THE AFROPEAN NARRATIVES 1600 – 2066

Friday 15 JULY 2016, 18.00 – 21.45

A night of music, spoken word, talks, gallery tours, hands-on workshops, and carnival exploring Afropean ideology, its approaches, and connections to migration and inter-culturalism. Examine Africa and Africans crossing continents in past centuries and the rights of black people during this period. Explore terms like Afropean and Afrofuturism as possible descriptors for African narratives and experiences as citizens of Europe today and in the future?

In celebration of the Europe 1600 – 1815 Galleries

Free and drop-in

Choose as many activities as you want from any of the four sections, just ensure the times don’t clash – enjoy your night!

Sound, Rhythm, Rhyme, and Lyrical

AJ Kwame aka Peter Adjaye
(AFRI-KOKOA) “Past, Present and Future – An Afro-Classical Journey to the One”
Level 1, Grand Entrance
18.30 – 21.45
An eclectic mix taking you on a journey from the ancient African classical majestic Kora, to the original and inspirational music of contemporary African independence of Highlife to Afrobeat, moving into a bass of heavy mix Hiplife, Nigerbeatz and Afrobeatz, landing in a new age melting pot of African experimental sounds.

EQUALS – Live music performance

Level 1, Grand Entrance
20.30 – 20.50
Equals are electronic soul duo James Low, and Nigerian Londoner Ade Omotayo. Ade learnt to sing at his father’s church in Nigeria and has since worked with a stellar cast of artists including Amy Winehouse, Kindness and Matthew Herbert. They are premiering new material that balances sonic influences from both Europe and Africa. Lyrically the material deals with how we move to the future under the weight of the past culturally, musically and politically.

Nat Nye and MC Naga – The Commission

Level 1, Grand Entrance
21.10 – 21.20
Don’t miss this unique collaboration between Poet Nat Nye and Rapper MC Naga, referencing freedom, rights and empowerment – the rest is history!

Talks, Discussion and Q&A

African Heritage Europe Tours & Lounge

On Codifying Afro-European Trajectories (1600-1945) with Dr Olivette Olete – Talk

Level 3, Lecture Theatre 19.00 – 19.25

Afro-European Tales and Narratives – New Europe 1600 – 1815 Galleries Tours
Level 1, Meeting Point, Grand Entrance 18.15 – 18.35; 18.40 – 19.00; 19.30 – 19.50; 20.15 – 20.35; 20.50 – 21.10

Join a 20-minute tour and hear stories and personal interpretations about Africans and their presence in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. Witness the pride and experience the passion of our newly trained African Heritage Volunteer Tour Guides, as they share their research and extraordinary narratives with you.

Afropean Lounge and Conversations

Level 1, Globe, Europe Gallery 4
18.00 – 20.30
Relax, chill and download ‘Strolling’, a short documentary film series created by Cecile Emeke, where she takes a stroll with people in various cities and countries around the world, having refreshingly raw and honest conversations about various issues at the forefront of their society, including feminism, sexuality, gender, race and politics to philosophy, art, history, capitalism, war and poverty… and everything else you can think of.

Hands-on and Practical

Afro Retro’s Uganglish Mini-Makes

Level 1, Gallery 25
18.30 – 19.15; 19.20 – 20.05; 20.15 – 21.00 Collect your Mini-Makes then weave, sew or glue to create a unique gift for you or that important person in your life. Make an oyster card wallet, or lavender bag, or greeting card using Kittengi fabric and Ugandan Bark Cloth
Find out more about Ugandan cloth with workshop facilitator Lilly.
Numbers are limited per session and on a first come first served basis

Future of Afropean Identity with Johny Pitts – Talk
Level 3, Lecture Theatre
19.25 – 19.55

Johny Pitts, co-founder of ‘The Afropean – Adventures in Black Europe’ will attempt to frame his idea of Afropean identity and globalisation around the following Stuart Hall concept:

Afropean Futures 2066 Q&A Deliberations

Level 3, Lecture Theatre
19.55 – 20.15
Following on from our main keynote speakers Dr Olivette Olete and John Pitts, share your views with them, and pose questions that reframe Afro-European futures.

Masks – Afropean Zine

Tunnel Entrance, outside Gallery 1
18.00 – 19.50; 19.00 – 19.50; 20.00 – 20.50 Counter to 18th century disguise and concealment, evoke a sense of intrigue and create and wear your very own personalised zine-styled representation of an African in Europe, with facilitator Trudy Healy-Potter. Numbers are limited per session and on a first come first served basis

Carnival Journeys – A new public performance
Level 1, John Madejski Garden 18.30 – 19.00

Inspired by the traditions of Carnival a new promenade performance recreates the riot of colour, noise and drama of the masquerade. Carnival Journeys brings together world class performers from Complicité with local theatre creators to explore the origins of Commedia and carnival. Join the procession!

V&A In partnership with Complicité and with support from Intransit Festival. Part of the V&A with partners at King’s College, London AHRC funded research project Early Modern Dress In Your Hands

Europe 1600 – 1815 Galleries

Level 1, Galleries 1 – 7
18.00 – 21.30
In Europe 1600-1815 over 1100 objects from the V&A’s collections of 17th- and 18th- century European art and design are displayed in a suite of seven galleries. The collection comprises some of the most magnificent works held here.

Find out more about our presenters

Johny Pitts

http://afropean.com/about/

Dr Olivette Otele

http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/our-people/o.otele

Afro Retro

http://www.afroretro.com/

Trudy Healey-Potter

http://www.dccoi.ie/directory/clients/member/ 21157

Equals

http://charmfactory.co.uk/east-london-duo- equals-to-release-new-single-black-on-gold/

AJ Kwame – Afri-KOKOA & Music for Architecture

www.afri-kokoa.co.uk www.musicforarchitecture.com

Complicité

http://complicite.org/

Nat Nye

https://natsionye.bandcamp.com/releases

MC Naga

https://www.youtube.com/user/NagatubeTV

Event Evaluation: We always like to know what you think about our events, so please do complete an evaluation form and give it to a member of the event staff or hand it in at the main reception desk.

Photography will take place during this event and will be used to highlight the event in reports, funding applications, future press and publicity, and on the V&A website.

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