Paviljoens; Zimbabwean curator Raphael Chikukwa; French-Cameroonian art critic and editor Christine Eyene; and South African curator Mark Coetzee, who serves as program director for PUMAVision and chief curator of puma.creative. The web- site was designed by Mediamatic, the Amsterdam-based leading new media and network company. The CAN Ambassador Initiative is a live platform that facilitates the participation of well-known and emerging artists, curators and arts organizations at major international art events, and provides the resources and support to enable these art-minded people to enhance their networks and develop the relationships that will further their work and the goals of their institutions. To celebrate the launch of Creative Africa Network, PUMA sponsored CAN Ambassadors to attend the CAN Team: Raphael Chikukwa, Macha Roesink, Mark Joburg Art Fair. Coetzee and Christine Eyene at the Joburg Art Fair 2009 PUMA, Chairman and CEO, Jochen Zeitz: In view of our longstanding commitment to creativity and service, it feels a natural step for PUMA to participate in this important project on the African continent. CAN Ambassadors: Aleya Hamza, Curator, Contemporary Image Collective (CIC), Cairo, Egypt and Edit Molnár, former General Director, Contemporary Image Collective (CIC), Cairo, Egypt, the co-curators of “PhotoCairo4: The Long Shortcut” (2008-2009), are honoured as Creative Africa Network Ambassadors for their outstanding contribution to the cultural scene both in Egypt and internationally. Antoni Folkers and Berend van der Lans, Founding Directors of ArchiAfrika, Utrecht, Netherlands, the organisers of the forthcoming conference “African City Centre (Re)sourced” in Pretoria, are honoured as Creative Africa Network Ambassadors for their commitment to offering a platform of exchange, as well as facilitating research and projects on African architecture. Bisi Silva, Founding Director of the CCA, Lagos, Nigeria, a curator of the forthcoming 2nd Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art (Greece), is honoured as a Creative Africa Network Ambassador for her longstanding commitment to putting contemporary African art on the map, bringing international artists to African audiences, and for her engagement with a network of high profile art professionals. Brooke Minto, Assistant Director, Miami Art Museum, Miami, U.S.A., is honoured as a Creative Africa Network Ambassador for her commitment to the arts and her dynamic network within the US, South African and the international art scene. CAN Ambassadors Bisi Silva and William Miko and CAN guest Sokari Douglas Camp 04 PUMA.Creative 2009 Didier Schaub, Artistic Director, doual’art, Douala, Cameroon, is honoured as a Creative Africa Network Ambassador for his dedication to maintaining an international standard in the Cameroonian art scene, while committing his institution to local audiences, through innovative projects that combine art, urbanism and local environment. Goddy Leye, artist and Founder of the Art Bakery, Bonendale, Cameroon, is honoured as a Creative Africa Network Ambassador for his achievements in the arts and his residency programme, Art Bakery, that provides a platform for African and international artists. James Muriuki, Curator, Rahimtulla Museum of Modern Art (RaMoMA), Nairobi, Kenya, one of the photographers featured in Okwui Enwezor’s “Snap Judgements: New Positions in Contemporary African Photography” (ICP, 2006-2008), is honoured as a Creative Africa Network Ambassador for his commitment to promoting emerging Kenyan artists. Jimmy Ogonga, Director, Nairobi Arts Trust / Centre for Contemporary Art of East Africa (CCAEA), Nairobi, Kenya and curator of the “Amnesia” project, is honoured as CAN Ambassadors Goddy Leye, Pauline Burmann and a Creative Africa Network Ambassador for his achievements in the Kenyan and East Reginald Bakwena African art scenes. Pauline Burmann, Chair, Thami Mnyele Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands, is honoured as a Creative Africa Network Ambassador for her commitment to hosting residencies with cutting-edge African artists and fostering a dynamic cultural network. Reginal Bakwena, Coordinator, Thapong Visual Arts Centre, Gaborone, Botswana, is honoured as a Creative Africa Network Ambassador for his commitment to engage with the international art community and give contemporary Botswana artists further exposure. Robino Ntila, Independent Curator, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, a founding member of the Rafiki Art Trust, is honoured as a Creative Africa Network Ambassador for his longstanding contribution to Tanzanian arts and his determination to foster a platform of exchange between local and international artists. Silvia Karman Cubiñá, Director and Chief Curator, Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach, U.S.A., is honoured as a Creative Africa Network Ambassador for her curatorial leadership and excellence in the arts. Trevor Schoonmaker, Curator of Contemporary Art, Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham, U.S.A., the curator of “Barkley L. Hendricks: Birth of the Cool” (2008-2010) and “Black President: The Art and Legacy of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti” (2003-2005) is honoured as a Creative Africa Network Ambassador for bringing landmark exhibitions to international audiences. Voti Thebe, Deputy Director, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, one of Zimbabwe’s leading artists, is honoured as a Creative Africa Network Ambassador for his longstanding contribution to Zimbabwean contemporary art. William Miko, Independent Curator, Founder of Twaya Art - Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia, is honoured as a Creative Africa Network Ambassador for his commitment to give Zambian artists visibility locally and internationally, and provide a creative outlet for the local community. PUMA.Creative 2009 00505 The CAN Mobility Grant puma.creative and Creative African Network is awarding over 40 mobility grants to artists participating in the 8th Bamako Encounters, African Photography Biennale (7 Nov - 7 Dec), making puma.creative and CAN a substantial supporter of this biennale. The CAN Mobility Grant and Bamako biennale partnership includes sponsorship of travel costs for 40 artists exhibiting in the interna- tional exhibition. This exhibition combines work from artists from across Africa with artists from Mali. puma.creative and CAN aim to bring these artists together to enjoy a face-to-face dialogue, opening lines of communication and creating a platform for interaction and collaboration. puma.creative and CAN is hosting an introductory reception during the biennale professional week, in honour of the artists awarded the CAN Mobility Grant. A selection of CAN Ambassadors including curators and critics will also be invited to attend the biennale and meet and interact with the Mobility Grant winners. Invited artists supported by puma.creative participating in the International exhibition: 1 Dago Anaias Leki (Ivory Coast) 21 Lebohang Mashiloane (South Africa) 2 Kader Attia (Algeria/France) 22 Nestor Da (Burkina Faso) 3 Zak Ové (Jamaica) 23 Ayana Jackson (United States of America) 4 Barthelemy Toguo (Cameroon) 24 François-Xavier Gbré (Ivory Coast) 5 Malik Nejmi (Morocco) 25 Lilia Benzid (Tunisia) 6 Mariam Abdelaziz (Egypt) 26 Faten Gaddes (Tunisia) 7 Alain Waudimoyi (Congo) 27 Majida Khattari (Morocco) 8 Baudoin Mouanda (Congo) 28 Robert Mafuta (Congo) 9 Aboubacar Traoré (Mali) 29 Abdoulaye Barry (Chad) 10 Seydou Camara (Mali) 30 Fidisoa A.J. Ramanahadray (Madagascar) 11 Salif Traore (Mali) 31 Abraham Oghobase (Nigeria) 12 Zineb Sedira (Algeria) 32 Yoyo Gonthier (Reunion) 13 Arwa Abouon (Libya) 33 Frid Armel Louzala (Congo) 14 Mohamed Bourouissa (Algeria/France) 34 Ali Mohamed Osman (Sudan) 15 George Osodi (Nigeria) 35 Graeme Williams (South Africa) 16 Jodi Bieber (South Africa) 36 Alastair Whitton (South Africa) 17 Mohamed Camara (Mali) 37 Saidou Dicko (Burkina Faso) 18 Rana el Nemr (Egypt) 38 Anthony Kaminju (Kenya) 19 Zanele Muholi (South Africa) 39 Emeka Okereke (Nigeria) 20 Uche Iroha (Nigeria) 40 Mouna Jemal