Periodic Reporting for period 2 - TPAAE (Transcultural Perspective in Art and Art Education)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-06-03 bis 2024-06-02
The project Transcultural Perspectives in Art and Art Education (TPAAE) investigated contemporary art in Europe and East Africa, and forms of art education on both continents in a transcultural perspective.
Innovative in our approach was setting up the theoretical and practical dialogue, recognizing mutual artistic and cultural influences between Europe and East Africa since the times of Great Avant-garde until contemporary globalization; the same time valuing cultural heritage and opening it for modern transformations for the sake of community and social development.
The profound research in transcultural perspectives on art and art education was realized within the TPAAE project by the Consortium containing academic and non-academic institutions from Poland, Italy, and Kenya.
The TPAAE project was developed according to three lines, each having its specific goals:
1) theoretical - researching relations between East African and European art,
2) academic - elaborating and implementing the programme in Fine Arts and Design at PUC in dialogue with European institutions,
3) practical - supporting the development of art scene in the region in Kenya.
Innovative in our approach was setting up the theoretical and practical dialogue, recognizing mutual artistic and cultural influences between Europe and East Africa since the times of Great Avant-garde until contemporary globalization; the same time valuing cultural heritage and opening it for modern transformations for the sake of community and social development.
The profound research in transcultural perspectives on art and art education was realized within the TPAAE project by the Consortium containing academic and non-academic institutions from Poland, Italy, and Kenya.
The TPAAE project was developed according to three lines, each having its specific goals:
1) theoretical - researching relations between East African and European art,
2) academic - elaborating and implementing the programme in Fine Arts and Design at PUC in dialogue with European institutions,
3) practical - supporting the development of art scene in the region in Kenya.
The structure of the research work in the TPAAE project was perfected and confirmed during the secondments between Polish, Kenyan and Italian institutions.
The major achievements of the TPAAE project follow the list of milestones in the subsequent research categories: (1) the draft of the Special Issue of “Materiały Zachodniopomorskie” and the publication of Annals of Cultural Studies no 3 (2023), edited by Anna Kawalec and Aleksandra Lukaszewicz “Dividual Africa” (Milestone MS3) (2) realization of three editions of DUOS Festival on the Kenyan Coast (“Community”, “Women Power”, “Social Ecology”) with subsequent exhibitions in National Museum in Szczecin, Poland (Milestone MS1) (3) elaboration of university courses on Diploma and Bachelor Degree level in the field of Art and Design, and their implementation at the Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya (Milestone MS2).
Art education
The interdisciplinary and international team started the development of Art & Design programmes at the Diploma and Bachelor’s Degree level since the onset of the project in 2020 holding working seminars and meetings. This led to the realization of the Stakeholder’s Involvement Meeting on the 25th of January 2021. Various consultative meetings in Pwani University with staff from AASZ, UNIMC, and KU were held to align the Art and Design courses adequately to reflect international standards and local requirements. The prepared Programmes were presented and accepted by: The Department of Language, Linguistics, and Literature; School of Humanities & Social Sciences; Pwani University Senate; Directorate of Quality Assurance; Commission for University Education.
In the academic year 2023/2024, the Department of Language, Linguistics and Literature at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Pwani University in Kilifi, Kenya received 5 applications for Bachelor of Art and Design, and 28 applications for Diploma in Art and Design, and 13 registered as bonafide students. The formal Inauguration of the Programmes was held on the 2nd of March, 2024 at the Resource Center at the Pwani University.
Art-based research
In 2021, the international team realised two editions of the art festival DUOS: “Community” (February-March 2021) and “Women Power” (August-September 2021) in Kilifi, Kenya and two exhibitions after the festivals: “Community” and “Women Power” (November 2021-January 2022) in the National Museum in Szczecin, Poland (NMS). In the year 2023 there was realized the 3rd edition of the DUOS Festival “Social Ecology”. The final exhibition in the National Museum in Szczecin, Poland (NMS) was held from the 29th of June till the 24th of September 2023.
Art research
Within the TPPAE project there was conducted research between others on: Kenyan film history, Kenyan culture and creative industries, Contemporary Kenyan art and its relations to European art, Transformations of cultural heritage, Transcultural character of women’s bodily practices, Visual paths of slave trade in the cultural environment in the region of Kilifi, Contemporary cultural mixed identity expressed through transformed traditional Masaai body paintings.
The research on art in a transcultural perspective resulted in publications in Open Access and Open Data sets that are gathered on Zenodo platform.
The major achievements of the TPAAE project follow the list of milestones in the subsequent research categories: (1) the draft of the Special Issue of “Materiały Zachodniopomorskie” and the publication of Annals of Cultural Studies no 3 (2023), edited by Anna Kawalec and Aleksandra Lukaszewicz “Dividual Africa” (Milestone MS3) (2) realization of three editions of DUOS Festival on the Kenyan Coast (“Community”, “Women Power”, “Social Ecology”) with subsequent exhibitions in National Museum in Szczecin, Poland (Milestone MS1) (3) elaboration of university courses on Diploma and Bachelor Degree level in the field of Art and Design, and their implementation at the Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya (Milestone MS2).
Art education
The interdisciplinary and international team started the development of Art & Design programmes at the Diploma and Bachelor’s Degree level since the onset of the project in 2020 holding working seminars and meetings. This led to the realization of the Stakeholder’s Involvement Meeting on the 25th of January 2021. Various consultative meetings in Pwani University with staff from AASZ, UNIMC, and KU were held to align the Art and Design courses adequately to reflect international standards and local requirements. The prepared Programmes were presented and accepted by: The Department of Language, Linguistics, and Literature; School of Humanities & Social Sciences; Pwani University Senate; Directorate of Quality Assurance; Commission for University Education.
In the academic year 2023/2024, the Department of Language, Linguistics and Literature at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Pwani University in Kilifi, Kenya received 5 applications for Bachelor of Art and Design, and 28 applications for Diploma in Art and Design, and 13 registered as bonafide students. The formal Inauguration of the Programmes was held on the 2nd of March, 2024 at the Resource Center at the Pwani University.
Art-based research
In 2021, the international team realised two editions of the art festival DUOS: “Community” (February-March 2021) and “Women Power” (August-September 2021) in Kilifi, Kenya and two exhibitions after the festivals: “Community” and “Women Power” (November 2021-January 2022) in the National Museum in Szczecin, Poland (NMS). In the year 2023 there was realized the 3rd edition of the DUOS Festival “Social Ecology”. The final exhibition in the National Museum in Szczecin, Poland (NMS) was held from the 29th of June till the 24th of September 2023.
Art research
Within the TPPAE project there was conducted research between others on: Kenyan film history, Kenyan culture and creative industries, Contemporary Kenyan art and its relations to European art, Transformations of cultural heritage, Transcultural character of women’s bodily practices, Visual paths of slave trade in the cultural environment in the region of Kilifi, Contemporary cultural mixed identity expressed through transformed traditional Masaai body paintings.
The research on art in a transcultural perspective resulted in publications in Open Access and Open Data sets that are gathered on Zenodo platform.
Collaboration started within the TPAAE project grew, including new cooperating organizations from academic, administrative, and artistic fields. After signing the Memorandum of Understanding with TUM, it entered the TPAAE Consortium in place of BtB. The TPAAE project allowed for setting up the Erasmus+ exchange between KU and PU with AASZ, for teachers coming to Poland and to Kenya, and for Kenyan students studying in Poland. The KA171 programme is realized between UNIMC and KU and PUC as the follow-up project supporting the development of the art education between Kenya and Italy.
The realization of the TPAAE project has sustainable positive effects. Apart from adding some portion of knowledge, it revived the art live on the East African Coast, especially in Kenya, around Mombasa, where no curators from the center of the country, Nairobi, were sent. The contemporary art landscape on the Kenyan Coast is different, hosting art associations and clubs, like Swahili Pot Hub, Daughter of Mekatilili, Kilifi Now!, some of which were initiated directly within the TPAAE project’s activities. New gallery spaces were recently opened in Mombasa, too. AASZ assured that after the TPAAE project’s end the Short Film Festival LAMPART, started within the DUOS Festival framework will be continued by the network of institutions created within the previous activities. Such a revived art scene, experienced in international exchange will serve well as a resource for PUC students in Art and Design, reciprocally providing a working environment for university’s graduates. These effects were possible to achieve thanks to transcultural art research and exchange, which resulted in structuring Art and Design programmes starting from the East African perspective on art and culture and opening up for Global North history and practice of art.
It can be noticed that the realization of the TPAAE project supporting research on East African art, art education, and art practice in transcultural perspective coincides with the global appearance of East African art on the international art scene and market. This is confirmed by the presence and recognition of East African artists from Kenya and Uganda at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022, where the Ugandan pavilion received a special mention, at the 23rd Milan International Triennale in 2022, and at Dokumenta15 in Kassel in 2022. The Kenyan pavilion is not presented during the current 50th Venice Biennale in 2024, although the Kenyan representation is published in the official catalog. The artists presented at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022 and the ones that were chosen for the 50th Venice Biennale in 2024 were also promoted within the TPAAE project, what definitely added to their international recognition.
The realization of the TPAAE project has sustainable positive effects. Apart from adding some portion of knowledge, it revived the art live on the East African Coast, especially in Kenya, around Mombasa, where no curators from the center of the country, Nairobi, were sent. The contemporary art landscape on the Kenyan Coast is different, hosting art associations and clubs, like Swahili Pot Hub, Daughter of Mekatilili, Kilifi Now!, some of which were initiated directly within the TPAAE project’s activities. New gallery spaces were recently opened in Mombasa, too. AASZ assured that after the TPAAE project’s end the Short Film Festival LAMPART, started within the DUOS Festival framework will be continued by the network of institutions created within the previous activities. Such a revived art scene, experienced in international exchange will serve well as a resource for PUC students in Art and Design, reciprocally providing a working environment for university’s graduates. These effects were possible to achieve thanks to transcultural art research and exchange, which resulted in structuring Art and Design programmes starting from the East African perspective on art and culture and opening up for Global North history and practice of art.
It can be noticed that the realization of the TPAAE project supporting research on East African art, art education, and art practice in transcultural perspective coincides with the global appearance of East African art on the international art scene and market. This is confirmed by the presence and recognition of East African artists from Kenya and Uganda at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022, where the Ugandan pavilion received a special mention, at the 23rd Milan International Triennale in 2022, and at Dokumenta15 in Kassel in 2022. The Kenyan pavilion is not presented during the current 50th Venice Biennale in 2024, although the Kenyan representation is published in the official catalog. The artists presented at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022 and the ones that were chosen for the 50th Venice Biennale in 2024 were also promoted within the TPAAE project, what definitely added to their international recognition.