VISIONARY AFRICA: ART & ARCHITECTURE at WORK a Visionary Africa: Art & Architecture at Work Published by European Commission and Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels (BOZAR) Design § layout Studio Luc Derycke, Gent, Belgium VISIONARY Printed European Commission, April 2013 First edition (Art at Work) AFRICA: November 2010 Second Edition (Art at Work) January 2012 Third Edition (Art & Architecture at Work) April 2013 ART& Special thanks Joe Osae Addo, ArchiAfrika, Accra Dounia Benslimane, Fabrique culturelle des abattoirs, Casablanca ARCHITECTURE Marilyn Douala Bell, Doual’art, Douala Billy Kahora, Kwani Trust, Nairobi Francis Kéré, Kéré architecture, Berlin Joy M’Boya, GoDown Arts Centre, Nairobi Thomas Melin, UN Habitat, Nairobi at WORK Simon Njami, independent curator, Paris Berend Van der Lans, African Architecture Matters, Amsterdam Heinrich Wolff, Wolff Architects (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. b TRAVEL LOG TABLE OF CONTENTS Art § Architecture at Work originates from Art at Work (2011-2012), an itinerant urban platform. José Manuel Barroso, European Commission 4 ..... Art and Architecture: Essential drivers of inclusive and sustainable APRIL 15 – 19, 2013 urban development — NAIROBI 24th UN Habitat Governing Council Meeting Thomas Melin, UN Habitat Side conference and exhibit ‘Art § Architecture 5 ..... Rejuvenating urban cultures through public space at work in urban Africa’ • Cairo Paul Dujardin, Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels (BOZAR) § Simon Njami, Paris SEPTEMBER 18 – OCTOBER 16, 2012 6 ..... Art and architecture for a new social design — KAMPALA Railway Station Gardens Local exhibition ‘Routes and Traces’ Berend van der Lans, African Architecture Matters, Amsterdam Curated by Makerere Art Gallery 8 ..... Best practices in culture-based urban development (Katrin Peter-Klaphake § Margaret Nagawa) Artist in residence: Freddy Tsimba (DRC) Ouagadougou • Regional conference: ‘How Art and Architecture • Addis-Ababa Nai Ni Who ? (Who is Nairobi ?): Collective vision development – can make city development inclusive and sustainable’ GoDown Arts Centre, Nairobi, Kenya with keynote address by David Adjaye • Kampala 10 ..... The art centre as driver for inclusive urban change • Nairobi JULY 12 – 30, 2012 Bujumbura • — BUJUMBURA ‘The expansion of freedom’ – Heinrich Wolff, Cape Town, South Africa Palace of Arts and Culture Exhibit ‘A Useful Dream’ 13 ..... The architect and his position as enabler Curated by Simon Njami • Harare Making Douala – Doual’art, Cameroon MAY 24 – JULY 2, 2012 19 ..... Artists as drivers for sustainable urban change — HARARE National Gallery of Zimbabwe Gardens Local exhibition ‘Images of Zimbabwe Cultural factory of the former abattoirs, Hay Mohammadi – are our narratives’ ‘Le Collectif des abattoirs’, Casablanca, Morocco Curated by National Gallery of Zimbabwe (Raphael Chikukwa) 25 ..... Industrial heritage as driver for social, cultural and economic development FEBRUARY 15 – MARCH 8, 2012 — CaIRO Al Azhar Park Sustainable design for education, culture and development Local exhibition ‘Revolution at Work’ in Burkina Faso and Mali – Diébédo Francis Kéré, Berlin, Germany Curated by DARB 1718 (Moataz Nasr) 29 ..... The architect and his position as innovator Artist in residence: Tracey Rose (S. Africa) Kwani? literary journal, Nairobi, Kenya JANUARY 25 – FEBRUARY 15, 2012 33 ..... The writer and his reflections on the city — ADDIS ABABA African Union Local exhibition ‘Face 2 Face’ 35 ..... Artists and architects for urban resonance: dream, inclusiveness Curated by The Atelier (Leo Lefort) ‘Not every show merits a standing ovation, but the and creativity for urban welfare Artist in residence: Bili Bidjocka (Cameroon) display of historic photographs of Africa at the precise moment in the 1950s and 1960s when African spirits FEBRUARY 18 – MARCH 9 2011 38 ..... African architecture networks § expertise centres were high and aspirations were on the ascendant’. — OUAGADOUGOU Place de la Nation ‘African artists are called upon to play their role to 39 ..... Arts, architecture and urban expansion in Africa: Snapshots Exhibitions ‘A Useful Dream’ § ‘Urban Africa’ the full’. Curated by Simon Njami and David Adjaye Gamal Nkrumah, Al Ahram Weekly, Artist in residence: Theo Eshetu (Ethiopia) Cairo, March 2012. 42 ..... About Art at Work 2 3 ART AND ARCHITECTURE: REJUVENATING URBAN ESSENTIAL DRIVERS CUltURES THROUGH OF INCLUSIVE AND PUBLIC SPACE SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT Creating a positive culture is important to city culture. Public spaces are areas that are cities – directly inspiring their economic, open and accessible to all citizens, regard- social and ecological development. Today, less of gender, race, ethnicity, age or socio- more than 50 percent of the world’s popula- economic level. They include commonly The Africa-European Union strategic partner- We also salute the leadership of UN Habitat tion lives in urban areas and it is estimated recognized places, such as parks, squares, ship goes beyond politics, diplomacy and eco- for mobilizing resources in this field, and for that 90 percent of the world’s urban popula- plazas and historic districts, but also streets nomic ties. It is a platform through which the focusing in particular on youth and gender tion growth between now and 2030 will take and roads that provide for pedestrian access European Union is reaching out to citizens at opportunities in urban development. We also place in developing countries. and commercial places, such as markets. large. Culture is one of the particular priori- welcome the many creative initiatives of cities, As cities grow, their culture is often By taking a public space approach, officials ties of the Africa-EU partnership. It is not communities, architects, and art centres who, transformed due to the changing urban can create an environment where citizens just an essential element that enriches and alongside national efforts advocate for a strong population. On the one hand, this can have a have the ability to meet, discuss and influ- enlightens us as such, but also a key driver culture-based vision in urban planning, engi- positive effect on city development, bringing ence the way cities are planned and run. In of democracy, governance and human rights, neering and the provision of basic services, for in new ideas and approaches, but this can this way, they can engage the population and values which we share and aim to reinforce. all of which Art at Work has been an incuba- also dilute the authenticity of already existing influence the organization of their city in a Visionary Africa: Art at Work is an tor. This local creativity is key for solving the urban cultures. For example, in Africa, manner in which culture can develop organi- important instrument of this cultural issues we face. urban growth is often accompanied by over- cally – creating livable cities with people at partnership. Supported by the European All these initiatives show that culture crowding, lack of services, poor governance the center of them. Commission, it is an open exhibition travel- reaches across disciplines and borders. Cul- and a failure to meet the needs of the poor. ling through the public spaces of African ture, and in particular art and architecture, Policies, planning and design solutions must Thomas Melin capitals. This laudable project thus engages will remain key tools as we seek a better, be carefully applied to avoid these negative Head, External Relations Office, directly with local communities and policy- inclusive and sustainable future together effects. UN Habitat makers. It encourages reflection on the with our African partners and friends. People, both citizens and elected officials, critical role of artists in civil society, and the are the drivers of change. Elected officials responsibility of architects and urban plan- José Manuel Barroso need to specifically consider how urban ners in creating and safeguarding culture- President of the European Commission planning affects people living in cities. Arts based urban spaces for their citizens. and cultural spaces are important to cities’ More specifically,Art at Work, in its development and planners and administra- latest focus (Art § Architecture), highlights tors need to take this into account. the new nature of urban planning challenges UN-Habitat aims to improve policies, faced by African capitals. plans and designs for more compact, socially Africa’s unprecedented urban growth and inclusive, better integrated and connected the rise of its colourful metropolises directly cities that foster sustainable urban develop- impacts on the continent’s path of social and ment and are resilient to climate change, at economic development and its sustainability. the city, regional and national levels. The European Commission is already work- UN-Habitat considers public spaces ing on those challenges, together with its that place citizens at the centre of cities as An overview of Nairobi city, Kenya 2012© Julius partners in Africa. Calvin Dondo (Zimbabwe), from the series Harare a key driver to developing well-functioning Mwelu-UN-HABITAT Streets, 2000. © Calvin Dondo 4 5 become the places where a specific aesthetic Public architecture puts similar expecta- ART AND ARCHITECTURE is created, expressed not in monuments or tions on the architect.