The 36th Bienal de São Paulo expanded its global reach with the third Invocation, Mawali–Taqsim: Improvisation as a Space and Technology of Humanity, held in Zanzibar. Hosted at the Maru Maru Hotel and Golden Tulip Stonetown Boutique, with the Dhow Countries Music Academy (DCMA) as a central partner, the program explored how improvisation shapes cultural memory and human experience.
Guided by the Bienal’s theme, Not All Travellers Walk Roads – Of Humanity as Practice, the Zanzibar Invocation further examined how spontaneous artistic expression fosters cultural adaptation and identity. Under the curatorial leadership of Prof. Dr. Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung, alongside co-curators Alya Sebti, Anna Roberta Goetz, and Thiago de Paula Souza, with co-curator-at-large Keyna Eleison a s well as strategic advisor Henriette Gallus, the event framed humanity as a dynamic and evolving practice.
Zanzibar’s rich multicultural history—influenced by African, Arabic, Asian, and European traditions—provided an evocative setting for this exploration. At the heart of the program was Taarab music, a genre blending Swahili poetry, Arabic melodies, and African rhythms.
This musical form embodies the fluidity of identity and the resilience of cultural traditions. The Zanzibar Invocation, part of a global series spanning Marrakech, Guadeloupe, and also Tokyo, invited participants to reflect on a compelling question: How would humanity, as a verb, conjugate across diverse geographies?
Since 2001, the DCMA has played a pivotal role in preserving Zanzibar’s musical heritage. By offering accessible education in traditional genres such as Taarab, Beni, and Kidumbak, the academy sustains cultural memory while also fostering cross-cultural dialogue. Its collaboration with the Bienal underscored music’s power to bridge histories and shape collective narratives.
The 36th Bienal de São Paulo, through this Invocation, celebrated Zanzibar’s artistic legacy and deepened the conversation on how humanity is practiced and also reimagined across global landscapes. In embracing improvisation, the Biennale affirmed that cultural expression is not static—it is a living, breathing dialogue that transcends borders and time.
