"Voix Atlantiques" Highlights Artists of the Black Atlantic Diaspora

Curated by writer-filmmaker Nora Philippe and scholar Maboula Soumahoro, the series “Voix Atlantiques/Atlantic Voices” will examine how artists are working to decolonize the French imagination through diverse forms of expression: from reinterpreting a baroque opera-ballet with street dance choreography, to rewriting the portrait of a misunderstood banlieue with high school students.

The series will also explore the social and political implications of artistic transmission. Tackling issues such as equal access to art in schools and communities, as well as questions about the institutionalization and credibility of urban art forms, invited artists will share the challenges they have faced and continue to confront.

The first event in the series will take place on September 27 with a presentation of Philippe’s documentary “Like Dolls, I Rise,” followed by a reading of excerpts from the book Dans la peau d’une poupée noire. Both the film and the book were inspired by last year’s Black Dolls exhibit at la Maison Rouge. A round-table discussion about artistic creation in schools and cultural re-appropriation will close the evening.

Additional events will include the choreographer Bintou Dembélé, filmmaker Ladj Ly, and activists Assa Traore and Ramata Dieng.

Curators

Nora Philippe, writer-filmmaker and Fellow with the Columbia Institute for Ideas and Imagination.

Maboula Soumahoro, author and associate professor at the Université François-Rabelais-Tours.

In partnership with the Columbia Institute for Ideas and Imagination