” It’s going to be the first time that young people get to exhibit their works in Libreville ” says Claude Bunny-Massassa to me a couple of days into the workshop as we walk along the beach. “You mean first AtWork exhibition?”, I asked confused. “No, I mean the first ever in a big public exhibition”.
It’s hard to really appreciate the importance of bringing AtWork educational format in a country like Gabon, until you actually face the local context. In a city which is in the top 5 most expensive ones on the African continent, creativity is still not the currency that counts. There are no local art centers or art galleries and the only cultural programming is centred around Institut Français and a few initiatives spearheaded by individuals. It is in this context that Bunny decided to be the spokesperson for her generation and to change the status quo.
After having participated in AtWork Kampala that has completely transformed her way of thinking about herself and her role in her community, Bunny has founded her NGO Mukasa and put everything in motion to bring AtWork to Gabon with the support of her team and the patronage of the entrepreneur Tony Mebiame who accompanied the whole process. 10 months later, 24 young choreographers, designers, entrepreneurs, slam poets, film directors, actors, visual artists, photographers and educators got together for AtWork Libreville “Where is South?” workshop to debate, exchange and find their personal “Souths” under the guidance of the maestro Simon Njami.
It wasn’t an easy path, Bunny was tired, was almost ready to quit, but when she saw how day by day those 24 spirits became more and more aware of who they are and where they are going, and have gone through the same transformation she experienced a year before, the doubts have been replaced by determination. “We have to persist and to make our voices heard, creativity is the only thing that can advance us forward”.
During the opening of AtWork exhibition at the National Museum of Gabon, it was the first time that the young people spoke. Passionately, they explained the process that lead them to create their personal “Souths” on notebooks on show, which they have also curated. They spoke about the importance of creativity and personal expression. They were inspired, proud and convinced. And the media, the ministers, the VIPs listened. Since the opening the visitors’ flow is constant, after all it’s not every day that you see 24 creations of contemporary youth at the National Museum.
Today the process activated by the workshop continues. AtWorkers see each other at Bunny’s space to discuss future projects, exchange ideas, create. It is up to them now to use the tools that they have received and make a difference. The exhibition is only the first step.
Stay with us to follow AtWork Tour “Where is South?” as it travels the wolrd to inspire a new generation of creative thinkers!
Claude Bunny Massassa is a contemporary artist from Gabon. She created Bunny Studio in 2016, a start-up dedicated to photography production, which became DWABI Studio in 2021. As an artist, she has represented Gabon in many international exhibitions in Senegal, Uganda, France, the United States, and Italy. In her art, she denounces social stigmas around issues of identity and mental health, and explores themes of traditions and myths.
Executive Director Kimberly Aceves- Iñiguez has been passionately committed for over 20 years to social justice organizing and advocacy efforts that bring voice and power to youth, LGBTQ people, people of color, and working-class communities in the Bay Area. Before coming on as the Executive Director for RYSE, Kimberly served as the Executive Director for Youth Together, the founding organization of the RYSE Center.
Kanwarpal Dhaliwal is one of the co-founders of RYSE and currently acts as the Associate Director. She supports and guides the implementation and integration of healing-centered practices, grounded in racial justice and liberation, and also develops, promotes, and advocates for policies, investments, practices, and research that enliven healing, justice, and liberation. Kanwarpal believes that the purpose of her work and life is to contribute to movements, communities, and legacies of liberation that honor the ancestors who fought for her existence and survival, and to forge a world that is just and gentle for future generations.
Sagal Ali is the founder and executive director of SAF. After a few years in her career in heritage protection in the cultural sector, she decided to develop the initiative to directly support young creatives in Somalia by launching her own foundation. She hopes to bridge the social gaps and inequalities women face in Somalia, both in society and in the arts scene.
Co-founders Catherine Dunga and Marleen Palmaers created Kitambo to bridge the gap between the African diaspora in Colombia and the narratives from the continent. From Kinshasa and Antwerp respectively, they work to connect African artists from the continent and their peers from the Colombian diaspora.
Martha Kazungu is a curator, art Historian and Founder of Njabala Foundation, an organization that curates periodic exhibitions and organizes a public program of activities to create a safe space for female artists to thrive and blossom.
Alicia Hansen is a photographer and teacher from New York. She founded NYC SALT in 2008 and, beyond teaching valuable creative skills to her students, has developed a long-term support system to uplift them through school and into their early artistic careers.
