doual’art is holding its 4th international triennial of public art, SUD2017, the Douala Urban Salon, from 5th to 10th December 2017, with the theme of The Human dimension. This year’s event, which takes place 10 years after the birth of SUD, is a response to one of the components of the partnership convention co-signed by the Douala Urban Community and the doual’art association.

The process of developing SUD began in 2015 and has focussed on fundamental human rights but above all, the SUD2017 theme, “The Human dimension“, is dedicated to young people.
The aim is to raise awareness, particularly in the young residents, of the declaration of Human rights inherent in the preamble of the Constitution of the Republic of Cameroon. This relates to the space that humans set aside for themselves, with regard to a general global context, and to Cameroon in particular. SUD will facilitate access to knowledge of recent history and put in perspective residents’ capacity to invest more fully in the present and to visualise themselves in the future and as part of the world. Finally SUD aims to generate freedom from the fear of speaking out in public and opens a platform for dialogue in a calm and aware atmosphere.

« Art in urban spaces demonstrates citizens’ capacity for resilience and encourages new relationships between people. Equally, it contributes to the rehabilitation of public space as a shared space, a meeting point for multiple populations, languages and faiths. » states SUD2017 curator Cécile Bourne-Farrell. « I believe SUD2017 is a way to participate in unsticking preconceptions, opening up new opportunities for dialogue between the imaginary, the physical space and the social sphere, and showing the human being in a dignified light. Make your mark. Implant unique works which tend to encourage a desire to take part, a desire for knowledge and emancipation. Encourage liberation from fear and submission and affirm rights for humanity, against the dehumanisation carried out by the colonial ideology of a continent which considers itself the inventor of humanism or defender of a “new humanity”.2

For the first time, a national visual arts competition for budding artists has been integrated into the project, which invites this young generation to ask themselves about the human condition and also identify which basic human rights is most aware of.

After using their initial residencies to absorb and contemplate ideas in Douala, the 16 artists selected from Cameroon and around the world by SUD2017 curator Cécile Bourne-Farrell will have November to complete their works, which will interpret “The Human Dimension”. These will then be displayed as either permanent or temporary works in 4 districts, 5 neighbourhoods and 4 schools around the city in December. At the same time, the Ars & Urbis meetings coordinated and led by journalist séverine Kodjo-Grandvaux and a panel led by curator elvira dyangani ose will allow contemplation of the themes arising from the art projects.

Find the programme of SUD 2017 here: SUD2017_Programme_fr_A4

Finally, the “off” part of the festival will bring to life the local arts scene and introduce it to hundreds of festival-goers, through various artistic events across the city: gallery exhibitions (MAM, Carré des Artistes, Délégation du Ministère des Arts et de la Culture), or in the street (Bali), open studios (Bonapriso), performances in many neighbourhoods… the city celebrates!

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www.salonurbaindedouala.org

2 Mireille Delmas-Marty « L’interdit et le respect : comment définir le crime contre l’humanité », in M.Colin, « Le Crime contre Humanité », Ramonville, Erès, 1996, p. 19 cité dans « La Mémoire enchaînée, questions sur l‘esclavage », 2006, Françoise Vergès, ed. Hachette Littératures, p.145, Isbn : 978-2-01-279357-6