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Imagine how excited I was to get a shout-out from two-time Grammy award winning hip-hop group and champions of advancement and equality, Arrested Development. Their classic hit "People Everyday" will never fail to get heads nodding, hands raising and hips shaking and Arrested Development are still busy creating great music! Today, enjoy Speech's latest video, "I'ma Fight Back Right Now"
Photograph via the Arrested Development website
I posted about John Kaveke a couple of weeks ago, in advance of his London Fashion Week debut. Today, the busy Kenyan fashion designer shares some of his inspiration …
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What are your passions?
Fashion, wildlife and cycling
What inspired you to get into fashion?
I was always an artist before I became a designer. I am intrigued by the process of innovation.
What has been your greatest obstacle/challenge?
The lack of a vibrant textile industry in Kenya.
How have you dealt with/overcome it?
By using local Khanga fabric and also buying fabrics from outside Kenya.
What is your greatest achievement?
Being recognized as "Must-watch Menswear Designer in Africa".
Where will you be in 10 years?
Still designing in the fashion industry and mentoring young local designers.
How does Africa inspire you?
The culture and raw materials.
Anything else you'd like to share?
Africans need to put as much energy in Africa as they do in Europe because we need to also develop our own industries.
Anything we should look out for in the coming weeks/months/year?
A revolution in the menswear fashion industry, locally and internationally.
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Images courtesy of John Kaveke
As September draws to a close, I'm getting geared up for a bunch of exciting events in October. I'm one of those people who plans her social calendar waaaay in advance and diligently researches to find Afri-love-inspiring events. Not always easy but definitely worth it! I thought that I'd spare you some of the time and effort and compile all the Africa and Diaspora related events that I find each month. I also hope to tap into the power of crowd-sourcing to create an even richer listing for all of us. I invite you to share the great discoveries that you make in your "yard" (see the bottom of this post for details). Enjoy!
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MONTH-LONG EVENTS
Black History Month (UK) events in Islington
London
Islington Council is organising a variety of free and low cost film screenings, exhibitions, talks, readings, poetry and performances inspiring and connecting communities to historical legacies and Black experience today
Download Islington Black History Month 2011- Arts and Culture events
Download Islington Black History Month 2011 - Business and Enterprise events
Download Islington Black History Month 2011 - Schools activities
Afrika Eye Film Festival
London
Afrika Eye Film Festival showcases films that tell stories told by African and diaspora voices. Bringing together local African and Afro-Caribbean communities with international figures in film, music, and dance, Afrika Eye aims to offer an insight into African culture both on and beyond the screen.
I am thenublack exhibition
London, Wednesday 5 - Saturday 29 October
Celebrating the talents of a generation of youth born to parents of the African Diaspora, this exhibition presents artists who have been inspired by the positive influence of their forbearers. Through a variety of disciplines from illustration to photography this collection of work conveys the rich heritage of contemporary Black culture.
Download flyer
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SATURDAY 1 OCTOBER
Black History Live 2011
London, 10am - 6pm
(Also on Sunday 2 October, 10am - 5pm)
A cultural extravaganza at Wembey Stadium celebrating the start of Black History Month. A fun-packed day for all the family
Run the Sahara 2012 Launch
London, 3 - 5:50pm
Featuring a screening of the award-winning documentary El Problema, readings by acclaimed playwright and poet Inua Ellams and preview of The Runner.Sandblast’s 4th annual campaign of Run the Sahara will help raise funds for its exciting new music empowerment initiative –Studio Live – in the Saharawi refugee camps in SW Algeria aiming to enable artists to develop professionally and reach international audiences through music and express their culture and struggle more widely.
Black Sound Series: The Afterparty
Manchester, 9pm 'til late
A free evening of live music, with performances from Tsana, Sparkz, Young Identity, Media Drop and DJ sets from Phaze One and Irfan Rainy until the small hours.
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TUESDAY 4 OCTOBER
Insight with Robert King: The Angola 3 and their fight for justice
London, 7pm
Robert King at the Frontline Club, in conversation with founder and director of Reprieve, Clive Stafford Smith to recount his personal story of injustice and how his life’s focus now is to campaign against abuses in the criminal justice system and for the freedom of Black Panthers, Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox who are now serving their 40th year in solitary confinement.
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WEDNESDAY 12 OCTOBER
Freestyle Fictionary
Manchester, 8:30pm
Freestyle Fictionary is an event based on freestyle word games, it is accessible to all, whether Hip Hop heads or not, it is witty, light-hearted, and includes audience participation.
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FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER
I am Osunlade
Manchester, 11:30pm
A 6 hour marathon set by my favourite DJ! House music all night long …
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MONDAY 17 OCTOBER
The Black British Filmmaker's Guide to Success
London, 6pm - 8pm
Seasoned film commentator, Nadia Denton, discusses her book, The Black British Filmmaker's Guide to Success: Finance, Market and Distribute Your Film.
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WEDNESDAY 19 OCTOBER
Black LGBT Shorts Programme
London, 7 - 8:30pm
A moving programme of six short films from around the world exploring the experience of being Black and gay, from Australia, South Africa to an estate in South London.
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FRIDAY 21 OCTOBER
Insight with Nawal El Saadawi
London, 7pm
The internationally renowned Egyptian writer, novelist and activist Nawal El Saadawi will be celebraing her 80th birthday at the Frontline Club, discussing her life's work and the launch of a foundation that will embody the themes, ethos and characteristics that have shaped it.
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SATURDAY 22 OCTOBER
Manchester Literature Festival: Jean 'Binta' Breeze
Manchester, 7:30pm
Internationally renowned Jamaican ‘dub’ poet, director and playwright Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze’s words are personal and political and her electric stage presence and rhythmic wordplay has mesmerized audiences around the world.
Whether speaking about Third World poverty, reggae music, inner-city life, the Caribbean or family, she weaves together themes that challenge and celebrate human experience in all its many forms. She will be joined by members of Speakeasy People and Contact’s Key Partner Company, Young Identity.
SOAS World Music Stage at the Bloomsbury Festival
London, 12 - 7:30pm (and Sunday, 12 - 5:00pm)
A free concert series brought to you by my alma mater, The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) – the UK’s premier academic institution dedicated to the research and development of non-Western cultures, traditions and languages. Acts include:
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WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER
Viva Riva! Screening
London, 7pm
For charismatic criminal, Riva, as sudden burst of stolen wealth ignites an exhilarating, hedonistic and perilous journey through one of the most intriguing cities in Africa – Kinshasha.
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What's good in your city this October? Leave a comment to share.
Event listings – If you'd like me to list your event in November and beyond, please drop me an email by the 21st of October via address: afrilovemail [at] gmail [dot] com.
Want to stay up to date with events, and received Afri-love posts directly into your inbox? Subscribe here.
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Osunlade photo via Resident Advisor; Nawal El Saadawi photo via bikyamasr
If you were following the preparations I was making to exhibit some work at the Didsbury Arts Festival, above are some pictures of the results! View more over on Flickr. If you're in Manchester some time before the end of this Saturday, pay Fusion Deli a visit to see the work in the flesh. If you're interested in purchasing any prints, bags or aprons, you can do so over on Etsy.
If you missed last week's posts, here they are:
As well as looking forward to exhibiting at the Didsbury Arts Festival, I'm really looking forward to a good lineup of events. The following ones are inked in my diary:
Sunday 25th September
Hoodies – hip-hop dance theatre from Fighting Fit Productions
Speakfreaky Performance Poetry & Open Mic Night – featuring the Speakeasy Crew
World Music – from the Sargasso Township Jazz Band
Monday 26th September
Young Identity – words and drama from this multi-disciplinary young collective
Tuesday 27th September
A reading by Jackie Kay – an evening with the fantastic award-winning Scottish writer of Nigerian origin
Thursday 29th September
Sister Talk – An evening of expression from "a wholesome host of Mancunia's finest female poets, wordsmiths and singers"
Find out more information on the Festival website. Look forward to bumping into you, Mancunians!
Images of the Young Identity collective and Jackie Kay are via the Festival website
It's quite fortuitous that I live with a screen printer. Lus of Creativity and Noise has turned our living room into a makeshift studio, where he's been printing my artwork on paper, tees, aprons, cardboard, the floor … turning the vision into more of a reality, day by day. Above are some shots I sneaked, including of Lus himself!
In case you missed this week's previous posts:
Stay tuned for more tomorrow!
Above, some of the inspiration for the exhibition/installation I'm preparing for, Adorned. Along with circles and patterns, I'm obssessed with adornment, in its many interpretations and expressions.
Peter at Fusion Deli is to thank for steering me in the food direction. He asked me if any of my work had to do with food and, up until that point, it didn't. As I opened my mind to the idea, all these playful images started to fill my mind and make their way into reality, via experiments on-screen and on paper. Stay tuned for tomorrow's chapter where I rope in a little help from some friends …
Botanical illustration by Ernst Haeckel via The Sea of Tea; Yves Saint Laurent ring on Net-a-Porter; tentacles photo by locket479 on Flickr, woody plant cross-section via PAXcam.com; trees watercolour by Stina Persson; cross-section print by Degree; belts by Adele Dejak; painted wardrobe by Sans Parapluie.
The week's art theme continues …
I made it to the AACDD exhibit at the Bargehouse, last week. With African and African-Caribbean artists representing several art and design disciplines (however video and animation were noticeably absent), it's definitely worth a visit. The show is open until the 25th so you still have some time. Visit the Afri-love Facebook page to see more of the pieces that especially caught my eye.
Photos taken on my phone (i.e. they do not do the work justice), with permission of the AACDD.
Top: A beautiful installation inspired by Ethiopian and Eritrean coffee ceremonies – 'Derdja', by Jonathan Hagos
Mid left: Table by Yinka Ilori
Mid right: Dovetail stool by Taslim Martin
Bottom left: By Berjo Mouanga
Bottom right: (if anyone has the name of the artist, please let me know)
The annual, multi-disciplinary Didsbury Arts Festival is just around the corner and I've been busy preparing my contribution. Once again, I'll be taking part in "Art Over the Counter", where I'll be partnering with a local business whose premises will host my work. You might remember my Female Relations paintings from last year. This time, I'll be staging a display of prints, wearables and random hanging things at Fusion Deli.
The exhibition starts this Saturday and every day this week, I'll be sharing with you the inspiration for my exhibit, Adorned, as well as the process of getting everything ready.
If you haven't already, check out Makafui's blog about learning to live between two worlds (something I'm sure several people can relate to, in one way or another!), That African Girl.
She has a great series called "Behind the words", where she interviews bloggers. I'm very honoured to be the latest subject in the series – check out the post out here. Thanks Makafui!
