Placing Cotonou & Porto Novo In The Urban Landscape

Benin Mon 03-05-2010

Placing Cotonou & Porto Novo In The Urban Landscape
By Rafiy Okefolahan Smith

The major African cities are increasingly characterized by large cultural events like "Dak'Art, the Biennale of Contemporary Art in Dakar, the" Meetings of the photographs "in Bamako or FESPACO film festival celebrated in Ouagadougou.

On a smaller scale, these ventures are growing. The "Hangar 11" in Burkina Faso embodies the very heart of the capital, the creative vitality of the country.

Waba Poster Benin/ Porto Novo workshop for artists

Benin has, too, because of its history and its heritage, rich cultural significance. We have recently witnessed, through the implementation of various actions (those conducted by the Foundation Zinsou PSICD the program, events such as "Awobobo, creating space Tchif ...) the artistic and cultural activities abounded in Benin.

This bubbling is the visible sign of a national consciousness, is important in the development process of a nation.

However, in the field of visual arts, where the promotion is increasing, many projects remain unanswered.
This failure undermines the sustainability of actions and limit their visibility. To exist, the art and artists should be visible.

The bubbling of Benin art therefore requires the introduction of a platform for contemporary art market today underdeveloped in Benin. Thus the proposed association below.

Elow'Art project

This is an artistic and cultural movement initiated by Rafiy Okefolahan Smith, artist of Porto Novo, in February 2008.

The goal is to put together artists from Cotonou and Porto Novo in the urban landscape, to defend their places of creation and contribute to the preservation and vitality of their city.

The association proposes to encourage communication between artists, gallery owners, art historians, journalists, cultural practitioners, the public both local and abroad, allowing a better approach to contemporary art from Benin.

These exchanges will encourage and stimulate participation in cultural events, professional training and will help in the implemantation and organizing of meaningful cultural events.

At its inception, the association was created to involve artists from Benin to the biennial of contemporary art in Dakar, Dak'Art, in Off. "The project has five artists showing their creations from Benin and meeting and sharing their knowledge with artists from the continent.

Leaving Cotonou and Dakar, they chose to stop in Ouagadougou and Bamako to meet local artists. In Dakar, through workshops initiated in schools, participation in private viewings and discussions, they will make a direct and thorough knowledge of the visual arts of Africa.

The Agenda

For five days - from June 5 to 9, 2010 - workshops for visual artists selected for the project in Cotonou and Porto Novo will be open.

Each artist will open his studio, his court, his place of creation, and may invite in its walls one or several artists of his choice (including those without workshop).

Art galleries, cultural venues and exhibition halls wishing to attend these meetings will be invited to associate with the event.

In the weeks preceding the event, organizers and artists will teach students and teachers of schools and colleges in Cotonou and Porto Novo.

During the event, special meetings will be held for schoolchildren in the workshops of some artists.

In addition, a guide to the exhibition will be distributed. It will include a brief presentation of the event, a list of artists and exhibition venues. Their locations will be listed on two separate cards: one for the city of Cotonou and the other for the city of Porto-Novo.

'Waba' Open Studio Workshop

Waba means Free, free. This festival is an opportunity for local artists to open their studio doors to the local public to have a look at the contemporary trends in the art scene not farmiliar to many.

The participating artistswill be afforded an opportunity to network suring the workshop as they show their work to potential clients and galleries alike.

The idea is to allow artists to work in synergy and to share their experiences. They can exchange and relay information about their work and present their own interests in holding major arts events in the world such as biennials, festivals, calls for entries, competition etc.

Participating artists from Benin include:

ABAYA Philip
ADOTANOU Gratien "Adogra"
Eric Ahouansou
Eric AKOHOU
Edwige AKPLOGAN
ALMEIDA (of) Charly
AREMON Etienne
ASTON
Herve ATTIGLA "AVHEC"
BAMOUSS
BIMO
Marius DANSOU
Benjamin Deguenon
Thierry GANS
Grek
HOUESSOU Lucien "Kaman Esso
KAJÉRO
Laudamus (tbc)
MAKEF
MEVO Guezo Romuald
MIDY
OKEFOLAHAN Rafiy
Thierry Oussou
ROMI
TCHIF
TOTCHE
Nathanael Vodouhe
YAMADJAKO Ferréol Lionel "Yamferlino's"
Love YEMADJRO Kohomlan
Zinkpè

And Porto Novo artists:

Ahouansou Simplice
Alihonou Donatien
BIOKOU Simonet
Theodore Dakpogan
GBAGUIDI Gildas
KIFFOULY Youchaou
Syl Pâris KOUTON
Ezekiel MEHOME
Virgil NASSAR
ZOUNT

For more information on this project please contact Rafiy Okefolahan Smith:

Open Artist Studio Workshop
Visits to studios • Exhibitions • Creation of a professional network
In Cotonou and Porto Novo in the 5 to 9 June 2010
02 BP 385 Cotonou, (Benin) • tel. (+229) 97 13 69 46/97 94 05 21 • email: elowart@yahoo.fr
WABA-benin.blogspot.com

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