Nana Ocran is a London-based writer and editor who specialises in contemporary African culture. Under her belt is the Time Out Group's series of guides to Lagos and Abuja (Nana was Editor-in-Chief) along with consulting gigs for established publications on West African culture for the Danish Film Institute, Arts Council England and the Institute of International Visual Arts. Furthermore, Nana was nominated for CNN's African Journalist of the Year in 2011.
West Africa
African Inspiration on Pinterest: Have a Seat
A chair is not just a chair with these gems from my African product design pinboard that are made using mud cloth, wax print and yoruba beading.
Have a comfortable weekend!
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Related posts & other links:
- African Inspiration on Pinterest
- My Pinterest page
- The best of 2011: African and African-Inspired Fashion, Interior and Furniture Design
- Interview with Furniture Designer Yinka Ilori
Images: Beaded Yoruba chair, Mudcloth chair, Wax print footstool, Multi-print chairs
Africa- and Diaspora-related events in the UK this Summer
It's not all about the Olympics this Summer in the UK. There are a multitude of arts, culture and entertainment events going on throughout the country over the next few months, including some exciting Africa- and Diaspora-related ones that you may want to check out.
I'll be updating this post weekly as I discover suitable additions to the list. If you know of any I haven't yet included, please do drop me a line.
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2 JUNE – 16 SEPTEMBER
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Modern Day Griots: Tune in next week
Inspired by Indigo
Cotton Global Threads exhibition: on the heritage of wax print and the exploitative nature of cotton production
A recent visit to the Cotton: Global Threads exhibition raised 2 issues that I thought were particularly relevant for the Afri-love context: the heritage of wax print and the problems with cotton (and our complicity!).
The exhibition at Manchester's Whitworth Art Gallery gives a global history of the production, consumption and trade in cotton and features art by contemporary artists including Yinka Shonibare MBE, Malian artists Abdoulaye Konaté and Aboubakar Fofana and Grace Ndiritu. As well as presenting some truly beautiful textile-related installations and pieces of art, you're in for an informative experience.
Etsy inspiration from AfricaDirect: African trade beads, art, jewellery and other artifacts
Since setting up my Etsy shop, I've been spending a lot of time on the global handmade marketplace. Abundant with creativity, it's a great place for inspiration. Recently, I came across Etsy shop, AfricaDirect, specialising in trade beads, jewellery, carvings, masks, textiles and more.
Africa- and Diaspora-related events this November
November's already here. A reminder that the year is almost through but, before we get ready to welcome in 2012, there are TONS of exciting events to attend. Here are just a few. They're very London-centric so I'd love to hear about all the interesting things going on in your corner of the globe – please share.
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TUESDAY 1 NOVEMBER
Launch of Afriapps book: African Apps in a Global Marketplace
Everywhere
You might remember Andrew Mugoya's guest posts about African apps ("5 Reasons why Ghana is the next African app powerhouse", "Learning from the Success of Nollywood"). Today, Andrew launches an ebook on the subject that is free to download for a limited period. Get it while it's hot!
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THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER
Continue reading “Africa- and Diaspora-related events this November”