African Artists’ Foundation announces the second edition of Dig Where You Stand. On view in the former colonial palace Palais de Lomé in Togo, the nomadic art exhibition will showcase over 166 artworks by Bright Ackwerh, Sika Akpalo, Michael MacGarry, Renzo Martens & CATPC, Joana Choumali, Date Kodjo Amouzou, Dodji Efoui, Camille Tété Azankpo, Victor Ehikhamenor, Tessi Kodjovi, Kongo Astronauts, Kugbe Koffi Apelete (KUKOFF), Kwami Da costa, Leopold Ankude Kossi Krampah (LAKA), Zanele Muholi, Thierry Tomety, Jerry Doe- Orlando, Atisso Goha, Chris Parker Edzordzi Sefogah (MEGBORNA), and Hodin Senyon.

Following the successful inaugural edition of the travelling exhibition Dig Where You Stand in 2022 in Ghana, African Artists’ Foundation (AAF), a non-profit organization and art space based in Lagos, Nigeria, is proud to announce its second iteration, titled Dig Where You Stand – From Coast to Coast: Seke. Exploring the regenerative potential of art in Africa and its diasporas, this year’s edition takes place in Lomé, Togo, using art as a restorative medium to investigate the impact of colonial systems in coastal cities and develop new ways of addressing decolonization, restitution, and repatriation.

On view from August 12 – December 31, 2023, this year’s edition will be held at the former colonial palace Palais de Lomé, Togo’s first major contemporary art museum, and satellite venues in various locations in Lomé. Curated by Rosemary Esinam Damalie, General Manager and Workshop Coordinator at the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA) in Tamale, Ghana, with curatorial advisory from AAF founder Azu Nwagbogu, the exhibition will showcase over 166 artworks from various mediums, including painting, photography, video, sculptures, and installation pieces, presenting new and returning artists including Zanele Muholi, Bright Ackwerh, Joana Choumali and Victo Ehikhamenor, engaging exclusively with artists who break away from linear systems and invest back into their communities.

Dig Where You Stand – From Coast to Coast: Seke envisions a symbolic Door of Return as a ship coming back to Africa. Using the Ewe/Eʋegbe word Seke (meaning anchor) as a unifying symbol, the exhibition connects Lomé, Togo, to other Ewe-speaking countries, aligning with the call for African unity. Inspired by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s call for African solidarity, the exhibition explores themes of voyage, displacement, migration, and labor, while addressing the ongoing dialogue of repatriation and restitution. Presenting a multifaceted view of the African continent through visual arts, design and installations, the exhibition showcases the work of African artists with unconventional perspectives.

To broaden accessibility, mobile photo exhibitions, film screenings, and workshops will take place beyond the Palais de Lomé. These initiatives will bring replicas of the exhibition to rural areas, engaging students and teachers in workshops and presenting case studies for inspiration. Texts, captions, and audio will be translated into Ewe, ensuring the participation of local communities in the exhibition. Taking place primarily in the Palais de Lomé, a former symbol of colonial power revived into a contemporary art museum, its transformation strongly aligns with the exhibition’s commitment to decolonization through the restorative power of art. For the next six months, the space will be showcasing works by returning artists from Dig Where You Stand’s inaugural edition, such as Zanele Muholi, Bright Ackwerh, Joana Choumali, Victor Ehikhamenor, Renzo Martens & CATPC, and new participating artists including Michael MacGarry, Kongo Astronauts and Dodji Efoui.

The inaugural edition of Dig Where You Stand was conceived as more than just an exhibition. It was the beginning of a cultural experiment to explore the role of art in shifting the decolonial paradigm away from Western museums towards a location-specific, solution-oriented approach. Emphasizing on travel, migration and (dis)placement, artists and local communities examine the economies of the colonial systems that have historically marginalized vulnerable communities and find new methodologies in the art world, creating a toolkit for commencing regenerative economic processes. Held at the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA), Tamale, Ghana, in 2022, and at the Palais de Lomé, Togo in 2023, Dig Where You Stand will continue its journey to other locations across Africa, from Benin and Abidjan to Dakar, Senegal tentatively from 2024 – 2026.

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