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Hey guys! This post is to wrap up my last week adventures. The next post will be about my experience in St. Louis, which believe me was one heck of an experience (I still have PTSD from swatting flies and mosquitoes). I am working hard to catch you guys up, but believe me these days are longer and harder than they seem. But I do want to take the time to give a HUGE SHOUTOUT to all my family and friends who have been following my blog! OSU Global chose my blog to publish and advertise on their page and I just want to say that it wouldn’t have been possible without blessings from God and the support of you guys so again THANK YOU! But to wrap up, this week was all about the Biennale of Dakar, and we had the pleasure of hearing from the former Director of the event and get an inside perspective on the history, its inner workings and the politics behind it. The Biennale is an exhibition held every two years here in Dakar, but there are various Biennales that take place around the world (like Venice, Sao Polo, Istanbul), but Dakar is the only city in Africa that hosts it. Every Biennale is different and has different themes and the first Biennale held by the government was in 1992 and it showcased artists from all over the world. The first Biennale originally showcased works of literature and art, but in 1996 they had to make some drastic changes. Unfortunately, the government of Dakar didn’t have the funds to host the Biennale in 1994, but made some changes (such as Africanizing the Biennale or making it available only to African artists and focusing strictly on contemporary African art) to gain more attraction for the event to take place again in 1996. They saw drastic in both attendance and entries, therefore by the Biennale of 2000 it became a month long event.
The Biennale itself has proved as an overarching pro for the city of Dakar. The festival not only brings a lot of economy through tourism, but also brings many job and education opportunities.
The most interesting part of the Biennale Arts Festival are probably the OFFS. The main center where the exhibits are a lot more sanitized and sensitized for the President and government and religious leaders, while the OFFS have more freedom to express different political and social issues that might not be as widely accepted.
(This exhibit is dedicated to all my humanities teachers at CAHS, because Fahrenheit 451 was one of the books that we had to read. CAHS and the education I got at CAHS so far as proved the most influencial education in my life and want to thank all my teachers for forcing us to think critically and exposing us to different worlds and cultures)
For example, an artist showcased an exhibition that celebrated the life of a homosexual person that died and body was mistreated and dug up out of the mosque. Despite, this being common and rational in the States, it caused a lot of controversy and the director of the Biennale got threats from both government and religious leaders. He explained to us that he would be talking art, and they would talk religion and it was if they were talking in two parallel lines that would never cross and never see eye to eye. Due to Senegal being a country heavily based on religion there is a certain amount of censorship that follows, and that is simply due to the cultural, social and religious aspects of the Senegalese people and you see it integrated into the art, although art is expression. Right?
After lecture we had the pleasure to take a dance class on the beach and that experience was something that was the pinnacle of my trip. I love to dance, no matter the genre, and being able to express and connect with both my American and Senegalese peers around me, it was a moment in time that I will never forget. I also had the chance to learn to play the drums, and between drumming and dancing it was just a beautiful opportunity for me to really connect not only the people, but to my ancestors. Being able to partake in activities right there on the coast, just gave me the feeling that my ancestors were looking down on me proud, and happy that all they struggled and suffered for, resulted in an unforgettable experience such as this one.
I’m including links to my YouTube channel so you guys can see my drum and dance experience.
https://youtu.be/MrGUPNUWxX8
https://youtu.be/LqjbiUnonNE
Check down below for the #OOTD
White tank (Forever 21), Black and White Joggers (Target), Earrings (H&M)
Until next time guys (which will hopefully be later