Clearing New Hurdles: Strategy and Conflict within Recent African Initiatives

Laurie Ann Farrell

The Inaugural Trienal de Luanda, A Cultural Movement Inside The City opened in November 2006 with a dynamic program of contemporary art exhibitions, performances, and activity which unfolded across Luanda intermittently through April 2007. Similarly, Cape 07 was the first large-scale exhibition of contemporary African art in Southern Africa. My presentation will compare and contrast the installation strategies used in Luanda with those in Cape Town. Is the use of the city as a curatorial canvas an effective strategy for creating a cohesive experience? How do various urban realities such as transportation and security impact the ability to experience each exhibition? Can artistic interventions into the urban environment create new infrastructures within the city? How do organizational structures impact these initiatives? Through a presentation of research and images, I will attempt to address these questions and open a broader dialogue about the changing role of African cities in large-scale exhibitions and Trienals.