Three immersive installations, a demonstration, a masterclass and a Learning circle bring together technology and artistic creativity to construct and present narratives that reimagine the future. The exhibitions are part of the programme entitled ‘New Narratives’ for this edition of the MFF2024 Festival, and will all be open to the public from Saturday 19 at 7pm on the 13th floor of the JFS Corporate Tower, on Bagamoyo Street in Baixa.
New Narratives, curated by João Roxo, will explore storytelling through new media and virtual reality (XR) and will allow the public and Maputo’s digital community to experience interaction and new possibilities for participation.
These are individual works, according to João Roxo, but in a way they relate to each other, linking art, history and even architecture in dialogue with the global challenges that affect people’s way of being.
‘We’ve invited each of the artists to present something that has some connection with the theme of this edition,’ says João Roxo, adding that ’that’s where this curatorial exercise comes in, of trying to establish links between all the contents, both of the exhibitions, panels and conferences, and of the knowledge circles, because this way we have the opportunity to bring thinkers and artists from different practices to not only exhibit their work, but also to engage with each other.’
Walid Kilonzi’s exhibition ‘Mganga Wa Kitui’ investigates the intricate relationship between witchcraft and African religion in a contemporary context. Set in the vibrant environment of the Akamba tribe, now a bustling metropolitan community, the narrative explores the collision between modernity and ancient magic, leading to a profound journey of self-discovery and cultural rebirth.
Ethiopian-American Ainslee Alem Robson brings the installation entitled ‘Ferenj’, which is a visual dialogue between memory, reality and the digital, in an Afrosurreal dreamscape created from the director’s reconstructed memories, questioning the meaning of home and identity as a mixed-race Ethiopian-American who grew up in the midst of cultural dissonance. The viewer is guided through fragments of Empress Taytu (her parents’ Ethiopian restaurant in Cleveland, OH), to the house where she grew up and to the streets of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, through a speculative one-way conversation between the narrator and Empress Taytu – the restaurant personified as the historical Ethiopian empress. The soundtrack is made up of Ethio Jazz hits as well as an original ‘krar’ recording. The sound design is composed of found sounds, and the soundscape of Addis Ababa interrupts scenes in Cleveland and vice versa, advancing the concept of an intersectional ‘post-space’ house that crosses crossings, continents and consciousness. The narrative arc of this story is driven by the evolution of Robson’s understanding of his identity over time.
The other installation is by Meghna Singh and Simon Wood and is entitled ‘Container’. Exhibited at the 78th Venice International Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival 2022, the work now arrives in Maputo. ‘Container’ makes visible the “invisiblised” bodies that enable our consumer society. Confronting slavery through an ever-changing shipping container, the past becomes present, the invisible becomes visible. We witness the shards of society: the ghosts of the past and the living spectres of the modern world.
Michel Onésio’s ‘Objects of the Infinite’ brings a personal interpretation of classical paintings from the Renaissance and Impressionist eras. By deconstructing these historical works, the artist interacts with their essence through abstraction, remodelling their narratives and compositions to reflect my own creative approach. In Michel’s words, ‘this exhibition is an invitation to experience the transformation of the familiar into the abstract, where each piece speaks to the infinite potential of art and the limitless nature of creation.’
A five-year collaboration between musician and academic Guillermo de Llera Blanes and mbira maker May Mbira resulted in the creation of MidiMbira, defined as a hyper-instrument. Now it will be possible for the public to interact with this work. The creation of this hybrid acoustic/digital instrument aims to investigate the reproduction capabilities inherent in traditional musical instruments from the digital domain and, from there, create new avenues of expression that respect traditional reproduction capabilities and identities. Thus, as a digital controller capable of controlling any MIDI device and interacting with audio, video and light control software, MidiMbira bridges the gap between ancestral forms and new futurisms.
‘Resonant structures: montage, archives, sound and objects’, an installation by Bhavisha Panchia and Ângela Ferreira, invites visitors to explore Radio Mozambique as a significant social, cultural and political structure in colonial and post-independent Mozambique. How can we hear a building and the stories, voices and histories it contains? What kind of voice does it speak with and what kind of acoustic space can it create for today’s listening public? These are questions that the audience will be confronted with and will formulate further ones from the listening experience.
‘Healing Narratives: Weaving the Healing Stories of Cabo Delgado’ is an interactive exhibition that explores how art and crafts serve as powerful vehicles for expression, resilience and community healing. Featuring the work of women from eight distinct communities involved in the Kuinua project, this exhibition celebrates Cabo Delgado’s rich cultural heritage through a collection of woven straw mats, textiles and capulanas. The exhibition is a sensory experience that engages visitors through sight, sound, smell and taste, while highlighting the circular and communal nature of healing.
The installations will be open to the public until Saturday 26 October, with free access.
On the same Saturday, the New Narratives programme, supported in particular by the Franco-Mozambican Cultural Centre and the World Bank, among others, is also offering a Masterclass, which you can register for here. A ‘knowledge circle’ entitled ‘Immersive Narratives’ with prestigious participants from Kenya, South Africa and France, and studios such as Fallohide.Africa, Iconem Studio or even Tshimologong. You can register for all the Learning Circles here.
See you in the JFS Tower on Saturday!