Telling different stories: young cultural leaders in South Africa

DutchCulture and Pakhuis de Zwijger organize the event 'Telling different stories: young cultural leaders in South Africa.' How does the work of today’s emerging South African artists touch upon subjects such as identity, integration and living together?

Social transformation to a more equal society and identity are the central themes behind cultural exchange between South Africa and the Netherlands, with a specific focus on young people as the next leaders. Cultural activities allow stories to be told from different perspectives, adding to the public debate about the past, present and future.

Speakers
At the event, South African choreographer, curator and academic Jay Pather reflects upon current trends and developments among young and emerging artists in South Africa (through a Skype connection).

Rapper Lee-Ursus Alexander, visual artist Neo Matloga and photographer Lebohang Tlali enter into dialogue with each other and the public on their art and how their work relates to societal themes, particularly in South Africa.

Opportunities for cultural cooperation with South Africa will be highlighted. After the event there is a networking possibility.

Programme
Date: Tuesday 24 September 2019
Time: 20:00-21:30 hrs (doors open at 19:30)
Language: English
Venue: Pakhuis de Zwijger, Piet Heinkade 179, 1019 HC Amsterdam

Entrance is free, reservation is required.

 

 

If you have any questions, please contact Josine Backus, advisor South Africa.

Bios speakers

Jay Pather is - among others - artistic director of Afro_Vibes Festival in the Netherlands and curator of Infecting the City Festival. The latter bringing free, socially-engaged performance and visual art into the public spaces of Cape Town. He is associate professor at the University of Cape Town, director of the Gordon Institute for Performing and Creative Arts (GIPCA) and artistic director of Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre. Jay Pather also serves on the board of the National Arts Festival in South Africa.

Lee-Ursus Alexander is a curator and creator, spoken word artist and notably an ‘Afrikaans’ emcee from Cape Town. Growing up in post-apartheid South Africa, amidst the socio-economic challenges and the offerings of street culture, socially conscious rap and more specifically hip hop culture became somewhat of a coping mechanism and guiding light to ghetto survival. The foundations laid by the art form have led to the continuing journey of seeking/finding identity, self-worth and the right to self-determination. Lee-Ursus Alexander is working on the production of his first solo album ‘Niks Minder, Niks Meer’. Currently he is performing with Zwolle’s Brother Till in the production ‘Ons Perspektief’.

Neo Matloga did a two-year residency at De Ateliers in Amsterdam. In 2018 he won the Royal Award for Modern Painting. The jury called him a storyteller with guts. He was also nominated for the Volkskrant Beeldende Kunst Prijs 2019. Neo Matloga just had his first solo museum exhibition at the Fries Museum. He works with drawing, painting and collage to make large-scale mixed media pieces on paper or canvas, depicting domestic scenes which capture memories of daily life during the artist’s childhood in South Africa. The artist’s practice is a meditation on the healing properties of family and home, showing fragments of happiness and togetherness in the midst of struggle, and the new hope which was emerging at the time – hope for a democratic future after the end of Apartheid.

Lebohang Tlali is active as a photographer, teacher, project leader and curator in South Africa and Europe. He studied at the Michaelis School of Fine Art in Cape Town and Kaospilot in Bern and worked for various cultural organizations such as the Cape Africa Platform, Stevenson Gallery and the 10th Berlin Biennale. In recent years, he has increasingly focused on education and inclusive art projects. Lebohang Tlali is currently taking part in the Paradox exhibition Welkom Today in Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam that interweaves diverse perspectives, generations and histories of the South African city Welkom (on view until 13 October 2019).