In Africa and in the diasporas, a strong performative landscape has been coming to the fore since the 1980s. This is linked, on the one hand, to a scathing critique of the deadly effects of capitalism, both in the long term and in its present sense, and, on the other hand, to the elaboration of possible alternatives, linked to the hope of less violently divided futures. The main focus of Performative Utopias is the deployment of performance in Africa and in the diasporas for the purpose of transgression. In the wake of contemporary artists, the aim is to reflect on the intersections between performative acts and political contestation.
Built around performances, lectures and film screenings by performers, as well as interventions by researchers and artist/researcher dialogues, these three days will be centred on two main themes:
• Making performance to make politics: politics of the capitalocene, politics of the body in struggle.
• Against the myth of self-taught performance: currents, transmissions, filiations.
With the artists*: Laetitita Ajanohun, M’barka Amor, Aurélien Arnoux, Jelili Atiku, Sammy Baloji, Lucas Bervin-Almeida, Ana Bloom, Aurore Déon, Jules Romain Djihounouck, Julie Djikey, Vhan Olsen Dombo, Fabiana Ex-Souza, Nicolas Faubert, André Fernandez, Michiko Fou, Justine Gaga, Amin Gulgee, Mayara Haddour, Dunja Herzog, Raymond Hosny, Androa Mindre Kolo, Kongo Astronauts, Gosette Lubondo, Lamyne M, Nelson Makengo, Lionel Manga, Hura Mirshekari, Orakle, Aida Nosrat, Precy Numbi, Jay Pather, Alain Polo, Christiane Prince, Yasmina Reggad, Maria Sawizki, Dread Scott, Tess Selgi, Zora Snake, Abi Tariq, Hervé Yamguen, Mehdi Yarmohammadi, Nelisiwe Xaba.
And the speakers*: Sara Alonso Gómez, Lotte Arndt, Catherine Cole, Filip De Boeck, Marinette Jeannerod, Dominique Malaquais, Cléophée Moser, Valérie Osouf, Julie Peghini, Nataša Petrešin-Bachelez, Malika Rahal, Joseph Tonda.
*Subject to change.
This event is part of the Africa 2020 Season.