White Cube - on positionality, the white saviour complex and sustainable solutions (Part One)

Hi all, we are back with a new episode of Eziokwu, Speaking Truths. In this episode we speak with two artists from the current AAF exhibition Shout Plenty. Chisom Ikeorah “Chi-Fada" (NG) and Audrey d’Erneville (SEN) talk us through their methodology and inquiry taps into personal and global narratives.   The exhibition “Shout Plenty” features 31 contemporary artists across Africa exploring the role of art as a powerful and revolutionary instrument to reconstruct the dominating institutions. The title “Shout Plenty” is coined from Fela Kuti’s 1986 LP “I Go Shout Plenty” through which he laid bare the ambitions and need for liberation of his generation.

We are rounding off our recap of the season thus far by looking back at past episodes, Art and Activism - the power of image making, Unpacking the Suitcase - the story of Prince Emmanuel Adewale Oyenuga and White Cube - on positionality, the white saviour complex and sustainable solutions. Joined by artists and cultural practitioners we reflect on various themes and engage in critical dialogue around artistic practice on the continent.    

In the first of a two part episode , we reflect on the first few episodes of Eziokwu, Speaking Truths. This week we look back at the first four episodes and the themes that the exhibitions, programs and guests we hosted brought to mind. From the two exhibitions, Unusual Suspects and Flower Boy to the YECA program and artists residencies at African Artists Foundation in Lagos to LAPA in Johannesburg, we talk to artists, curators and cultural producers on the role that art plays in the community.

This week on Eziokwu, Speaking Truths we are once again joined by Teesa Bahana, Mike Mavura, Ukhona Mlandu and Njoki Ngumi. In the last of a two part series, we continue on from last week's unpacking of Renzo Marten’s art film White Cube.   We delve deeper into our conversation and touch on questions of agency, the politics of sustainability, hierarchies, power structures and models that are community driven.   *SPOILER WARNING - the podcast episode contains spoilers throughout in reference to the documentary. 

This week on Eziokwu, Speaking Truths we take a critical look at the documentary film ‘White Cube’ by dutch artist Renzo Martens. White Cube, a powerful and provocative dissection of art, class and decolonisation,  follows the Cercle d’Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise (CATCP) a plantation workers’ cooperative based on a former Unilever plantation in the Congolese town of Lusanga. They attempt to end the destructive system of monoculture on their lands – by building a gallery on it, the ‘white cube’ that is the title of the film. We are joined by Teesa Bahana, Mike Mavura, Ukhona Mlandu and Dr Njoki Ngumi. In this first episode of a two part series, we consider complex questions around power, resource extraction and the role that art plays in community.   *SPOILER WARNING - the podcast episode contains spoilers throughout in reference to the documentary. To see the film’s trailer, go to the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_HJ64ytwRE

Welcome back to Eziokwu, Speaking Truths. In this week's episode we continue our discussion around the unpacking of Prince Emmanuel Adewale Oyenuga’s suitcase and its significance today. Joined by Dr Carmen Perez, Moritz Nuemueller and Asya Yaghmurian, we reflect on his journey from Nigeria to Spain and the impact of this on his artistic practice. We look at the suitcase as symbolic of a larger human question that touches on themes such as migration, identity, the archive and the value of a collection.

This week on Eziokwu, Speaking Truths, we are very excited to bring you the first episode in a series that investigates the life of Prince Emmanuel Adewale Oyenuga. Today we meet a team of people (Azu Nwagbogu, Ana Briongos, Asya Yaghmurian, Carmen Perez Gonzalez and Moritz Nuemuller) who come together to embark on a journey of discovery as we unpack a suitcase and explore the complex history and themes therein. Welcome to the story of the mysterious suitcase.

This week on Eziokwu, Speaking Truths we have a conversation with Nigerian photographers and visual artists, Ugochukwu Emebiriodo and Nengi Nelson and South African artist and curator Musa Nxumalo. Looking at their photographic practice, we discuss the role of photography as a tool of protest, activism and representation. What role does the camera play in identity making and what sense of responsibility do photographers feel when documenting their subjects?

In today’s episode we talk about the importance of artist residencies. Connecting across two different spaces on the continent, we reflect on the significance of residencies in an artist practice and what it means to have the freedom to conduct research and make work.  We are joined by Chiwendu Kelechi who is currently an artist in residence at the African Artist’ Foundation in Lagos, Tammy Langtry from LAPA, a Pan - African artist residency space in Johannesburg, South Africa co - conceptualised by the Goethe Institute and VANSA and lastly, Dudu Lamola, a South African visual artist and LAPA’s first artist in residence.

This week’s episode of Eziokwu, Speaking Truths looks at the African Artists’ Foundation program titled YECA. Youth Empowerment through Contemporary Art is an initiative that teaches art to secondary school students in Lagos, Nigeria. We sat down with Mr Olayinka Songotoye and Udo Christopher Emmanuel to discuss YECA’s progress over the last few years and it’s plans for the future.