Soulevements : Octobre 2016, Les étudiants Sud-africains Protestent Pour La Seconde Année Consécutive

Kerry James Marshall, Black Artist (Studio View), 2002

Fitting of my F.A.T.E larp outfit 2# for Henry-Pierre 

NEW MUSIC: 2Face - Spiritual Healing.

Nigerian artist 2Face Idibia takes on inspiration from ancient, ethereal and cosmic forces in this animated apocalyptic-themed music video for his new single about universal love.

Interesting to see him and director Clarence Peters both step out of their comfort zones. Wish they’d give credit to the other singer featured on the song.

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Religion and its reflective properties

“We wanted to capture the essence of South African township culture in the 80s and 90s,” says South African photographer Kristin-Lee Moolman, recalling the brief for this shoot – the SS16 lookbook for emerging designer Rich Mnisi’s brand OATH studio. “The culture of androgyny was at its peak, supported largely by the need to ‘show up’ (out do each other).” So, to shoot the images, they headed to Mnisi’s grandmother’s house in Chiawelo, Soweto. When it came to casting the story, Moolman and Mnisi were keen to paint an accurate picture of youth culture in Johannesburg.

While Janet Otobo is a professional model, Wayne Swart is a student who they street cast on the way to the shoot. Aart Verrips is a photographer and, in fact, was Moolman’s assistant on the day. Incidentally it was Verrips’ first time in Soweto. “(It) was a new experience, especially being Afrikaans and gay,” he told us. “It was incredibly refreshing to go to the township and experiencing something totally different to what your perception had been.” As for Lucky Macheke – an accountant – he is Mnsis’s cousin and just happened to be hanging out in his grandmother’s house.

Desire Marea is one half of FAKA, an art duo who, as black queer artists, explore their complex identities through performance. “We teach complexities in a radical fight for our own humanity,” Marea says, explaining their raison d’être. In fact, Moolman and Mnisi also wanted to engage in identity politics in this shoot. “We felt that androgyny resonates with young people in South Africa now, where there is almost a celebration of LGBT communities as a movement to oppose cultural stereotypes and homophobia.

Written by Ted Stansfield for Dazed

First photo by an anonymous tokolos Second artwork and photo taken by Dreadr-MSE Graffiti Crew in Soweto

Afrique du Sud et science-fiction

Trois nouveaux ouvrages qui vont encore renforcer la position très spécifique de l'Afrique du Sud dans la production de science-fiction africaine. Merci à Lauren Beukes qui a travers son blog promeut cette création littéraire et nous permet ainsi d'y avoir accès.

"The space Race", Alex Latimer, Umuzi.

"Apocalypse Now Now", Charlie Human, Umuzi, 2013.

"The Three", Sarah Lotz, Hodder & Stoughton, et en français "Trois" aux Editions Fleuve Noir. A paraître en mai 2014.

There is nothing new under the sun, but there are new suns.”—Octavia E. Butler

Enfin, la sortie en français du roman de Nnedi Okorafor "Who Fears Death"

Bien qu'elle en ait publié d'autres auparavant, le roman de l'écrivaine américano-nigeriane Nnedi Okorafor sorti en 2010 qui a reçu le prix World Fantasy Award en 2011 "Who Fears Death", est régulièrement cité comme une référence dans la littérature de science-fiction africaine. C'est une très bonne nouvelle qu'il soit maintenant disponible en français grâce au label Eclipse.

Nnedi Okorafor qui revendique sa double appartenance et fait du Nigeria sa "muse", a trouvé dans la science-fiction et la fantasy le genre parfait pour déconstruire les dichotomies tradition/modernité, science/magie ou encore rationalité/superstitions.

Le label Eclipse qui maintenant fait partie de la maison d'édition Panini Books a également édité en 2011 la version en français de "Zoo City" de la sud-africaine Lauren Beukes.

Quelques liens :

une interview traduite en français de Nnedi Okorafor : http://tinyurl.com/nzqsef8

Et une critique du roman : http://tinyurl.com/q9vssph

Mimi Cherono Ng’ok, Untitled (White Horse on a Beach), 2014