The 1st AFiRIperFOMA Biennial, which is the first African contemporary performance/live art, will be held under the general title “Mnemonic”.

Literarily, the word designates a device used in aiding memorization of ideas and materials – a device used to improve human memory. Therefore, the title and its inspiration are derived from the continent, as an allegory of the powerful multi-dimensionality of its past and contemporary history. The concept goes beyond any restrict literary meaning or usage, to a wider, metaphorical meaning like a refined deliberate shifting of knowledge: it is unwrapping new perspectives of investigation, research, transmission and perception of the African continent. Therefore, the participating artists in the Biennial will focus on performance and aesthetics in an artistically discourse dealing with profound issues of identity, the power of objects, as well as spiritual and cultural transmigration in Africa.

Programme
The Biennial will comprise a main and a parallel programme, which includes workshops for upcoming performance artists, exhibitions of documentation of selected performance artists previous works, and works from the preliminary workshops, symposium/screening on performance practice in Africa and a performance festival. View full programme here

Publication
The activities of the 1st AFiRIperFOMA Biennial will be published in a publication after the event. The publication will consist of images of performances, participating artists’ CV’s, their statements, and texts on talks from symposiums.

Participating Artists
15 international performance artists, 40 performance artists of African origin, and 15 art historians, writers and curators are invited to participate in the Biennial.

Alexander del Re (Chile) , Ato Malinda (Kenya), Bernard Akoi-Jackson (Ghana), Burns Efiom (Nigeria), Dalia Basiouny (Egypt), Dani Antonio (Mozambique), Dimple Bhupatrai Shah (India), Eliu Almonte (Dominican Republic), Etongo Christian (Cameroon), Eunji Cho (Korea), Fatric Bewong  (Ghana), Fisani Nkomo (Zimbabwe), Gabrielle Civil (Haiti/U.S.), George Afedzi Hughes (Ghana/USA), Gina Ben David (Isreal) , Gustavo Melo Cerqueira (Brazil), Helen Zeru  (Ethiopia), Henock Getachew (Ethiopia), Ingrid Jejina (Netherlands), Ishola Akpo (Republic of Benin), Jacqueline Karuti (Kenya), Jelili Atiku (Nigeria), Jerry Buhari (Nigeria), Jessica Hirst (Dominican Republic), Leo Asemota (UK/Nigeria), Marcio Carvalho (Portugal / Germany), Mihret Kebede  (Ethiopia), Mthabisi Phili (Zimbabwe), Mukiibi Hassan (Uganda), Nastio Mosquito (Angola), Nathalie Mba Bikoro (Germany/Gabon), Odun Orimolade (Nigeria), Olaniyi Rasheed Akindiya Akirash (USA/Nigeria), Patrícia Corrêa (Portugal), Pawe? Kwa?niewski (Poland), Rafiy Smith Okefolahan  (Republic of Benin), Robel Temesgen (Ethiopia), Rosamond King (USA/Gambia), Serge Olivier Fokoua (Cameroun), Tayo Olayode (Nigeria), Takahiro Tomatsu (Japan), Tauã Teixeira (Brazil), Tomasz Wendland (Poland), Tresor Malaya (Democratic Republic of Congo) , Wanja Kimani (Kenya/ Ethiopia), Willem Wilhelmus (Netherlands / Finland), Wura-Natasha Ogunji (USA/Nigeria)

Speakers

Prof. Moyo Okediji (Art History Professor, University of Texas, Austin, USA)
Bisi Silva (Artistic Director, Centre for Contemporary Centre, Nigeria)
Prof P. Mashiri Dphil (Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Zimbabwe)
Prof. Jerry Buhari (Artist/Lecturer at Department of Fine Arts, Ahmadu Bello, University, Zaria, Nigeria)
Prof. Myron M. Beasley (Chair, African American Studies, Bate College, Lewiston, Maine, USA)
Christine Eyene (Guild Research Fellow – Contemporary Art, School of Art Design and Performance, University of Central Lancashire)
Elizabeth Wolde Giorgis (Scholar, educator, and academic administrator, Ethiopia)
Dalia Basiouny (Writer / Director at Artivist (artist – activists) Egypt)
Baasch Martin (Curator, Frankfurt, Germany).
Loren Hansi Momodu (Curator, Tate Modern, London, UK).
Randy Gledhill (Director, Live Art Biennial, Vancouver, Canada
Valerie Kabov (Director International Projects/Education, First Floor Gallery, Harare, Zimbabwe)
Prince Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon (Founder / CEO, Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Foundation, Nigeria)

1afiriperfomabiennial.webs.com