Deloitte Ignite
Friday 31 August – Sunday 2 September 2012
Deloitte Ignite 2012 was curated by critically acclaimed artist, Yinka Shonibare, MBE, celebrated for works including Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle, which he made for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. His vision for Deloitte Ignite 2012, Africa Weekend, was a celebration of traditional African and avant-garde arts and culture, expressing Africa’s global contribution to the contemporary arts world.
Day 1 – Friday
Yinka Shonibare’s evening preview and legendary drummer Tony Allen’s gig in the Linbury Studio Theatre.
Day 2 – Saturday
Free dance, drumming and storytelling workshops, plus performances, films and a club night with DJ Edu.
Day 3 – Sunday
Free exhibition and concert of contemporary instruments made by the artist Victor Gama, workshops, films and a new work by Tunde Jegede.
Africa in the Piazza: Sat and Sun
Free screenings of the best in contemporary and classic African film, curated by John Akomfrah of Smoking Dogs Films.
To complement the Africa weekend, Royal Opera House Restaurants provided a menu that offered a taste of traditional African dishes in the Amphitheatre Bar. View the menu.
Weekend line-up in brief
The weekend featured cinema, visual arts, music, food and a club night, all fusing to highlight the surprising aspects of the expressions of contemporary African artists.
- In the photography of Rotimi Fani-Kayode, co-founder of photographic agency Autograph ABP, we saw his interpretation of gay African identity.
- John Akomfrah, founding member of the Black Audio Film Collective, curated the best of African cinema in Covent Garden Piazza.
- Josephine Amankwah and Tunde Jegede performed African Messiah, an African celebration of Handel’s Messiah, curated by Josephine Amankwah.
- Tavaziva Dance performed Sensual Africa, a dance work inspired by Bawren Tavaziva’s trip to Malawi.
- Victor Gama’s interactive exhibition of contemporary musical instruments inspired by African instruments, was complemented by a concert featuring the instruments with Victor performing alongside other musicians from Angola and Portugal.
- Improvizations from Alesandra Seutin brought together African dance, ballet and contemporary dance. Alesandra and IRIE! Dance Theatre also led workshops. Yinka participated as well, exhibiting several of his own works. Tickets for the daytime events were free.
- Special guests for the evening concerts included Radio 1xtra’s DJ Edu, who took over the Linbury Studio Theatre with his mix of African underground, and Tony Allen, who, along with Fela Kuti, created the sound of Afrobeat.
Find out more about Deloitte Ignite 2012 Festival on our News section
