Mozambique: Exploring The In Between: Group Exhibition

To strengthen the presence of Mozambican art in Venice during Biennale Arte 2019, AKKA Project will host a series of exhibitions dedicated to Mozambican artists at its Venetian art space.

From paper to fabric, from pen to acrylic, six months of incredible art and events to celebrate and discover its diversity and the richness of its culture. A curated group exhibition of Mozambican Emerging artists will take us on a journey to explore the in-between of perception in today’s society.

Six months program is divided into exhibitions and a performing event starting May, 2nd and ending November, 30th 2019. Open daily 11 am – 7 pm (except Sundays).

A collection of works on paper presented by three upcoming artists from the emerging art scene.

 

Part 1, 02.05 - 15.07.2019:

 

Part 2, 16.07 - 25.08.2019:

The second part of the project introduce the series Faith by Mario Macilau which documents the practice of animism (the belief that everything has a soul or spirit) which still exists in contemporary Mozambique. In some of these images, there is no distinction between objects and humans; the subjects are often covered with blood or other elements which simultaneously highlight the spiritual dimension – each element is not random and serves as a connection to other dimensions – but also underlines the social aspect of its function as a symbolic shelter, providing spiritual protection. Between documentary precision, anthropologic study and poetic interpretation, Macilau’s images underline and comment on the social and economic abandonment these communities face. On July 16th at 7 pm in our space in Venice, together with a selection of works from the Faith series, will present the book Growing in Darkness about his previous series on the street children in Mozambique.

 

Part 3, 27.08 - 30.11.2019:

With a look at the quite recent past, we are attempting to represent an important historical phase of the country through the works of the photojournalist Moira Forjaz, who belongs to the generation of Mozambican and southern African photographers whose work has changed the way these places have been seen by the world. Placing her work in the broader context of the African continent, the exhibition opens a dialogical comparison with the extraordinary photographs of Mohamed “Mo” Amin who has been able to document the troubling chronicle of emerging Africa in the twentieth century, often assuming a fundamental role as a witness to crucial events in the history of the continent. Presenting a selection of black and white photographs, the exhibition aims to guide the viewer through the most marginal realities of Mozambique, giving voice to those silent, everyday stories to highlight the lives of ordinary people and to share the deep beauty and hope that can be found in the communities of East Africa.

On the evening of the opening will be presented to the Venetian public the documentary film “Mo & Me”, which will be screened at Cinema Multisala Rossini. The 96-minute film is about the eventful life of Mohamed Amin told through the eyes of his son Salim Amin, and whose narration is underpinned by extraordinary images from the vast Amin archive.