The African Artists’ Foundation presents the 4th Edition of Dig Where You Stand, bringing a coastal perspective to Benin Republic. This multidisciplinary exhibition unfolds across three strategic locations, celebrating African creativity and cultural expression through diverse art forms. By exploring the intersection of art, culture, and socio-economic dynamics, the showcase enthrones Africa’s creative potency and illuminates the continent’s unique narrative.
The 4th Edition of Dig Where You Stand (Benin) is an exhibition confronting the longstanding neglect of creativity and imagination in West Africa and its diaspora. The legacy of colonialism has stifled communities’ capacity to envision and shape their own futures, silencing prophecies born from unique histories and cultural narratives. This denial of Africans as co-creators, coupled with the forced erasure and diminishment of heritage, has severed connections to the past and hindered self-determination.
Participating artists include Dineo Seshee Bopape, a South African multimedia artist exploring memory, narration, and representation; Joana Choumali, an Ivorian photographer; Kwami Da Costa, a Togolese visual artist; MAR+VIN, contemporary photographer duo; Victor Ehikhamenor, a Nigerian visual artist and photographer; and Zanele Muholi, a South African multimedia artist and activist, utilizing photography, video, and installation; amongst other artists – including performing artists.
The exhibition’s locations include the Les Ateliers Coffi in Cotonou, with the Fondation Zinsou Musée and Le LAB in Ouidah. These venues, known for promoting young artists and African art, offer an ideal setting for exploring how tradition and modernity can coexist symbiotically. Benin, with its deep cultural pride and historical significance, forms a perfect backdrop for this endeavor, where Vodun serves not only as a spiritual practice but also as a foundation for imagination and cultural projection.
With a global perspective, the exhibition aims to foster dialogue between local and international thinkers. Centering on reflecting on the overarching theme of culture as a tool for emancipation, addressing how nature, religion, politics, and identity intersect with mythology and culture. Through visual art, sound, and performance, the exhibition will encourage critical discussions and collaboration, creating spaces that transcend boundaries. Supported by organizations such as the National Geographic Society and Fondation Zinsou, and with contributions from KADIST, the exhibition runs through the 27th of September till the 1st of December, 2024.
True to form, Delali Ayivi’s curatorial vision for Dig Where You Stand From Coast To Coast reflects her multifaceted background and experiences as a Togolese-German photographer. Born in the US, raised in Germany, and later relocating to Malawi and London, Ayivi’s multinational upbringing instilled a deep understanding of cultural nuance. Her photographic journey, inspired by her great-great-grandfather’s pioneering work in Togolese photography, initially focused on documenting family and friends across Germany, Togo, and Malawi.
Her nuanced grasp of cultural identity, refined through projects like Togo Yeye – which amplifies Togolese artistic voices and fosters community-driven creative expression both locally and in the diaspora – informs Dig Where You Stand’s critical exploration of decolonization, restitution, and repatriation. Furthermore, her 2020 research during the pandemic, resulting in Heimat (In Quarantine), as well as Reflections on “Heimat”, probed the intricacies of Black German identity and belonging, likely influencing Ayivi’s emphasis on community-driven storytelling and African cultural heritage in Dig Where You Stand.
Dig Where You Stand (DWYS) From Coast To Coast, is a dynamic exhibition project and curatorial device charting a new course for decolonization, restitution, and repatriation along Africa’s coastlines. Harnessing the regenerative power of art, this initiative transforms coastal cities into vibrant hubs for cultural exchange, ecological renewal, and economic rebirth. By anchoring artistic expression in local realities, Dig Where You Stand underscores community-driven solutions and the reclaiming of Africa’s cultural heritage.
As the exhibition navigates the continent’s coast-to-coast landscape, it explores themes of voyage, displacement, migration, and the circulation of goods and ideas. From the shores of Benin to the ports of Ghana, Dig Where You Stand convenes artists, communities, and thinkers to reimagine the intersections of art, economy, and ecology. Through immersive installations, digital innovations, and community-led projects, this initiative sets a new tide for regenerative artistic practices, empowering coastal communities to reshape their own narratives and forge sustainable futures.
Along the same lines, Dig Where You Stand has an activation at the Alliance Française, Lagos, from the 26th of October 26 to the 23rd of November, 2024. This showcases artists such as Tola Wewe, Raquel Van Haver, Caleb Prah, Adeju Thompson, Gerald Chukwuma and Yusuf Aina.
