AFRO FESTIVAL 2018

Saturday 23. & Sunday 24. June 2018.

The Afro Festival is one of the most important annual events, which has been organized by the Museum of African Art since 1997. The Afro Festival is unique in both Serbia and the region, and has become well-known for the truly cosmopolitan atmosphere it nurtures. The Festival offers exhibitions and lectures, concerts, talks and travel-related programs, film screenings on African arts and cultures, music and art workshops, as well as guided tours through the Museum’s displays. A special place is reserved at this year’s Afro Festival for the Kingdom of Morocco and the ensemble Ahwach from Imintanout that will perform traditional Berber dances and songs from the area around Marrakesh.

Download Festival programme (.pdf).

AFRICAN BAZAAR – arts and crafts sale exhibition

In the most straightforward manner the African Bazaar presents material culture from the African continent. The Bazaar creates an opportunity for people from across the globe to meet and share their interests, thus affirming the Museum’s role as “House of Africa in Belgrade”. The sale exhibition offers visitors an array of different arts, crafts and souvenirs such as masks and sculptures in stone and wood, handmade and coloured fabrics, paintings, batiks and decorative objects for the interior.

23 & 24 June, from 10h to 18h

A POSTCARD FROM AFRICA – an exhibition of the best works created by participants of the fifth MAA Art Competition

For the fifth time, the Museum has organized an art competition f0r children and youths, aimed at encouraging their visual perception, artistic research and creative expression. Inspired by the ongoing exhibition “Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda: 1937-1939”, as well as the representative collection of exhibits in the permanent display, following their “museum journey” participants were invited to create their own postcard from Africa using the medium of drawing.

23 & 24 June, from 10h to 18h

AFRICA FOR THE YOUNG – creative workshops for children

The youngest visitors of the Festival will have the opportunity to join our imaginary journey to Egypt, Tanzania, Ghana and Ivory Coast! This year’s workshop are specially tailored: for Egyptology buffs there is the opportunity to write their names on cartouches in Egyptian hieroglyphs, and for animal-lovers, a special drawing and painting workshop inspired by different animals that “live” inside the Tingatinga painting style from Tanzania.

Through storytelling and drawing, children will learn about the adventures of Anansi the spider from Ghana and will help him weave the biggest-ever spider web in the garden.

For those interested in decorating the museum garden by drawing and painting the antelope and bird motif, join our workshop inspired by Ivory Coast’s filafani fabrics.

The workshops are guided by: Маriја Мilоš, senior curator, Мilicа Јоsimоv, sculptor, Nеnаd Маrkоvić, Egyptologist, Мilicа Маrinkоvić, textile designer, Аnа Knеžеvić, curator/art-historian, Drаgаna Ćurčin & Мilicа Јоsimоvić, anthropologists.

23 & 24 June, from 11h to 17h

PRACTICUM – topical guided tours through the permanent display

These dynamic and original tours offer visitors an opportunity to learn more about European colonization and the decolonization of Africa, the collecting passion of the Pečar couple (founders of the MAA), African magic in blockbuster films, as well as Freud’s concept of the “uncanny” as expressed through West African material culture.

Other topics will deal with traditional forms of social organization, attitudes towards children and education, as well as fertility rites, the ancestral cult and funeral customs, and the ways concepts are materialized through museum artifacts.

Your guides through the permanent display are students from the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade: Nikоlа Vојnоvić, Aleksandra Đurić, Јоvаnа Јаnkоvić, Ana Milovanović, Luka Račić, Đоrđе Stојаnоvić, Katarina Trifunović & Stеfаn Šеvаrlić.

23 June at 11h, 12h, 13h, 14h & 15h
24 June at 14h, 15h & 17h

MC TOMMY T & DJ BOUKAASH

Vibe Master Mc Tommy T & Boukaash are an Afro-Caribbean musical duo who will bring the sweet sounds of Afrobeat, Dancehall and Reggae to the Afro Festival 2018..

23 June & 24 June, from 11h to 18h

MANCALA – learning the rules of the game and competing

Sikiru Salami King from Nigeria, Doctor of Social Sciences and Director of the Institute for the Study of Orisha religion and philosophy in Brazil, explains mancala in the following statement: Mancala is played in order to develop a feeling of strategy. Also, mancala is played as part of the socialising process, because, during the game the player must be full of understanding for his rival. If you play mancala, it means you know both how to win and how to lose. It is preparing the mind to lose. In Africa, if you do not know how to lose, then you are not ready to win.

23 June & 24 June, from 12h to 18h

CAPOEIRA & MACULELÊ – Afro-Brazilian martial-art and dance

Besides capoeira which was added to UNESCO's list of intangible culture in 2014, the maculelê dance with wooden sticks is also often practiced.

The Brazilian Mestre Pulmão (Marcelo Santos) and members of the Centre for Brazilian Culture will demonstrate these skills, accompanied by the musical instruments аtаbаki, аgоgо, bеrimbао and pаndеirо.

23 June, at 15.30h

REFLECTIONS OF AFRICA IN LATIN AMERICA

Presentation of collected works on Latin America

The collected works publication presents texts created following the first International Summer School of Latin-American Studies organized by the Hispanic Society from Belgrade.

This publication also presents the translation of excerpts from the book “Mirrors” (2007) by the renowned Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano, who reflects on different injustices across the world throughout the centuries, offering also several ruminations on African slaves in the New World.

Speakers: Silviја Моnrоs, writer & translator, Јеlеnа Spаsојеvić, president of the Hispanic Society & Ljilјаnа Bоgоеvа Sеdlаr, PhD, professor at the Faculty of Dramatic and Arts. Talk moderator: Ivаnа Vојt, MAA Curator

23 June, at 16h

BRАZIL IS NOT FOR BEGINNERS

A book-talk with Predrag Dragosavac about life, customs and the history of modern Brazil

The book “Brazil is not for Beginners” by Predrag Dragosavac chronicles the author’s six-month stay in Brazil. His work is filled with impressions and proves his ability to find hidden beauty, deep below folklore and the surface of things.

This is a vision of sorts that, through the story of slave-ownership history, cities and unpopulated expanses, love, music and football evokes the Latin American cultural mélange. Using spontaneous and unpretentious language, the author manages to skilfully avoid the banalities and stereotypes that habitually occur in the presentation of Brazilian customs and culture.

Guest: Prеdrаg Drаgоsаvаc, book author. Talk moderator: Drаgаn Мiškоvić, MAA Curator

23 June, at 17h

THE STATUS OF ART AND DESIGN IN MOROCCO TODAY

A lecture by Vesna Dragojlov about the pressures of rapid political, economic and social changes on art and design in Morocco

Vesna Dragojlov teaches design and photography at Al Akhawayn University, Ifrane, Morocco. The topic of her presentation will cover the status of design in Morocco as a wider discipline which no longer merely implies graphic design, but also encompasses in its process, users – UX design, as well as design for social change, interface design, etc.

Her collaborative work experience with her students has made it possible for her to get a grasp on this society from the perspective of an insider. Work with her students presents an opportunity to learn about their culture, their generational problems, taboos, including the social and economic circumstances of living in Morocco. According to Professor Vesna Dragojlov: Through the visual prism of their projects I have learnt a lot; many things have touched me, and a lot of it has encouraged further questioning.

For more info on Vesna Dragojlov go to: vdragojlov.net

23 June, at 18h

DURBАR: THE FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS – A DAY OF FRIENDSHIP, MUSIC & DANCE

With the participation of the embassies of Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Guinea, Congo, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia, and this year’s guests: the Embassy of Brazil and the Consulate of Jamaica

Organized in the pleasant scenery of the Museum garden and in collaboration with the African embassies in Belgrade, this day celebrates African music, dance, crafts, arts and culture.

With the generous support of the African diplomatic community in Belgrade, visitors will be able to enjoy the culinary specialities from different parts of Africa.

24 June, from 10h to 18h

24 June, at 12 noon

Official address delivered by the Dean of the African Group, H. E. Mr. Abdelhamid Chebchoub, Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria and H.E. Mr. Mohammed Amine Belhaj, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco

RESONANCES – performance by the “Јоsif Маrinkоvić” Music School

- “Africa” – song by Toto, arranged for middle-school orchestra;

- “Маi Nоzipо” – composition by Zimbabwean mbira artist Dumisаni Маirаrеа, classically arranged for string orchestra.

Conductor: Professor Ivаn Simеunоvić.

The orchestra: 3 flutes, 4 violins, 1 viola, 2 cellos and the cajón.

24 June, at 10:15h

AWARDS AND DIPLOMAS

for best drawings of the “Postcard from Africa” art competition, participants of the “Introduction to Egyptology” course and participants of the “SWAHILI – language workshops course”

24 June, from 11 to 12h

AHWACH FROM IMINTANOUT – performance by folkloric ensemble from Morocco

This sixteen-member folkloric ensemble from Morocco is the special guest of Belgrade and the Afro Festival 2018. The performers come from the Berber village of Imintanout and will be performing ahwach – a special musical performance which consists of traditional songs and dances from the vicinity of Marrakesh. Ahwach celebrates a sense of community among people and carries elements of pre-Islamic practices and beliefs, which are performed even today in the High Atlas mountainous region which spreads across central Morocco.