In the midst of the 2020 heavy lockdown restrictions in our respective countries, our team were in endless Zoom conversations on the global pandemic, the fourth industrial revolution and art’s response. We wondered how we could be of use and what other art communities had to say.

The Prince Claus funded research project looked to realise new art communities and connect existing art communities across digital platforms, questioning the role of collaboration in art, and tech’s role in art. We waded through personas, (necessary) opposing definitions of art and connectivity lapses to explore what our previously piloted app could do in this moment.

Included in a series of online discussions, this project invited participants who are engaged in the visual arts industry in various contexts, to talk to us for an extended period of time. We tested their digital fatigue (and how much they liked us) but also deepening our awareness of the gaps that technology could jump, and the hurdles still to be overcome when it comes to regional readiness for the 4IR.

The below feed takes you through individual participants statements of concern, influencing readings, participant artworks and commissioned respondents.

An immense thank you to these contributions from Suzana Sousa, SoundsOf, Naadira Patel, Lerato Motshwarakgole, Leo Makgekgenene, Kim Karabo Makin,Mike Mavura, Hanna Mahomed, Phokeng Setai, Timothy Leibbrandt, Emmanuel Ngwira, Ronald Muchatuta, Feni Chulumanco, Candice Allison, Sven Christian, Ukhona Mlandu, King Debs, Thero Makepe, Oyindamola Fakeye,Gcotyelwa Mashiqa, Richard Mudariki, Pyda Nyariri, Sonya Rademeyer, Thami Majela, Juliana Caffe, Lerato Motshwarakgole, Massa Lemu, Bruno Moreschi, Khanyi Mawhayi, Sara Khan, Tanlume Enyatseng, Bhavisha Panchia, Solomzi Moleketi, Kathy Robins, Nikita Keogotsitse, Njoki Ngumi, Mariapaola McGurk, Ibrahim Mahama, Naadira Patel, Youssef Sherif, Nehal Ezz, Victor Ekhinamenor, Gordon Massie, Lethlogonolo Moremi, Tshepo Motshwarakgole, Art Throb

Moving forward: The digital as bridge 

text by Suzana Sousa

If I would define the digital as a space, in a geographical sense, and, in geography, spaces have limits and borders, but in the digital, space can represent bridges as they connect us to other spaces. The digital space  of Art Meets for me is a bridge, a space that connects different points and makes possible the creation of new spaces that can be both digital or physical. The Art Meets app becomes this bridge between people, ideas, and projects that can generate new elements of knowledge. 

The Art Meets team engaged in a series of discussions with professionals from different areas  of the visual arts sector to define and identify needs and concerns throughout the continent and abroad, and explore possibilities to develop an app that can address sector  needs and concerns. The networking process in this project seemed to me like a micro element for the app itself as these conversations established relationships and bridges through its participants, introducing unfamiliar people and work to new potential collaborators and/or audiences. The themes raised were broad and allowed for an interdisciplinary discussion of the sector although putting excessive responsibility on the app. 

The amount of needs that came out of this exercise is so broad that the final question for me is if the app should address all of those needs? I feel like going back to the initial idea of an app that  would facilitate a connection between professionals in the arts sector in the continent and abroad.

This is in itself such a huge endeavour and exposes several difficulties the sector has on the  continent, for instance,  the insular feeling of each country’s arts scene and the lack of proper interaction between professionals from the different countries. Most of these  connections happen at art fairs and biennials that actually take place outside of the continent. And, networking and communication in the continent has its own set of issues such as language, the high cost of  traveling and visas, internet connection and its data and technology costs. I think that an app such as Art Meets can definitely help to overcome some of these challenges as it would allow people to connect to each other and exchange information about themselves and their work.  

In my view, there are a few critical aspects that demand closer attention, namely: language and inclusion; education; art as a power structure; global versus local dynamics and public and audiences. In a continent with so many local living languages the issue came up many times in  the discussion. I entertained the idea that people could use whatever language they so desired but I am not sure how feasible it would be. I saw in that an opportunity for inclusion but also wondered if this  could be an interesting way to reflect the diversity of the continent, an interesting way to say: this is  us, as Africans we communicate in these many languages! It would be a way to think about art and  our work in our own languages. Maybe in a country like South Africa, where there is a common relationship with the different languages that is not as important but in countries like Angola we  have no knowledge areas discussed in our African languages and to be able to do it in the digital  space could be very meaningful. Again, feasibility would most certainly be an issue. Education in the  arts came up as a discussion topic as well and it is worth to consider the role the app can play in that area. Its obvious role to me is that of a facilitator of knowledge both through art itself by granting a  wider access to artistic products and as a facilitator to content producers to promote and distribute  to a wider audience. In such a case, access is the main aspect and Art Meets is a great platform to  grant access and therefore allow engagement.

Building the

Art Meets app

Which takes us to another important topic: public and audiences. I understand Art Meets as a professional based networking app, however the  possibility to have information about events close-by will probably be appealing to a great number  of people. An element that was brought up in the discussions is how the access to art is sanctioned by space, the museum space and the gallery space that can alienate certain audiences. The protocols  associated with  these spaces do not apply to the digital world and this can indicate the possibility to  engage new audiences, or at least different audiences to the ones already involved in the sector.  This is a two-sided element though, on the one hand there is the potential to attract new audiences  by overcoming the protocols associated with art spaces; on the other, there is the possibility to give  voice to projects and initiatives that engage new audiences. Which raises the issue of art as a power  structure and the opportunity Art Meets has to decide who to give power or how to distribute the  power more democratically. I’m happy I don’t have to make such decisions.

The final topic to consider is the dynamic between the global and the local that seems to me to be at the core of the need for an app such as Art Meets. The networking space created by the app is non-geographic  in the sense that it is digital which can erase distinctions or hierarchies, forging an egalitarian and  democratic space in nature. 

From what was discussed, the Art Meets app - by creating a space that showcases the  artists and arts professionals and allowing for connections also favours other sector needs such as  the difficulty to travel within the continent. In this  sense, facilitating access to a great number of professionals and potential collaborators or audiences. Also, the app brings a great deal of agency to professionals as they become responsible for pursuing further connections beyond the digital. This democratising process escapes the market dynamic becoming  an interpersonal process between the agents themselves. Another feature that for me came out of  the discussion is the archiving possibilities of the app, allowing to trace the history of artists and  other professionals by the work they choose to share on the platform. This feature addresses as well the need for visibility mentioned by some of the artists that participated in the conversations. At the same time there seems to be a risk of the app attempting to respond to all of the  needs raised and I believe that should be dismissed from the start.

The platform that Art Meets  proposes will be magnified by its users and their own creative use of its possibilities and this is a  productive part of the kind of interaction digital spaces concede us. The community engagement  was able to show the huge space for digital solutions in the arts sector in Africa and abroad, however, the digital is a tool, and if we acknowledge its limitations it also allows us to go beyond them and  distinguish what is doable in the digital and what should necessarily assume other forms or demands for other solutions. 

01:45:50 Phokeng Setai: Why should people collect art?

01:47:35 Phokeng Setai: if it is about preservation, the artist can make and they can preserve the piece themselves… donate works to institutions…

01:51:09 Phokeng Setai: in the same way biennials are tied to mandates of nation-building, what does collecting mean for a nation’s cultural identity?

01:53:13 Tammy Langtry: ‘Faith in the system’ is maybe your answer

Connecting Sonic Identities

An audio-visual experience by Nehal Ezz and Usef

Sound plays an important role in our lives, whether in culture, history, or the perception of our environment. In the film industry; sound design and the  quality of the sound itself can make or break the film, even with an  outstanding storyline and cinematography. There are several ways an  individual could express themselves and their culture. We think that sound  and our soundscape is one of the most interesting aspects. 

We wanted to explore the significance of sound in African artists’ personal  identities and their professional identities and the element of relatability in  relevance to sound. Many of us have a favorite color, ice cream flavor, and perhaps a favorite song or film. That’s a conversation that we have all been  a part of at some point of our lives; however, do we know what our favorite sound is?

For instance, one graphic designer recorded the sound of a printer as a  marker for a finished project which provided relief. While another recorded  the sound of excessively pressing an escape key to stop a software from crashing. The sounds are both relatable to their fields; however, they  represent very different ideas and emotions. Another artist recorded the  sound of a message tone. For anyone, the sound is correlated with simply  receiving a text; however, to this artist, it represented a potential for a new  project and hopeful possibilities. 

We visualized the collected sounds without taking away from the sound listening experience. The accompanying descriptions we received gave us  insight on the artists’ own perception of the sound. Whether it was  perceived in a positive or negative way and what parts of their lives the  artists considered significant or identified with, which we used as a  blueprint to portray their ideas. 

The accompanying illustrations in the background were minimal and the  approach was unique to each sound. The illustrations were also treated as  a texture to be imprinted onto the 3D space. Much like the particle system,  the illustrations were tailored to the audio files; in terms of appearance and  blending to the environment, all through a minimalist mindset to ensure a  faithful portrayal, and an immersive experience.  

It was remarkable to see how the sounds we usually hear in our everyday  lives carry a certain idea for us; however, to another person, it might  represent something completely different. The correlations we make  through our own unique experiences contributes to our perception of the  sounds around us. This project hopes to open a door for Artists to explore  their unique soundscapes and open up a conversation about our varied  perceptions of the sounds around us. 

Special Thanks to the contributors to the Sonic Identities project:

Reem Hasebou - Mariam El Dessouky - Xopher Wallace - Kathy Robins - Limited Frequencies - Kenzy Osama - Thero Makepe