Saturday, 24 February 2007 | Levent OZLER
NEWAFRICA
NEWAFRICA, design at the cutting edge, is a design exhibition showing the latest and most contemporary products from Africa.
The project is the first of its kind in the world and will challenge prejudices against design from the African continent and create more complex and diverse images of African culture.
The exhibition will leave the audience with at refreshing view of the continent, by presenting a field in which Africa is on the very front edge of globalization - with strong roots in tradition and region.
The promotion of African design will inspire and encourage innovative African designers. In Europe, we will get the chance to experience new design cultures and discover new ways and possibilities for collaboration.
A further aim, is to research and define aspects of contemporary African design culture, to map and articulate new design values that has evolved not only from African culture and the massive complex of social and economic problems, but also from globalization. A comprehensive exhibition catalogue will document the new design cultures in different areas of subsaharan Africa.
The exhibition is structured around the following thematics:
Compact Living / Architectural Design
The need for housing of relatively poor people has initiated many projects of smaller residential units that deals with the situation of living in a township and contains a large impact of flexibility.
Makeka architects has developed a mobile art gallery that can be moved from community to community.
Sustainability / Community Projects
Due to poverty, recycling of waste products has always been a recurring tendency in many African cultures.
This tendency is being developed in many different products, not only from the motivation of fighting poverty, but merely from an idealistic point of view and the possibility of empowering different groups of people. The Zulu Mama chair by Haldene Martin is a very successful example of these community projects and collaborations.
The new African furniture and productdesigners are inspired by this concept, not only in relation to the communities, but also in many other contexts.
Gregor Jenkin is one of the most creative designers in interpreting the complexities and new values of Africa.
Transport
Presentation of design workshops and prototypes. Sustainable rural transport. Low cost, nonmotorized technology.
Prototypes
The exhibition wil present two to three prototypes as the result of specific collaborations between african designers and danish productioncompanies. Kvadrat www.kvadrat.dk will present two tekstileprototypes and Guldagergaard www.ceramics.dk will present the result of their collaboration with african ceramists.
Section Through Design in General
Ceramics, productdesign, textile and jewellery
Activities
Exhibition at Rundetaarn Exhibitionhall: Aug. 17. - Sep. 30. 2007
Exchangeseminar with focus on the postcolonial space as a breedingground for innovative designcultures and how we can establish a network for promotion and visibility of african products. A number of african specialists and designers will be invited to Copenhagen.
Travelexhibition
The exhibition will be designed as a travelexhibition, travelling around the world in 2008 and 2009. First Venue will be held in Rundetaarn Exhibitionhall in Copenhagen Aug. 17. - Sep. 30. 2007. The exhibition is produced by Solvgade Studio in collaboration with Professor Des Laubscher, President of Design South Africa.
More information:  Newafrica.pdf ( 288k ) - Viewed 936 times
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