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Showing posts from 2018

Last 4 days for this Indiegogo campaign: a film on Rudolf Manga Bell

The German King  is set in 1914 at the start of World War I in Kamerun (now called Cameroon.) Our hero is Rudolf Manga Bell, the African King of the Duala people. However, their land is under the rule of Germany and after he and his people are pushed too far, he decides to rise up and lead a rebellion. Despite his best efforts, he is eventually captured by the Germans and sacrifices his life for his people. To this day, the people of Cameroon remember Manga Bell as a king, a martyr, and a hero. History has long overshadowed his heroism, our goal is to create a film to honor the man and his legacy.  Help us bring this incredible true story to life.

Vickie Fremont brings her art to Harare

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Belatedly, a post about Vickie Fremont's exhibition at HIFA in Harare, Zimbabwe. This exhibition took place from May 1 to May 6, 2018, under the title “Birds of Freedom”, as part of the 18th edition of the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA), which will run under the theme “We Count”. Vickie Frémont , as we know from various articles and blog posts, "has been conducting workshops around the world, using a hands-on approach for the transformation of rejects or trash into useful everyday objects. Her workshops... take place in schools, community centers, universities, and even in commercial malls. They include lectures on the destructive effects that trash of every kind has on the environment and on climate change. She has conducted her workshops using recycled materials at The Fashion Institute of Technology, Vickie Fremont at HIFA The Bank Street School for Children, The Henry Street Settlement in New York City,

Atelier Lilikpó: Sika Viagbo, Parisian mosaic decor

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Two tables, one design, by Lilikpó The Viaduc des Arts in the twelfth arrondissement in Paris now houses cafés and chic shops, including the Lilikpó workshop managed by Sika Viagbo. Walking by, the first thing you notice is the originality and the beauty of the creations through the store window. It's a workshop visible from the street: the designer, Sika Viagbo, works on her creations in front of passersby eyes. Before starting her own company, she worked with Pierre Mesguich (Paris), an internationally known mosaic designer, who has worked all over the world. Sika also interned separately in Tokyo and in China. The company's name means "cloud" in Ewé, one of the languages spoken in Togo, where her parents immigrated from. Her own design influences are multicultural, inspired by her travels and experience. How did Sika get started in this profession? She grew up in Vitry sur Seine, a Paris suburb. As a music major at the University of St. Denis P

Fashion: Made in Africa - Zuri's "One Dress"

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Zuri dresses in San Francisco Thanks to the internet, and the global economy, Made in Africa fashion is becoming more mainstream than ever before. Two partners had a hit on their hands when they designed and produced one simple dress, in a variety of African print fabrics:  Zuri. The company has been featured in the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle , among other publications. Zuri has a brick and mortar shop in New York City, but San Francisco residents got a first taste at the pop up shop, in October 2017. The dresses' reputation caught the attention of Eden Stein, owner of Secession Art and Design . Usually only local designers are featured, but her customers were clamoring for the dresses. A Zuri dress in the Secession store window In her words:  " I was at a gala for Artspan , mingling with 800 emerging and established artists, when I saw artist Soad A. Kader in her Zuri dress. I beelined to give her a compliment. She told me about a pop u