FORGING FUTURES Panel @ 26th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience
“Solidarity in the face of conflict and silencing”
Saturday 31 August
This year’s Forging Futures Panel discussion at the Centre for Creative Art’s UKZN JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience 2024, centres around the current conflict driving the silencing of artists (mainly in the global North) that the world is witnessing. Titled “Solidarity in the face of conflict and silencing” the panel takes place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on Saturday, 31 August from 11:30am to 1pm.
“The Panel takes a hard look at current issues facing artists who have become at risk or are risky during times of solidarity brought on by unthinkable global conflict and oppression,” says Thobile Maphanga, JOMBA! assistant curator and project manager. “Our hope is to make space to discuss strategies that artists have, and could employed, around conflict, censorship and silencing.”
Hosted by Maphanga, the panel features three deeply provocative and insightful guests: Cape Town based dancer and choreographer, Yaseen Manuel, Dr Ismail Mahomed (Director of UKZN’s Center for Creative Arts) and, Durban’s Human Rights Activist, Nadia Meer.
Up for discussion is the global wave of resistance shown by artists returning their post graduate and honorary degrees and awards to major institutions such as the Goethe Institute and University of the Arts, London (UK) just to name two. Also under scrutiny is how social media platforms have become hot-beds of polarised reactions to propaganda and solidarity groups of resistance, and how artist, activists and curators of the Global South are responding
In its third live iteration, Forging Futures at JOMBA! once again hopes to inspire a rich conversation between panelists and with audience in attendance.
All who attend and participate in the Forging Futures Panel, will be given a free ticket to see Yaseen Manuel’s matinee JOMBA! performance on Saturday 31 August at 14:30 after the discussion.
Contact Thobile Maphanga for any further queries: thobimaphanga@gmail.com
Entry and participation is free.