In our explorations of the provocations before us, we came to many, many things. As we prepared to record, we gathered our talismans, our selves, and our gifts for each other. To be seen is to be in an exchange; to be loved, even more so. In our explorations together, setting out to make work as friends and as people who love each other, we found these gifts and more.
A link to the photo referenced in the episode: https://imgur.com/a/aKWt0gh
Karwitha Kirimi is an artist and writer based in Nairobi, East Africa. They work with words, images, rituals, and research. Their poetic practice attends to the word, the line, silence, and space. They use performance as a medium for ritual practice - they perform where their beloveds are to be found. For Karwitha, to be a cultural worker is to work with the very pillars of reality. Their explorations are fueled by questions that emerge within the dark. Their work is in service of worlds where African babies are free, beloved, whole and complex. Karwitha is made possible by her ancestors and communities. She embraces play as a process and impetus. When not loitering under the trees, they can be found drinking the moon.
valiant / waiyaki / wamuoyo is a being of many names, many faces, many talents, many realities: a being constantly in motion and trans*formation. they are, variously, a writer, scholar, poet, actor, healer, and communion-holder. they are currently very interested in ancestral memories and realities; performance studies, of a particular Indigenous lens and experience; and, knowledge production, dissemination, lineage, and freedom. they are committed to (occasionally) showing their workings at thewaiyakiway.substack.com, as they travel across Africa, seeking and sharing healing, communion, and care.
Tendrils was created by East African curators E.N. Mirembe, Rosie Olang’ Odhiambo and Jesse Gerard Mpango under the Art Exchange: Moving Image program, which is a cross-cultural curatorial professional development and exhibition programme for early to mid-career visual arts curators from Sub-Saharan Africa.
The programme is managed by LUX, the UK agency that supports and promotes artists working with the moving image on behalf of the British Council. The Sub-Saharan Africa programme is delivered in partnership with Guest Artists Space Foundation in Nigeria
This episode was produced and edited by Sharon Rwakatungu.
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