The event also referred to as ‘A Travelling “Afropolitan” Comics Exhibition’ head home to six major Southern African cities in Zambia, Lesotho, South Africa and Botswana.
A statement from the Alliance Française Gaborone says the exhibition is a roadmap dedicated to the discovery of comics from Sub-Saharan Africa through three focal points: in the past, present and future.
Presented in partnership with the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and French Alliances, the organisers say the exhibition Kubuni which translates to “imaginary creation” in Swahili, takes viewers on a journey of discovery of comics whose story takes place in Africa, and/or are made by authors from Sub-Saharan Africa and the Diaspora.
The Gaborone exhibition will take place following the one held at the Alliance Française Port Elizabeth. It presents works that draw their inspiration from ancient traditions but also from more recent cultures. The comics to be exhibited are conceived and distributed in the West and on the African continent, emphasising the global nature of the context in which they are set.
In addition, the organisers said there will also be an online panel discussion during the official opening on June 29 from 5pm-7pm. "The panel will feature prominent illustrators and experts in the field of African comic books who will discuss the impact of African illustration and literature on the global stage. The online panel will be free and open to everyone.
The speakers for this inaugural conference include Joëlle Épée Mandengue: cultural entrepreneur and the director of Bilili Festival in Brazzaville as well as a comic book author who will be announced in due course," read part of the statement. The exhibition will then travel to the Alliance Française establishments in Lusaka (Zambia), Maseru (Lesotho), Pretoria and to IFAS’s Dibuka Library, located at the Alliance Française of Johannesburg, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Furthermore, the organisers say this collaboration of the five Alliances Françaises and IFAS is made possible with the support of the Fonds Médiathèque XXI, a Call for Projects for French speaking libraries.
The touring exhibition is a bilingual adaptation of the exhibition first held at the Cité de la BD in Angouleme, which also host city of the International Comic Book Festival curated by Joëlle Epée Mandengue and Jean-Philippe Martin. Meanwhile, Sophie Boulé Cultural Attaché of France to South Africa and Deputy Director of IFAS said the exhibition is one of France’s imperatives to bring to life the spirit of the Africa-France Summit in Montpellier in 2021 and to ignite meaningful exchanges with their Southern African partners, especially in the field of the creative industries.
For her part, the Director of the Alliance Française of Gaborone Angélique Saverino said with the Kubuni exhibition, they are thrilled to showcase the extraordinary work of over 50 talented artists from the Sub-Saharan African continent. "Building on the success of our recent exhibition featuring the work of the renowned comic artist Hector Sonon from Benin, Kubuni promises to captivate audiences with its diverse and vibrant collection of comics. Recognising the educational value of comics as a medium, our teachers have developed pedagogical material that will enhance the exhibition's accessibility to schools, students, and teachers. This initiative aims to create a valuable learning experience, inspiring young minds to explore the diverse cultural heritage and creative potential within Sub-Saharan African comics," said Saverino.
