Successive waves of national emancipation and progressive laws in Europe have slowly built a theoretically inclusive society of equals, regardless of race or origin. But are Africa and the people (wrongly or duly) associated with it still objectified in European discourse, be it artistic or political?
The panellists are: Éric Baudelaire (artist and filmmaker, Un Film Dramatique), Patrice Naiambana (African performing artist and founder of Tribal Soul Arts), Pap Ndiaye (author and Professor of History, Sciences Po Pari) and Chi-Chi Nwanoku (founder and director of Chineke! Orchestra and Chineke! Junior Orchestra). Chaired by Anne-Elisabeth Moutet (journalist).
Festival of Ideas continues its partnership with the Institut français and Night of Ideas. Launched by Institut français in 2016, the Night of Ideas is a project staged simultaneously in Paris, London and worldwide. Crossing French, British and European perspectives, Night of Ideas will engage audiences in debates with the theme ‘Together’ as the common thread to tackle the latest ideas behind issues central to our times. All events are free.
In partnership with/
Speakers
Éric Baudelaire is a French artist and filmmaker who was awarded the Prix Marcel Duchamp in 2019 for Un Film dramatique, shown during the Night of Ideas. After training as a political scientist, Baudelaire established himself as a visual artist with a research-based practice in several media ranging from printmaking, photography and the moving image to installation, performance, and letter writing. Since 2011, he has directed and produced feature films that have circulated widely in film festivals such as Un Film Dramatique (2019), Also Known as Jihadi (2017) and Letters to Max (2014).
Patrice Naiambana is an award-winning performing artist and the founder of Tribal Soul, a laboratory for critical dialogue and the exploration of African Diaspora performance aesthetics. He is currently developing The Decolonial Salon, a story lab in partnership with the Arcola Theatre. As a performer, he has worked extensively in world class arts organisations – notably with The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Globe, The Royal National Theatre, and appeared in In Exile, a Channel 4 sitcom and in critically acclaimed productions Tree (Idris Elba and Kwame Kwei-Armah, creators) and Barbershop Chronicles (Inua Ellams, writer).
Pap Ndiaye is a Professor of History at Sciences Po Paris. His areas of interest are the history and sociology of African Americans and people of African descent in France. He has recently authored an official report on discriminations and diversity at the Opéra de Paris. His books include La Condition noire: essai sur une minorité française (2008); Les Noirs américains: en marche pour l’égalité (2009); Le Modèle noir: de Géricault à Matisse (2019).
Chi-chi Nwanoku is Professor of Double Bass Historical Studies at the Royal Academy of Music and the founder, artistic and executive director of Chineke! Orchestra and Chineke! Junior Orchestra, first orchestra mostly composed by BAME musicians. Nwanoku is a trustee of the London Music Fund and Tertis Foundation and a council member of the Royal Philharmonic Society. She was voted to the Powerlist of Britain’s 100 Most Influential Black People 2019 and 2020.
