It`s a pity we only exist in the future

It’s a pity we only exist in the future
Regaining Public Space
What Is Public Space?
“The police will come and start arresting us because we are a lot of us
We decided to do with CVF a documentary about public Then we came out with a song about Maskani and the
space in Mombasa, wich for us are Maskani. We filmed documentary trailer. At the end of the workshop we had
every Maskani from Mombasa Airoport to Mutuapa. the chance to show the documentary
What does public space means for you?
Richie: A place where people can gather,
where artists can go...a place where you
can find freedom within the public. The
public space is a place where I know I can
go to share something with my friends, a
place also where I can go and just chill.
Pop: Public space for me means a legal
area, where you can do anything positive.
What is public space in Kenya?
Pop: Public space in Kenya is something
that there is and there isn’t at the same
time.
Richie: There is no much public space
in Kenya, because I think that people
don’t really know about public space. For
example the only public space that they
know in Nairobi is JVNG park or Ururu
park...but also that is not a real public
space because you are limited in what you
can do.
Pop: Yes..JVNG park or Ururu park they
are public spaces, but if you go there at this
time of the day (21.00) it’s illegal while
it’s legal during the day time...is it public
space?
Richie: The reason why you can say that
public space there is, it’s from the project
that we did about public space in Mombasa
last year... from that project it seemed like
in Mombasa the youth, the old, the young
all come together and make public space
which they call Maskani.
So are you saying that public space is
made by people and not by places?
Richie: Yes, people pick an area where they
figure they can go all time. They know that
they can find their friends there to share
about their stories. It’s like a place where
they meet to discuss about what’s going
on in their daily life and how they can get
each other involve. Maybe somebody has a
job and can go to the Maskani to look for
somebody that would like to get it.
Pop: When you compare other public space
with Maskani, in Maskani the time has no
limits, is unlimited , you can go there any
moment of the day..trust me!!
Can you explain what Maskani is?
Richie: People gathering together, sharing
ideas, knowing better each others, being
together as a community. Maskani is a
place where you are supposed to go and
feel comfortable.
It’s a place where you can come an share
everything. You can’t be violent in the
Maskani cause you will be kick out from
the Maskani. And the Maskani you have to
relate to, because you can go to the Maskani
where people play sport and you go there
and people are talking about how the menu
game was yesterday or they are gona go
practice because maybe they already have
a team.
Pop: So Maskani is a spot that brings people
together from old to young people.
coming from all over the world to develop
a project about art and public space.
We decided to do with CVF a documentary
about public space in Mombasa, wich for
us are Maskani. We filmed every Maskani
from Mombasa Airoport to Mutuapa. Then
we came out with a song about Maskani
and the documentary trailer. At the end of
the workshop we had the chance to show
the documentary trailer together with all
the works developed by the other artists.
The Maskani project kept continue during
the African Maximalism exhibition with
the release of the music video of the
Maskani song.
What’s the future of the Maskani
project?
Richie: We think that we can still do more
about this project. Our next step will
be to edit the final version of Maskani
documentary and develop another project
about art and public space in Nairobi this
time. We would like also to go to other
countries to find out what public space
means there.
But now, since we left Mombasa we are
back in Nairobi to see what here Maskani
is all about, how people are living and
talking, and hanging out, what different
activities are they doing in different
neighbourhood. We figured that Maskani
is also the place where you can find a lot
of artists. We should go to talk with this
people, we should ask what their Maskani
is all about, why they meet there and what
does public space means for them..this will
be part of a new project we are working on
the “Urban Mirror”.
Pop: “Urban Mirror” is a project witch
aims to give a voice to the urban artistic
scene of Nairobi. We will try to connect
the artists with their own communities. We
will look for different artists coming from
different Maskani, make a competition and
give them the opportunity to develop their
potential and to show case their talent.
Because we believe that artists are the
mirror of the community, they reflect the
image of the community.
Richie: The Maskani project changed me,
now i think that we need to look at public
spaces and see who is in this public spaces,
who is doing things that are positive.
People in the Maskani they have always
something to share with the world.
Is there any differences between public
space in Nairobi and public space in
Mombasa?
Pop: Yes, There is a real big difference. As
we told you in Mombasa public space has
no time, you can meet in Maskani anytime
you want. In Eastlands in Nairobi from
1982 the government came out with the
couvres feu and came out with this negative
idea that three or four youth they are not
allowed to meet up together in a specific
place, they cannot gather. If they catch you,
you will be arrested.
Richie: I think that there is a big difference.
People in coast are more friendly and
willing to share. Maskani in Nairobi
are called Base. Most places in Nairobi
where they have this Base is a place where
somebody is working in at. Then I agree
with what Pop said, during the time of Moi
youth were been played for all the chaos
that happened around in Kenya. That image
of the youth made Maskani and Base not
be really solid and strong as part of culture
that they had, that culture was taken away
from them and youth were not able to be
together.
Most youth in Kenya are considered
violent, thief. And to me as youth who live
in Kenya, I believe that youth was who
kept Kenya alive.
The police will come and start arresting
us because we are a lot of us there. But
we are talking about an idea to shoot a
documentary about all the positive things
that are happening in the Maskani. So they
are saying that youth are bad, but we do
positive things with positive people in
different Maskani. Yes there are Maskani
with are not positive, but it’s also part of
culture, it’s an expression of society.
Now time is changed a little bit and people
they are start to understand what’s going
on. I think also that the public space in
Nairobi is getting bigger. Now if you go
in Westland during the weekend you will
find people not only inside the bar, they
are starting to chill outside for all the night
and that it’s becoming a culture. We see
change and hopefully we will see more
change, cause we are bringing public space
to Nairobi, we are bringing Maskani to
Nairobi.
Pop: I think that what is going on in
Nairobi is quite different from Maskani in
Mombasa. In Mombasa, you may pass to a
Maskani when there is nobody over there
but you will have the feeling that that is
a Maskani. About the public spaces that
Richie is talking about, when you pass over
there during the day time you will not have
the feeling that that is a public space.
Richie: I think that people in Nairobi go
to those areas because there is a social life
there outside the clubs, when they will go to
their neighbourhood they will not find any
Maskani, so they can’t wait till friday or
saturday to go there and hang out with other
people not only from their Maskani but
from all over Nairobi. People wait till the
weekend to come and enjoy a place where
a lot of people are, instead of come where
is only four people in the neighbourhood
and the police can mess with it. If I’m in
Westland at night hanging out outside and
there is a lot of people outside I feel safe.
8. So you started in Mombasa with the
Maskani project and now from there you
are coming to Nairobi to develop another
project about public space..as you are
saying there is big difference between
Mombasa and Nairobi public space..so you
are going to face a big challenge.
Richie: I definitively think it’s a challenge.
People is really easy on the coast, but when
you come to the city you are dealing with
issues of security and insecurity. Me as
an artist I have a little bit of advantage to
know about the Maskani, because they all
know me through tv and documentaries,
so I’m more welcome and more familiar
to them. But if you can imagine somebody
that they don’t know, a regular person
who is trying to get something positive
in a certain Maskani or Base, for him it
would be dangerous. That’s way I think it’s
a challenge because there is a difference
between the city and the coast. It’s gona to
be hard but it’s gona to be a challenge and
to me a challenge can be won.
Silvia Gioiello
What is the Maskani project?
Richie: Is an idea started by Ukooflani
and Cultural Video Foundation about the
meaning of public space. At the beginning
we didn’t really know what public space
was for us.
Thanks to Kuona Trust we went to Mombasa
to took part to the Urban Wasani Workshop
2008. We spent 2 weeks in Mombasa with
CVF crew and together with other artists
Photo: CVF/Silvia Gioiello
It’s a pity that we only exist in the future
2
It’s a pity that we only exist in the future
A show about Art in Public Space and the Public Sphere.
Nairobi, a vibrant city and a leading African metropolis, pulsates with a wealth
of new forms of cultural expression, many of which exist beyond the frontiers of
conventional institutions.
If you understand Art as the imaginative
representation of the world, then it is not
only an integral part of everyday life, but can
also be seen as a barometer of intellectual
freedom. Art in the public sphere, the
performing of cultural expressions in
public, is a further distillation of this and
a critical indicator of a culturally healthy
society.
Nairobi, a vibrant city and a leading African
metropolis, pulsates with a wealth of new
forms of cultural expression, many of which
exist beyond the frontiers of conventional
institutions. The idea behind ‘It’s a pity
that we only exist in the future’ was to
explore the city’s terrain with the aim of
representing these fascinating phenomena
within the context of a discourse about
public space.
This was by all means not an exhaustive
show, but rather a sample of the city’s
cultural nuggets, tracing a seam of art forms
existing within different social, cultural and
geographical groups throughout the city.
The Masai Mbili art collective from Kibera
featured prominently in the show. Solo 7,
who during the post-election violence last
year painted peace slogans throughout
Kibera exhibited documentation of some
of these, together with some original
works. Gomba showed documentation of
the performative work ‘Mai self portrait’,
where he obscures his identity with large
wire-mesh glasses and interacts with
members of the public. The collective as a
whole were represented by a T-shirt mobile
with messages and slogans referencing
space, publicness and security. Funds
Photo: African Maximalism
raised by the T shirt sales will be used to
purchase the collective’s studio space in
Kibera.
Photo: CVF
The opening itself was representative
of the ethos of the whole show, bringing
together actors from different plays,
and placing them all on one stage. From
ambassadors to rappers, from citizen
journalists, to local photographers, from
Nairobians of the Westlands to Nairobians
of the Eastlands, it was a cocktail, but not
a bomb. Dj’s Ugomatic from Nairobi and
Andi Teichmann from Berlin spun tunes
that rocked them all.
So maybe we were actually wrong. Maybe
we do not only exist in the future, but we
also exist in the present, it’s just a question
of knowing how to see ourselves. And that is
one of the things that African Maximalism
is trying to do. We try to make things
Moving from Kibera to town, Hapa TV,
who place a broad range of content in
matatus screened one of their showreels
and Biki Kangwana and Jacob Wachira
showed a video of their jointly-conceived
performance in public space ‘The Moth’
in which Jacob dressed up as moth, went
onto the streets and listened to the people’s
grievances. The Nyayo Monument
Photographers, some of whom have been
taking people’s portraits by the Nyayo
Monument for the last 20 years were also
featured through the collection of Samson,
and a photomontage of the photographers
at work.
Moving over to the Eastlands, Slum TV,
who document life in and around Mathare
showed a taster of their latest showreel,
‘The Superlatives’, about the biggest, best,
baddest, fastest and smartest in Mathare.
Lukas Pusch, who in 2006 donned a white
tuxedo and performed the rich white man
in Africa, exhibited the video of his work,
Vienna Voodoo.
Ukoo Flani and Cultural Video
Foundation initiated a collaboration in
June 2008 as part of the Urban Wasanii
workshop in Mombasa. They developed
a song about Maskani, the public spaces
in Mombasa, a music video and a
documentary about the project. The music
video and a trailer for the documentary
were screened, both inside and outside the
building and Ukoo Flani performed at the
opening. A slideshow of the other work
from the Urban Wasanii project, facilitated
by Kuona Trust was also on show.
visible, we try to connect loose synapses
within the city, the country, the continent,
and re-establish broken circuits. We create
situations, we dream of being catalysts.
But who is African Maximalism? Maybe
you are. African Maximalism is as an open
source movement, inclusive to all that
want to learn the language. It’s about the
freedom of producing innovative work,
without the burden of being an individual.
We are a movement with no leader, an idea
with no manifesto, an aesthetic with no
rules.
Come and join us.
African Maximalism
Photos: African Maximalism
It’s a pity that we only exist in the future
3
Psychosafari Diary
Occidental Plaza – Gypsies – Steve’s Steak House
We started off with an amazing tandoori
barbeque at the small Indian barbeque
spot at Occidental Plaza (the marinade is a
closley-guarded secret by the owner, who
personally prepares it every day). In collaboration with the ‘turbo naan’ also on offer this meal fueled
us for our pending “I stopped
urban derive.
observed some curious courting rituals and
rolled out to the next scheduled set.
Steve’s Steak House behind the racetrack
on Ngong Road, somewhat weirdly, is a
wicked location for a party. Even more
weirdly, on Saturday
eyeing my 14th February it was also
populated by Nairobi’s
dancefloor companions entire high school popWe then drifted, via
ulation. Some mothers
automobile, to Gyp- suspiciously and started even showed up to drag
sies, where we were
their teenage daughters
confronted by the throwing down my limited home. Nevertheless,
beauties and beasts
play awesome music
of Nairobi nightlife. moves...”
that rocks everyone
Andi Teichmann, a
and even the weirdminimal/progressive/techno DJ who came est crowd become your friends. As soon
especially for ‘It’s a pity we only exist in as Andi started to spin, something in my
the future’ was supposed to play a set here, mind relaxed, I stopped eyeing my dancebut the management insisted on at least half floor companions suspiciously and started
an hour of love songs, as it was Valentines throwing down my limited moves. It was
day. As these tunes were kind of absent the denouement of the derive, when the
from Andi’s record bag, we drank a beer, emotional subtext activated and reconfig-
Central Park Football
Somehow or other we managed to get up
for Sunday afternoon football. About ten of
us congregated at the Nyayo Monument in
Central Park, and recruiting a few passers
by, we settled in to a 7 a side re-enactment
of Arsenal versus Chelsea. It was close, for
a while, Gomba from Masaii Mbili studios
scored a memorable goal for the reds. Vincenzo Cavallo from Cultural Video Foundation, countered with a beauty for the
blues. We then took time out to breathe.
After half time things starting getting
strange. The blues started winning. Andi
Teichmann twisted his ankle. I scored. In
my delirium of triumph I thought I saw
a city council official shutting us down.
Sadly it was not delirium. Apparently football in the park is highly subversive and he
Photo: CVF
ured the ‘real’ context.
90 minutes later, Andi stopped playing and
once again the place changed again. It actually looked physically different.
Text: Sam Hopkins Football Photos: African Maximalism
called his. He called his boss to bring the
trucks to take us away! We started singing
‘Redemption Song’ and I tried not to think
of the ramifications of a night in jail...
However, at this stage the photographers
from Nyayo Monument, who take people’s
portraits in the park and were also part of
the exhibition, called us over. When we
told them what had happened they just
laughed and then told us that the ‘official’
was ‘bogus’. They have worked in the
park for 20 years and know everyone. We
then returned to challenge him and then he
tried to have a go at the photographers. It
became absurd and he left. We were kind
of triumphant, but too exhausted to carry
on playing so we went home and slept the
sleep of the innocent.
It’s a pity that we only exist in the future
4
I got lost. Became disorientated. Tried to
dance to R n B. Someone was sick. It was
time to leave.
Psychosafari Diary
The future of Public Space (1)
This was the first of our panel discussions,
featuring Alexander Nikolic, an artist from
a country that no longer exists, Emmanuel
Dennis, a representative from Otpur, partnership for change and Claude Ngomsi from
UNHABITAT Safer Cities. The aim was to
mix these discussants with representatives
from the city planning department and the
police force to address issues about safety,
policing and political expression in public
space. Sadly these representatives did not
turn up but nevertheless Shalini Gidoomal
managed to chair an invigorating debate.
For a full report see article on page 6
Photo: African Maximalism
The future of Public Space (2)
The second of our panel discussion, two After a while we moved to a local video
days later took up the parallel debate of booth (pirate cinema) to watch a rough cut
how to involve artists and cultural opera- of Judy Kibenge’s film about Solo 7, one
tors in the development of an imaginative of the Masai Mbili artists. During the post
urbanism. MC Kah from Dandora and Se- election violence of 2008 Solo 7 went out
with a paintbrush and
geni Ngethe, from
Hapa TV represent- “It was the most relaxing paint peace messages
all over Kibera, which
ed the cultural field,
whilst Juma Assiago Psychosafari to date, and was a real flashpoint of
violence. The film cuts
from UNHABIAT
Safer Cities and I think my best Saturday between an interview
with Solo 7 and footage
Elijah Nvedi from
Private Sector Alli- afternoon for a long time” of the violence. It was a
powerful experience to
ance represented the
urban thinkers. Charles Matathia skillfully, sit and watch these graphic images right in
and not entirely impartially, chaired the de- the heart of where that very violence took
bate and probed the discussants about their place. Solo 7 is a hero.
positions.
We then moved back to the studio where
we were joined by a local musician playing
an orutu (a one stringed lute from Nyanza
• Maasai Mbili Excursion
Masaii Mbili is an artist collective that province played with a bow). This kicked
work from a Studio in Kibera, a slum of off a jam session amongst the visitors,
about 750,000 inhabitants. On Saturday the artists and some of the children who
21st we went down to their space to visit come to the studio on Saturdays for art
them. It was the most relaxing Psychosa- class. Maybe it was the Kenya Cane, but
fari to date, and I think my best Saturday I am pretty sure we found a rhythm. The
afternoon for a long time. We discussed afternoon was rounded off by some sweet
some of the work that the guys were do- goat cooked at Anders’ place by a chef
ing, but mainly chilled out, drank Kenya that came to the second panel discussion. I
Cane and took a break from the artload of think psychosafaris should become a regular Nairobi feature.
the past week.
Photo: Associated Media Professionals
It’s a pity that we only exist in the future
5
“Constantly negotiate your rights...”
Who controls the public sphere? Who owns it?
How is it secured? Who educates the enforcers?
In typical Kenyan fashion everything was
late. One panellist was “stuck in traffic”.
Another pair – government bods from
Nairobi City Council of course - had not
quite confirmed attendance.
That left the activist from the “country that
didn’t exist and a Senegalese consultant
to the UN to kick off the debate on the
issues of the use of Kenyan space within
the public cultural confines of the German
funded-and-run Goethe institute.
At this point the slight, and slightly rushed,
Emmanuel Denis, from Partnership for
Change – the organisation of the black
t-shirts, the wearing of which can get you
arrested, – flustered into the room and into
his place on the panel. But here, he said
“the social halls and recreational amenities
of the city are being stolen.” In fact he
had just arrived from a public meeting in
Eastleigh where this issue of grabbed space
was under discussion. Seems Nairobi City
Council has sold a social hall used by 200
youth groups to a public private partnership
group planning to build a skyscraper.
The activist, Alexander Nikolic – from
Yugoslavia-the-former, his green mesh cap According to Emmanuel, crime was on
set at a jaunty sideways angle launched the rise in Eastleigh as the youth groups
into a complicated story about a political milled streetwise instead of being able to
party that didn’t exist in a country that utilise the hall (which has already been
did – Austria. “Call it an artists uprising,” torn down).
he explained, “a mimicry of the political It would have been nice to hear from City
protelysing platforms of electioneering Hall – either planning or police - about the
politicians.” It was an election year and justifiation for this manoeuvre. But they
4000
people
had
still hadn’t showed up.
turned out to hear the “In artistic terms public
ruling party state their
manifesto during a
In the audience, an
actual political rally space is a question of agitated Italian kept
in a prominent square.
reaching and missing
The next day 12,000 production. When you the mike.
came to hear the artists
mock-up of a political
propaganda
affair, engage
in constant When he finally grabbed
set around the topic
one he rose and said –
of racism. It looked,
“go to Uhuru Park and
production
you
bring
sounded and felt like a
you will find preachers
political rally, but it was
screaming in the name
just a (better attended) up the quest of owner- of God, urging all the
spoof. “A good use
unfaithful to seek the
of public space by
truth and light and
artistic citizenry to ship”
all that. And nobody
raise topics pertinent to
arrests him even though his actions may
national life” he added. And indeed as he conflict with those of a greater number of
finished his story it was on the high note park goers, who have come for peace and
of a serious and positive after effect, as a quiet without any preaching.
new law was later enacted which eased
voting restrictions on Austria’s black and
immigrant population.
“But change the tone of that message
to a political one, to one that espouses
or extends information about rights. To
Wish the Kenya government was that one in which governmental criticism
proactive. Instead the City Hall reps invited comes into play and plain clothes and
to attend this meeting still haven’t shown uniformed policemen appear quickly
up.
and silently to stop proceedings.”
The talk – billed as a dissection of How
public is the public space? Indeed, what are
we, as members of the public, permitted
to do in these spaces is indeed broad
ranging. Comments and questions during
the hour and a half panel flew over and
around the subject – but answers were less
forthcoming.
Who controls the public sphere? Who
owns it? How is it secured? Who educates
the enforcers, asked one Mathare based
audience member after he related a story
of young people being taken to public
grounds within slums to be shot by police.
Who indeed.
Claude Ngomisi – the UN consultant at
UN Habitat’s Safer Cities programme,
who’s special brief is policing, defined
the parameters of the Urban Planning
perspective according to Habitat (Access
and movement, surveillance, ownership,
physical protection of users, management
and maintenance) and gave examples
–although none from Kenya.
“In Mexico City”, he said, “the parks and
open spaces that had been taken over my
drug dealers had been liberated by the
police and made safe for all to play in. That
is good
“You have to constantly negotiate your
rights,” said the Nikolic in response, as he
entered into a brilliant twist of logic – “In
artistic terms public space is a question of
production. When you engage in constant
production you bring up the quest of
ownership. And when that happens in a
public space you inevitably end up with
conflict. It’s a constant negotiation of
your rights. Gaining public space is really
gaining democracy.”
Ngomisi agreed – we need to make a list
of public places of yesterday to make sure
that in 10 years time we know what they are
and can check to see if they still exist. They
are your social amenities and Government
needs to provide them. Do you know your
spaces? He asked?
There was an emphatic yes from the room.
“We know the schools, the halls, and the
areas that get so roundly grabbed,” said an
audience member, “We know them.
“And if you UN people make sure you are
present when we fight to keep them,” he
added “then police are more shy with their
tear gas.”
We would have liked to ask
the policing department of
City Hall about that. But
he still hadn’t turned up.
Shalini Gidoomal
Photos: African Maximalism
It’s a pity that we only exist in the future
6
Art at Service
The artist must take over the public spaces, turn those not just into a canvas but a living
expression of disaffection not only at the evil dystopia that power breeds but also the
ignorance of power’s subjects to the dystopian space they blindly occupy
Theodor Adorno imagined art’s place as notion of Arts’ Budget to a government
one that was contrary to the oppressiveness like Kenya’s takes on the eerily saddening
of the power structure. To many artists, this paradox of Nairobi Water or Kenya Power.
thought rings true and in their work an edgy But the responsibility of the artist is to hold
contrariety lashes out with an often feeble the power system to account; the role of ar,
but at times muscular punch at power’s to act as the mirror of society cannot and
jugular. But the more the artist fights should not be held hostage by finances.
power, attempts to subvert the system, Social commentary, exposing society to its
the more power fights back. Power is a own glare, and the weakening, nay, negation
resilient adversary. Power is like a good of the stranglehold that the power system
virus. As a defence mechanism, it adapts has on the collective necks of its subject
some of the host’s cellular structures and class must be pursued by the conscientious
kills its host slowly so that it can have more artiste even at the risk of life and limb.
time to perpetuate its
stranglehold on the “The responsibility of the The contest between
host species.
the artist and the
artist is to hold the power edifices of power
The artist desirous
for the hearts and
of culling power’s system to account”
minds of the public
tentacles,
negating
is endless. In a
the ubiquity of power in daily life, finds Reuters report on June 25th 2007, the top
his voice constantly stifled and his media U.S. Commander in Iraq for day-to-day
appropriated to serve hegemonic ends. The operations, Army Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno,
challenge of the artist then becomes how was quoted as saying: “One of the things
to find new ways to communicate with the we do as part of our foot patrols among the
public. For a long time the printed word population centers is monitoring graffiti
was the artist-activist’s canvas but media to gauge public sentiments.” Clearly, the
conglomeration and government regulation eagerness of the artist to subvert the system
took that away. Then came recording is only marched by the necessity of the
technology but the ‘record deal’ quickly system to counter-subvert its opponents.
killed that. The record deal is genocide to In this instance, an art form, illegitimated
the audio activist: ‘keep it real’ and sell in the United States is celebrated at the
five records or sign the dotted line, lose the expense of all its cutting-edge surveillance
message and sell five million. Just look at technology and advanced human resources
what happened to black American music as the tool of choice for intelligence
when it moved from the out-house into the gathering in a far off combat zone. The street
penthouse.
artists of Iraq, find in this instance, both
As all this was happening, arts and culture their space and expression appropriated
budgets were shrinking. Wait, in Africa, by the dominant power and used as both
we never quite had them to begin with. The an instrument for validating the US
occupation of Iraq but also in propping up
a simulacrum of consent of the governed.
That particularly because the system, its
legitimacy or lack thereof notwithstanding,
has not only the monopoly of violence,
but also control- especially under martial
law- of the information and situationsreal or imagined- that get privileged and
disseminated as representative of the will
of the masses.
It must be clear to the artist, then, that the
power structure has a more potent arsenal
under its wing than a mere voice, spray
can, paint brush, mouse or whatever other
weapon the artist may wield. The battlefield
thus must be seen to be unequal and the
artist must loose most of the structure
of conventional warfare: the fighting
formation of the letters to the editor, the
aesthetically appealing symmetry of the
art gallery and the riding in tandem of the
music hall and the repertory theatre. The
artist must become a guerilla, take his fight
to the public in ways that makes it clear to
that public that they too are affected by the
treachery against which the artist stands.
The artist must take over the public spaces,
turn those not just into a canvas but a living
expression of disaffection not only at the
evil dystopia that power breeds but also
the ignorance of power’s subjects to the
dystopian space they blindly occupy.
Charles Matathia
Maasai Mbili
Being Kiberans has given Maasai Mbili a firm
foundation for a political and socially committed
art concept that widens the concept of art
Kibera’s people know that they cannot
count on anything coming from outside
and this is both the curse and the strength
of the area. Kiberans have found thousands
of ways to cut corners, from the stealing of
electricity to the many self help groups,
where people take mutual responsibilities
for the sake of the group or the surrounding communities.
Maasai Mbili (M2) is a community based
art group, formed in 2001. Maasai Mbili
has ten active members, and a group of six
promising art students/aspirant members
closely connected to the core group.
and has time after time during the years
recieved many proofs of popularity and
respect, lately by the American Ambassador, who visited the M2 Art Centre to
thank for peace-keeping activities during
the post-election violence.
In 2003 M2 accquired a space, a two
storey structure, originally a pub, and
turned it into a studio and a gallery. The
centre is situated along Kibera Drive, just
after Ayany Junction, and almost all the M2
activities are focused at Kiberan development, through community interaction.
M2 is an interesting part of a cultural
redefinition that the last 5-6 has become a
pronounced pan-African concept, Ghetto
Culture. Today we meet a similar approach
to art as a social and political tool in Dakar,
Abuja, Lagos, Kinshasa or Johannesburg.
Cultural expressions are connected to
specified conditions, such as community
belonging and interaction, knowledge
forwarding and palpable results. In some
cases the Ghetto Culture actors have
pronounced it fully, in manifestos and
constitutional declarations (like M2 in
Nairobi, Ubuntu in Kampala and Kalakota
in Nigeria).
M2 has for years been a strong, independent, active and well-known force of
Kibera based community development
M2 has met a great interest outside
Kenya. The group is booked for exhibitions
in Austria, Sweden and USA.
It’s a pity that we only exist in the future
7
People are cultural agents
Alexander Nikolic and African Maximalism in dialogue
a.n.: Thanks that you invited me
for the show, it’s possible that i
have quite a developed idea, about
art and public space in general, but
how and why did you choose such a
topic, and what is there relevant for
you, in terms of Nairobi?
AM: In the sphere of local
contemporary art practice it seems
that artists are not engaging with
public space, hence the title as a
provocation. But if you further
interrogate local cultural production,
and understand art in public space
as the performance of cultural
expression in public, than Nairobi
is a goldmine.
a.n: What’s provocative about the
title, and by the way, do you know
the story about the gold of the
socialists international? If it would
have been found by the capitalists,
it would have
turned in their hands, into coal.
a.n: Ok, can I be a bit polemic
about that, and ask you, would you
redistribute that diamonds, to the
mothers of the people who went
missing in that public space in the
last two years?
AM: We are very aware of working
in an environment, where thousands
of young men simply disappear. We
don’t think our show can solve that
problem. But what our show can
do, is to analyse what is permitted
in public space, and stimulate an
interdisciplinary discourse between
artists, activists and theoreticians.
So, in answer to your question, the
wealth we distribute is the wealth
of understanding.
abandoned if they don’t work. The
last decade of global culture has
not proved the theories of Cultural
Homogenisation to be correct.
People are cultural agents and chose
and select from the mainstream of
culture. Hiphop may have originated
stateside but to see Kenyan hiphop
as simply derivative of that culture
is to misconceive contemporary
culture.
a.n: Well, I’m not sure if I buy this...
but I will hold further judgement
until I see what you have to offer
in the show. Afro Max, it’s been a
pleasure.
AM: Karibu. See you on the 13th.
a.n: But you know, I never met more
than 30 people at openings here, and
even although I’m not living here, I
already have the impression that I
know most of them.. but maybe I’m
wrong.
AM: Of course the title suggests
that art practice in public space does
not exist, or is an almost utopian
fantasy, but actually this is not the
case. It is merely that the local
institutions, which incidentally are
almost exclusively controlled by
foreign interests, do not showcase
or represent this form of local art
production.
AM: Well, that is exactly point. The
artfield is limited, which is why we
hope that this show can create a space
for interdisciplinary discourse and
cross-pollinate between different
fields of knowledge. Regarding the
field of Art, the time has long passed
when galleries and exhibitions are
about looking at well crafted objects.
We understand our role as catalysts
of ideas, connectors of different
a.n: Maybe, we get later back to the thoughts, creators of situations in
foreign interests, but what is your which viewers themselves create
goal?
and imagine alternative possibilities
to the present.
AM: Our goal is twofold, to disrupt
the current practice of the local art a.n: I mean, this is not new, and to me
institutions, and shift their focus to sounds like you are simply exporting
recognise a local cultural practice, European avant-garde thought from
which is simply not featured. the 1960’s and planting it in a new
However, neither do we seek field. In fact, is this not simply the
simply to celebrate an ‘exotic’ art latest version of a long history of
practice. By including these artists cultural imperialism? Where is the
within this space, we also intend African in your Maximalism?
to challenge them, and to stimulate
within them further questioning of AM: (Laughter)... Whilst an
their own practice.
accusation of Cultural Imperialism
is to some extent valid, ultimately
a.n: And the danger that the gold it is short-sighted. It is true that we
could turn into coal?
use tools and strategies gleaned
from Contemporary Art discourse,
AM: Than we crush it into and this discourse does originate in
diamonds.
the Global North. But, this is just
what they are; tools, which can be
Project sponsored by
THANKS TO;
Cultural Video Foundation - http://culturalvideo.org
Alexander Nikolic - http://www.eroticunion.org/
Slum TV - http://www.slum-tv.info
Sam Hopkins - http://www.samhopkins.org
Hapa TV - http://hapatv.com/
Ukoo Flani - http://www.myspace.com/ukooflani
Biki Kangwana / Jacob Wachira
Kuona Trust - http://www.kuonatrust.org
Lukas Pusch
Urban Wasanii - http://urbanwasanii.wordpress.com/
Masai Mbili - http://www.art4peace.org/