Africa in VR – Urban Africa, Urban Movies
Current productions from Dakar, Lagos, Accra, Nairobi and Johannesburg
Wed, 17 November – Sun, 21 November 2021
| free admission |
| no ticket necessary |
| Admission to the VR Lounge is free, with limited use of individual VR stations. There may be waiting times. |
| English and French with English sign language interpretation |
| English, French |
| Accessible for wheelchairs |
| Kleines Foyer, EG |
The Virtual Reality Lounge in the Humboldt Forum shows current productions from Dakar, Lagos, Accra, Nairobi and Johannesburg accompanying the festival program.
In collaboration with the South African non-profit incubator Electric South, Africamera 2021: Urban Africa, Urban Movies will present five VR and 360° productions that deal with life in the metropolises of Nairobi, Accra, Lagos, Dakar and Johannesburg in very different artistic ways.
At the interface between film, visual art, fashion and gaming, expanded forms of cinematographic experience become possible.
Curation
Florian Wachinger
Programme
Jumoke Sanwo | Nigeria, South Africa 2019 | 11 min
Where does the real Lagos begin and where does it end? Lagos from 5.20 pm to 10 pm
Guided by the words of spoken word artist Njideka Iroh, director Jumoke Sanwo’s camera moves through various urban spaces of the mega-metropolis on foot, by bus and by car – past marketplaces, public monuments, places of leisure. In this way, a narrative unfolds that addresses issues of class division, international development, economic policy, and the differences between those who have returned from the diaspora and those who have never left Lagos – a foray through the imaginary as well as the material space of Lagos in which autobiographical and critical engagement intermingle.
Ng’endo Mukii | Kenya 2018 | 7:51 min
“Nairobi, I love you most”. With her VR work Nairobi Berries, director and photographer Ng’endo Mukii from Kenya presents a poetic examination of her hometown Nairobi in expressive, surreal images between real film and animation – carried by her voice, poetry meets VR art in this production.
Selly Raby Kane | Senegal 2017 | 7:35 min
Senegalese fashion designer Selly Raby Kane presents a fascinating 360° work in which a little girl is chosen to discover the invisible Dakar. Senegalese mythology meets fashion designs that have already inspired artists such as Beyoncé, Nai Palm (Hiatus Kaiyote) and DaaraJ.
Jonathan Dotse | Ghana 2017 | 8:34 min
The VR work of the science fiction author and founder of the website Afrocyberpunk Jonathan Dotse from Ghana gives insight into the Chale Wote Street Art Festival with images and quotes from participating artists*. It takes place since 2011 in the Ghanaian capital Accra and wants to give the local urban art scene a visibility in the public space. The festival defines itself as a space for collaboration and social exchange.
Shelley Berry | South Africa 2019 | 10:13 min
In front of the skyline of Johannesburg-Hillbrow, various artists with disabilities perform their vision of inclusion and empowerment in post-apartheid South Africa. The VR production by multi-award-winning South African director Shelley Berry Arbeit, who is wheelchair-bound after an assault, celebrated its world premiere at the 2019 National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa.