In response to the selected research and curatorial brief set by SOAS University of London ‘Building Africa: An African State Architecture Exhibition’, Matri-Archi(tecture) prepositions an exhibition in Johannesburg, titled Building Africa: The State of Things! The exhibition asks what it means to restore, preserve, foreground, call upon, remember and project former and future conditions of socio-political identity through the architecture of buildings that were once central figures in the political agenda of South Africa. The exhibition foregrounds research about the Constitutional Court and Union Buildings.
Duration and locations:
- 31 July – 11 August 2023 | Keyes Art Mile, Rosebank, Johannesburg
- 3 – 6 August 2023 | Decorex Joburg Design Week, Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg
Programme:
- 31 July | 11am – 2pm | Preview tour with artists | Keyes Art Mile
- 3 August | 2pm | Panel discussion with artists | Decorex Joburg Design Week, Sandton Convention Centre
- 3 August | 7pm | First Thursdays opening talk and vernissage | Keyes Art Mile
Event registration:
https://forms.gle/NeAMsKZT71Pzwm1r9
People and partners:
- Exhibition design: Matri-Archi(tecture) – Khensani Jurczok-de Klerk, Tshego Mako, Aude Tollo, Tapiwa Manase, Ann Kern
- Curatorial invitation: Building Africa Exhibition – Julia Gallagher and Kuukuwa Manful
- Commissioned by: SOAS University London
- Supported by: Decorex Johannesburg Design Week, 100% Design Africa, Keyes Art
Matri-Archi(tecture)
Matri-Archi(tecture) is an intersectional collective dedicated to the development of African spatial education. Based between South Africa and Switzerland, Matri-Archi(tecture) offers a site for artistic collaboration through design, art and architectural research projects. As a constellation of pluri-disciplinary African and diasporic spatial practitioners, Matri-Archi(tecture) recognizes the value of collaboration across multiple worlds and worldviews, collaborating across various cities in Africa and Europe.
SOAS University of London ‘Building Africa: An African State Architecture Exhibition’
The Building Africa Exhibition is a collection of stories about buildings and politics in Africa with an overarching narrative about how institutions and identities are described and shaped by architecture. It pulls together research findings from the African State Architecture Project team. The exhibition is curated by Professor Julia Gallagher and Dr Kuukuwa Manful, with administrative coordination by Sunil Pun.
The Building Africa Exhibition itself is designed as a collection of distinct but interconnected exhibitions which will be installed in locations across Africa and in the United Kingdom, including – Addis Abeba, Johannesburg, Accra, and London.