Kenyan Pundit

APPEAL FOR AN ART INSTALLATION (by Prina Shah)
My name is Prina Shah and I am a Visual Artist in Kenya. Currently, I am working on an Art Installation (art that is created for a specific site/venue, often incorporating materials or physical features of the site), for an exhibition project called AMNESIA, taking place this Nov in Nairobi.
Amnesia was started and directed by the Kenyan Multi Media artist Jimmy Ogonga and Nairobi Arts Trust/ Centre for the contemporary Art for East Africa. The project aims at the advanced contemporary art and thematically at the critical scrutiny of colonialism and the question of African cultural identities.

My installation is based on the ‘Post Election Violence’, verbal and physical. In some form of way, ‘Like or dislike” all of us in this nation were involved either as VICTIMS or PERPETRATORS.
I want all of you to be a part of this installation, as we all have, been a part together in the making of the ‘Post Election Violence’. All I ask of you, is to share your experience. Whether in writing, drawing, a photo… Anything…It doesn’t matter whether you want to indicate your name or particulars, the importance of what you want to share, is up to you.

All materials that you send will be dealt with the up-most confidentiality and respect.
* Email me your experience on kilolodesigns@gmail.com
* If you have a photo/drawing, either scan and send on email or on the following Postal Address- P.O. Box 38932-00623, Nairobi, Kenya
* Submit all material by 28th of October 2008.
I take this opportunity to thank you all in advance for your support and being a part of this nation’s Mourning, Grieving, Forgiveness, Cohesion and Healing. Close to the date of the exhibition, you will all receive my personal invite.

For those you missed the Litfest, catch a glimpse of the goings on via this report.

And speaking of a reading culture in Kenya, I’d be curious to see your thoughts on this post about promoting reading in Kenya (hat tip Dipesh!).

The African Cities Reader seeks submissions for its launch issue (2008/9) organised around the theme: “Pan-African Practices”. The Reader is open to writing and art in multiple genres (literature, philosophy, faction, reportage, ethnographic narrative, etc) and forms of representation (text, image, sound and possibly performance) by practitioners, academics, activists and artists from diverse fields across Africa in all of her expansiveness.

All published work will be remunerated @ $500. Deadline Friday 31st October 2008. More details here.

I’m loving this! It’s all about something I’m passionate about…creating our own content, telling our own stories, and reflecting the diversity of Africa. Kudos to the folks behind it (and doesn’t Nairobi look HOT!!! Hat tip Juergen!

24 Nairobi “is intended as a showcase of a modern African city through the eyes of its own photographers. A lot of times cities in Africa are viewed through the narrow lenses and stories of missionaries, career war photographers and aid workers. 24 Nairobi brings together local, regional and international creative professionals to evolve powerful and realistic images and narratives that would reflect the working-life diversity, cultures, energy and dimensions of cities in Africa. This is an alternative, innovative, realistic and professional African perspective. All the photographers reside in Nairobi and grew up or now call Nairobi “home”. This aesthetic has now been captured.”

As Erik notes, we will be doing a lot more than smart phone development, but the team has been making great progress on the Java and Iphone apps (and soon Android) and we would love to get your feedback.