The Prince Claus Fund and the Creative Industries Fund NL present "Intersecting Geographies and Technologies: on African Spatial Practices": an afternoon of presentations and talks dedicated to critically exploring and (re)imagining the future of African cities, hosted at Kunstinstituut Melly.
Cover: courtesy of Victor Adéwálé.
Taking place on 28 September, 14:00 — 16:00, and featuring the Cycle 3 cohort and mentors of Building Beyond, "Intersecting Geographies and Technologies: on African Spatial Practices" explores how geography and technology intersect and influence each other, particularly in the context of different global practices and histories. Participants approach technology from a perspective that expands our understanding beyond digital tools, emphasising human interaction and cooperation as foundational elements.
With this wider understanding, the artists rethink how projects and institutions are created, centering collaboration and embracing new approaches and inclusive practices. Their work is tied to specific places, each with its own cultural, social, and historical background. Mapping these places means understanding local and global influences. The idea of "stitching" is used both literally and as a metaphor for connecting, repairing, and evolving systems across different regions.
The event will feature four panel discussions on how these ideas of geography and stitching can help build opportunities for collaboration across different spaces and territories.
Full programme
Under Which Conditions Can We Collaborate?
Moderated by Khensani Jurczok-de Klerk & with Elolo Bosoka, Nneoma Angela Okorie, Jesse Mpanga
We explore how diverse geographies can share conditions for collaboration, both conceptually and practically, to foster and sustain collective practices. This discussion invites us to focus on assembling and collectivising, viewing the act of collectivising as building a new territory based on shared conditions rather than physical location.
Speaking With, Speaking To and, Speaking From
Moderated by Hicham Bouzid
We discuss how language shapes our understanding of collaborations, technologies, and geographies. Inclusive, context-sensitive language helps us better engage with and respect diverse communities involved in our projects.
Learning From the Forest: A Web of Ancestral Technologies in Play
Moderated by Fatima Bintou Rassoul Sy & with Victor Adewale, Akwasi Afrane, Michael Tesfaye
This conversation begins with a living ecology to explore how we coexist with other life forms. Viewing technology beyond modern economic development, we aim to learn from nature’s interdependence and the transformative potential of its ecotones.
Where Do People Go?
Moderated by Ola Hassanain and Fatima Bintou Rassoul Sy & with Oratile Mothogae, Yasmine Abdu Bushra, Khotso Lamola
We discuss the need to reconnect with the forces shaping the built environment. Across our cities, changes in time, space, and migration often lead to dispossession and displacement. In the symposium, we’ll share maps and stories addressing the question, "Where do these people go?" and their ongoing struggles under imposed conditions.
If you'd like to attend the event, make sure to save your spot via the RSVP form below.
Registered attendants of "Intersecting Geographies and Technologies: on African Spatial Practices" will be granted free admission into Kunstinstituut Melly for the day.
