DÁ FALA

Yonamine works with painting, drawing, graffiti, photography, video, and other media such as tattooing and brings them together in installations that fill entire rooms. As a whole, we might describe Yonamine’s works as diaries or even archeological research. He unites a series of situations that oscillate between the past, the present, and a possible future, offering a concept of time that escapes limitation. Like the language of a Reggae DJ, his work brings to mind the concept of rewinding, of a close tie to the past, while being based in the present.

The way he constructs his works (like a puzzle) and their process of random accumulation and fragmentation can tell us a great deal about our own situation, how we all have fragmented identities, like broken mirrors. Constantly versatile, fragile identities that are subjected to many different types of violence. 
Yonamine is presenting a selection of his most important pieces from recent years at the Salzburger Kunstverein for the first time in Austria. He is also developing a large-scale installation for the Salzburger Kunstverein’s Main Hall.
Yonamine was born in Luanda, Angola, in 1975.

19.07.–16.09.2012  Salzburger Kunstverein - Main Hall

Press preview: Wednesday, July 18, 2012, 11 a.m.
Opening: Wednesday, July 18, 2012, 8 p.m.
Artist talk with Yonamine: Thursday, July 19, 2012, 8 p.m.

Call for Contributions for the 4th edition of savvy with the title: “Curating: Expectations and Challenges”

What are the prominent issues of display and curating that inform and condition exhibition making? Which curatorial concepts (past or current) do you consider seminal and which improvable? Where and how do artists position themselves in exhibitions authored by curators and can artistic knowledge be implemented as method of curating ? What are the relations between artists, curators, public and institutions? Is there a cognizable methodology in curating Contemporary African Art exhibitions with regard to Western or Non-Western curators? How do non-governmental art project spaces on and beyond the continent influence and revolutionize the trajectories of curatorial practices? Can the curator effectively serve as broker or facilitator between art and audience?

Deadline: 01. July 2012    

SAVVY | art.contemporary.african. (ISSN 2191-4362) 
Title: Art and politics – An inseparable couple? The fire behind the smoke called political art. 
Talking about politics and Africa is always crackling. Talking about politics and art is always a guarantee for a hot debate. Then of course talking about art, politics and Africa is a recipe for an electrifying discourse. An objective and constructive critique without pledging any predetermined allegiance to a specific school of thought is an important ingredient in this recipe. 

What is for certain is, arts and politics are not of different planets. They share the same playground, they are not antagonistic but complementary to each other and usually co-exist in a symbiotic relationship… and that was evident in many of the texts we received. Surprisingly, we received no article claiming the independence of art from politics or propagating „l’art pour l’art“. Is art for art sake a blunt imagination or is it just not an African issue? Art is known to be able to reflect, in one way or the other – consciously or unconsciously, the socio-political, physical or psychological context in which an artist finds him-/herself. Art and the so-called „Schaffensdrang“ have to do with a need to create, and often this need stems from a reaction to one’s immediate or extended surrounding. 
The authors in this edition tackled the issue from diverse perspectives, ranging from the economics of politics to humour as a tool for political expression. While Emeka Okereke contemplates the usage of the terminology „Contemporary African Art“, Kangsen Wakai investigates the myth of the trans-atlantic Afro-Diasporic constellation Otabenga Jones and Associates, Sebastian Weier ironises in his reflection on African art as a class struggle and the poet Ezeiyoke Chukwunonso gives a philosophical background to arts and politics. This edition also features enquiries into the works of Moridja Kitenge Banza, Robin Rhode, Steve Bandoma, Uche Okeke and Guy Woueté’s politico-economic quest. Apart from interviews with designer Serge Mouangue and photographer Dimitri Fagbohoun you can also read reviews on exhibitions by David Goldblatt, Leo Asemota, Jürgen Schadeberg, Temitayo Ogunbiyi and many more. 
Even though socio-political issues play a vital role in Contemporary African Art it would be an enormous mistake for any one to limit Contemporary African Art to political and social frames, thus neglecting the profound aesthetic value, twist of irony and emotionality many do possess. 
www.savvy-journal.com 
SAVVY Online Journal offers a limited print version for collectors (50 copies) – acquirable for 50€/journal. 
The bike is in your court, ride it! 
Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung (PhD) | Editor-in-chief 
Andrea Heister (M.A.) | Deputy editor-in-chief 
Contributors: Kangsen Feka Wakai, Emeka Okereke, Sebastian Weier, Ezeiyoke Chukwononso, Fenneken Veldkamp, Bhavisha Panchia, Salvatore Falci, Patrick Tankama, Guy Woueté, Moyo Okediji, Prune Helfter, Yves Chatap, M. Neelika Jayawardane, Simon Raven, Dietrich Heißenbüttel, Daniele G. Daude | Nina Wichmann (proofreading) | Johanna Ndikung, Ioana Muntenescu, Ekpenyong Ani (translation) 
Graphic Design - Guy Dollman | Web Design - Alice Motanga 
Acknowledgements: Marc-André Schmachtel, Nina Tsonkidou and Clara Giacalone 
Support: Goethe Institute Lagos 
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS | 4th EDITION SAVVY JOURNAL 
Title: Curating - Expectations and Challenges 
You are invited to submit papers on curatorial theories and practices in the context of Contemporary African Art. Which curatorial concepts (past or current) do you consider seminal and which improvable? Where and how do artists position themselves in exhibitions authored by curators and can artistic knowledge be implemented as method of curating? What are the relations between artists, curators, public and institutions? How different are Contemporary African Art exhibitions done by curators from the West from those by curators of African origin… is there a cognizable methodology? How do non-governmental art project spaces on and beyond the continent influence and revolutionize the trajectories of curatorial practices? 
Submissions on this topic or other interesting subjects: editorial@savvy-journal.com until 01.07.2012.

Call for Contributions for the 3rd edition of SAVVY | art.contemporary.african.
Art and politics – An inseparable couple?
The fire behind the smoke called political art
One of those pertinacious claims about Contemporary African Art is that many artists of African origin navigate in and around the political, i.e. do political art. This claim is based on the idea that due to the socio-political context of political uprisings, droughts, diseases etc. within which the continent finds itself, artists cannot do art beyond the political, and are bound to interpret or comment on such issues. Or as a matter of fact critics are swift to limit their analyses of artists’ works on such political issues. Briefly, the underlying claimed hypothesis is that somebody who was socialised to think and live politically can never do anything without an implicit political statement.
The claim of the politicalness of Contemporary African Art has not been limited to artists but also extends to curators, writers and theorists. The ever-returning terminology of the Pre-, Post- and Neo- Colonial within African art, mirrors the frame(s) entered.
As the saying goes, there is no smoke without fire. Thus, the third edition of SAVVY | art.contemporary.african. questions the relation between art and politics. What do key players think? Is the claim of political art in Contemporary African Art just a cliché? What can be understood anno 2011 to be political art? What ideological contexts and zeitgeist have to be fulfilled to categorize a piece of art or an artist as political? Is political art synonymous to propaganda, oppositionality or does every artistic articulation have a political effect, be it willingly or unwillingly? Can the semantic fields of art and politics be distinguished per se? Who are the artistsof African origin that can be termed political and who are the artists that escape these “boxes of categorisation”? What are the focal points of biennials and other curated shows within the field ofContemporary African Art?
This edition of SAVVY | art.contemporary.african. will not only deal with the politics INContemporary African Art but also grant room for debate around the politics OF Contemporary African Art. I.e. it is worthwhile investigating the who, why, how and for who related to thepolitics of hosting and distribution of art exhibitions or grants and the politics behind theinstitutional positioning of Contemporary African Art.
You are invited to contribute essays, artist- or curator-portfolios, interviews with art professionalsas well as reviews or previews of some of the numerous exhibitions with African artists / curatorson board.
Essays should be submitted in English and German (only in English for non-German authors) andshould not be more than 3500 words. All other articles should be in the range of 1500 words.Please submit high resolution images (300 dpi; 3MB) and the photo publication rights and photocredits. Authors must submit a short biography of not more than 60 words.
Submission at: editorial@savvy-journal.com  Deadline: 01. October 2011

In its third edition FOCUS once again presents contemporary art and art production from Africa and the African Diaspora. FOCUS is designed as a complement to Art Basel (June 15.-19. 2011). FOCUS11 showcases galleries and art institutions and features a series of emerging and established artists in a show curated by Christine Eyene (London).

In a relaxed and intimate atmosphere, visitors can expect a huge variety of artistic production from the diverse scenes of the African continent and from the African Diaspora. This year’s accompanying programme starts with a symposium and ranges from performances to artist talks to workshops and guided tours.

Visit  www.focus11.ch for further information.

You are finally about to read the first critical, independent, bilingual (English + German) E-journal on Contemporary African Art.
Welcome to edition 0 of SAVVY|art.contemporary.african. with the title “Where do we go from here?” This journal heralds a new wave of critical writing focusing on art with a relation to Africa and its Diaspora. In a bid to instigate new latitudes of debate and revitalize a discourse in this domain, especially in the German speaking regions but also on a global perspective, this journal was initiated. Thrice yearly, SAVVY|art.contemporary.african. will place the most diligent, distinguished and savviest positions on Contemporary African Art in the forms of essays, portfolios, interviews, reviews and previews in the limelight.
“Where do we go from here?” features, amongst others, articles on Adel Abdessemed, Wangechi Mutu, Soavina Ramaroson, Antonio Ole or Bisi Silva.
You can access SAVVY|art.contemporary.african. through the website
You will be able to access the subsequent issues of this journal also online.
We thank all supporters of this project, advisers, authors, editors and especially the designers. We are looking forward to an exhilarating feedback from you.
Call for contributions: You are cordially invited to submit articles until the 16.01.2011 for the next edition of SAVVY|art.contemporary.african. scheduled to be released on the 16.03.2011.
SAVVY|art.contemporary.african.
SAVVY Contemporary
Richardstraße 43/44 I 12055 Berlin