ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT - The African Mirror

Jun

11

2024

By TAFADZWA MWANENGURENI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

From “finisher” to artist, this woman sculptor wants more

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE sounds from Chitungwiza Arts Centre Complex - 24 kilometres southeast of Harare, Zimbabwe's capital - can be heard from a distance as the sound of hammers and chisels busily shaping stone carries across the still air of a late autumn day. Inside the centre, the sculptors behind the hammering are too focused on ensuring that each blow is perfectly angled, to pay much attention to anything outside of their work, much less a visitor walking through the complex. Among them is 52-year-old Simelokuhle Zibengwa, one of just 15 women actively sculpting amongst 150 male sculptors in this well-known art…

Jun

07

2024

By GWEN ANSELL

Why musicians die in poverty – South African study reveals battle to make ends meet

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

BENEFITS and appeals were recently launched to support the medical costs of veteran South African guitarist Madala Kunene. It’s not the first time such initiatives have been necessary, nor the first time that media and politicians have expressed astonishment that a renowned musician “died in poverty”. Musicians’ dire financial circumstances are sometimes wrongly blamed on irresponsible spending; a musicians’ pension plan is often proposed as a solution. But until very recently, no data existed about what musicians in South Africa really earn, what costs they carry, and the tough trade-offs between professional and household costs they often need to make…

May

29

2024

By ESTHER MUSEMBI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

bird TenX: 10 promising animation studios in Africa

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AFRICA'S animation industry has seen remarkable growth in recent years, captivating audiences worldwide with its unique storytelling and creativity. From South Africa to Nigeria, these studios have been making waves and significantly contributing to the vibrant animation landscape across the continent. 1. Triggerfish Animation Studios - South AfricaArguably the biggest and best-known animation studio in Africa, Triggerfish is home to renowned projects such as Kizazi Moto which put Africa on the map in terms of high-quality and well-scripted animations. Triggerfish Studios is known for its visual and innovative animation that speaks to the heart of Africa through its relatable storytelling.…

May

26

2024

By ESTHER MUSEMBI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

From IT specialist to poet extraordinaire: The story of Njeri Wangari

LITERATURE, ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

WHEN Njeri Wangari walked into the spotlight at an event in Nairobi in May, it was clear she had command of the stage. The DJ cut the house music right on time and Wangari launched into her lines of poetry at the open mic event. With her brightly patterned kitenge kimono and commanding voice, Wangari wowed the Mother's Day crowd, with the audience snapping their fingers - considered clapping in spoken poetry circles - in all the right places. She finished her performance with another spoken word piece celebrating women and mothers, to which she received a standing ovation from…

May

26

2024

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Africa to converge in Kisumu for FESTAC 2024, a festival of arts and culture

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AFTER a hiatus of more than 45 years, the Festival of African Arts and Culture (FESTAC), hailed by organizers as 'Africa’s biggest cultural celebration,' is gearing up for its 5th edition. Following successful comebacks in 2022 in Zanzibar and 2023 in Arusha, the 2024 edition will be hosted in Kisumu, Kenya from August 25 to September 1. This pan-African festival promises to illuminate the enduring spirit of the African continent, showcasing its rich tapestry of culture and artistry to a global audience. In a virtual interview with bird, Yinka Abioye, the chairperson of FESTAC Africa, explained that the choice of…

May

23

2024

By LLIANE LOOTS

The mother of African dance at 80. Why Senegal’s Germaine Acogny is so influential

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AFRICA’S most celebrated dancer and choreographer, Germaine Acogny, turns 80 on 28 May. I have had the privilege of meeting the Senegalese artist, learning from her, and interviewing her as part of my ongoing research into African contemporary dance. This is a hymn to an African woman who has inspired not only African dancers but a global community of artists to think differently about who they are, their bodies, their skin, and indeed the way they move. In a continent plagued by legacies of colonisation, racism and patriarchy, Acogny has risen up as a female artist who has defied stereotypes…

May

17

2024

By DERICK MATSENGARWODZI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Tuku’s legacy: A Zimbabwean artist aims to do right by her famous father

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AT the age of ten, Selmor Mtukudzi accompanied her father to her first studio recording. By then, Oliver Mtukudzi was a household name all over Africa and known fondly worldwide by his fans as 'Tuku'. Today, Oliver Mtukudzi is considered an icon among the continent’s club of artistic heroes; he addressed social issues as a musician and actor and acted as a goodwill ambassador for the UN’s children's fund. He also mentored young musicians, including his own children. His career spanned over four decades until his death in January 2019. Now, Selmor and others in the Mtukudzi family are working…

May

11

2024

By The African Mirror

Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa says new series feels like ‘a fresh era

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

NCUTI Gatwa, the first Black actor to play the lead role in "Doctor Who", says its new series feels like "a fresh era" as the British sci-fi television show goes global. The much-loved BBC cult show will now also be streamed to audiences outside the United Kingdom in a new collaboration between the British broadcaster and Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) streaming service Disney+. The Rwandan-born Scottish actor, who shot to fame in the Netflix show "Sex Education", plays the latest incarnation of the Time Lord in the new series, which also sees screenwriter and producer Russell T Davies return as showrunner. “It…

Apr

27

2024

By The African Mirror

Senegal delays Dakar Art Biennale by six months

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE Senegalese authorities have delayed the Dakar Biennale devoted to African contemporary art, pushing back the start of the capital's prestigious month-long event to November from May, organisers said on Thursday. The 15th edition of the biennale was due to kick off on May 16, but the Youth, Sports, and Culture Ministry said the postponement was necessary due to the determination of newly elected authorities to wait for optimum conditions. The event will now run from November 7 to December 7, it said. In a statement shared on the biennale's official social media channels, the ministry also cited "the constraints…

Apr

25

2024

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Can low-budget, high-quality films help African filmmaking?

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

A collaboration between Netflix, South Africa’s National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and distribution partner, Indigenous Film Distribution, has resulted in the unveiling of 6 films debuting on Netflix. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the film industry, showcasing the transformative power of micro-budget yet high-quality filmmaking across the continent. Oluwanifemi Obaba, a Nigerian entertainment lawyer, underscores the significance of this as a milestone for the filmmakers, explaining that “securing the necessary resources to finance a movie can be quite tedious, to say the least.” “Funding needs are dynamic and they become necessary at different stages of a film’s…