Contact: Lucia Babina (cultural producer) and Emiliano Gandolfi (curator), in collaboration with Alexander Vollebregt (Urban Body/TU Delft)
iStrike Foundation is an organization which aims at highlighting new dynamics of intercultural exchange and international cultural co-operation. To stress and overcome definitions of culture, identity, diversity and development, iStrike Foundation produces visual representations of territories, focuses on the environment and strengthens the idea of resources, avoiding activities based simply on “problem solving”. iStrike Foundation is based in Rotterdam, and operates on both a local and an international level. They will host Lionel Manga.
Organization: Het Wilde Weten, Rotterdam in collaboration with Duende, Rotterdam
Contact: Kim Bouvy (artist)
Het Wilde Weten is a vibrant meeting point in the Rotterdam art scene and a building that houses the studios of 20 artists. It is also a public platform for all forms of contemporary art, cultural exchange, discussion and debate about current issues and developments within the arts. The program is open to the public and consists of exhibitions, presentations, artist talks, discussions, events and festivals and is organized by its residents and invited artists and curators. Kim Bouvy is an artist and a member of Het Wilde Weten. Working primarily with text and photography, she is interested in the contemporary ‘Condition Urbaine’, exploring the way our often urban surroundings are perceived, valued and reflected in our visual culture, architecture and urbanism. Talking about! would therefore be the moment to see what could be beneficial to artists in the Rotterdam and in Douala. They will host Goddy Leye and Hervé Youmbi.
Organization: Duende, Rotterdam
Contact: Karin Trenkel (artist) and David Maroto (artist)
Duende is a self-organized and independent artist-cooperative housed in a building that provides 42 studios where independent artists carry out their work on a professional basis. As a cooperative, Duende is looking back on a 20-year history with a broad range of activities and manifestations. Duende understands itself as an initiative that wants to stimulate discussion and reflection about art, inside and out of our daily practice. Plurality and flexibility are prepositions for an active debate and exchange of ideas. Duende has the intention to function as a platform, providing space and opportunity for international influences to emerge in the local circuit via the actual practice. They will interact with Goddy Leye and Hervé Youmbi.
Organization: Fucking Good Art magazine, Rotterdam
Contact: Rob Hamelijnck & Nienke Terpsma (artists, editors)
Fucking Good Art was first published December 2003 and is published in print and on the internet. An folded A3-A5 pink pamphlet appears on an irregular basis and is distributed for free. A paperback edition, FGA#10 – The Interviews was produced in the context of 'Project Rotterdam' by museum Boijmans van Beuningen, and FGA#12 – International edition / Berlin during a residency (published by episode-publishers, Rotterdam). Working with cultural practitioners from Douala would be an extension of the editors’ increasingly international outlook, giving them an insight into future possibilities for working in Douala, but also acting as a critical eye on the Talking about! project itself, and allowing all participants to think about how the conversations experienced during the week can be recorded, used and distributed. They will host Achillekà Komguen.
Organization: Witte de With, Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam
Contact: Zoë Gray (curator)
Witte de With, Center for Contemporary Art, has long been interested in the non-Western art world. However, rather than creating projects that pigeon-hole non-Western art into limited elements of the exhibition and education program, director Nicolaus Schafhausen prefers a more over-arching approach, which puts the emphasis on professional exchange concerning cultural practices, and thus a deeper understanding of the diverse contexts for diverse artistic practices. With this in mind, he has initiated a program of international fellowships that will see non-Western curators, critics, writers and educators join Witte de With’s team. Talking about! is a logical extension of such a network of professional exchanges. Curator Zoë Gray was part of the group attending the SUD - Salon Urbain de Douala in December 2007. They will host Achille Atina Tah.
Organization: Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven
Contact: Annie Fletcher (curator)
The Van Abbemuseum is one of the leading museums for modern and contemporary art in Europe. Its recent major exhibition Be(com)ing Dutch is part of a large scale project that has been in progress for two years. During that time, the museum has focused on what have become sensitive issues for the Netherlands, such as identity, nationality, citizenship and social cohesion. Talking about! can be seen as typical of the Van Abbemuseum’s openness and willingness to look outside of the Netherlands in order to better understand its own role, context, position and possibilities. They will host Ruth Belinga.