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“FAVT: Future Africa Visions in Time” is an ever-changing touring exhibition combining scientific research with the production of art. In its second to last stop the intriguing presentation will be shown to the public in Kampala, Uganda, from 16th august through 15th September 2019. A series of events including fashion workshops, a fashion show and an exhibition tour will frame the public presentation. The official exhibit opening takes place on 15th of August 2019. FAVT’s origin lies in the University of Bayreuth’s Academy of Advanced African Studies that is part of the newly founded Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence. 

The touring exhibition “FAVT: Future Africa Visions in Time” is coming to Kampala for its second to last stop. Originating in Germany, the exhibition has already traveled to seven other countries namely South Africa, Brazil, Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso and Cuba. From Kampala, Uganda, it will move to its final destination in Kigali, Ruanda. FAVT was first conceptualized and initiated at the Bayreuth Academy of Advanced African Studies and the “Iwalewahaus” at the University of Bayreuth. The Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence is supporting the touring exhibition providing financial means and necessary infrastructure for its advancement.

At Kampala, new commissioned work will be shown alongside artworks from former FAVT editions. FAVT Kampala is a result of a collaboration with the Institute of Heritage Conservation and Restoration (Makerere Art Gallery), which will host the exhibition from the opening on 15^th of August until the 15^th of September, and the Goethe-Zentrum Kampala.  All selected works will reflect on one of the keywords - inclusion, disruption and intervention - which were identified as modes of futuring and derive from scientific findings at the Bayreuth Academy of Advanced African Studies.

A combination of research and art production

Combining scientific research with the production of art, the exhibition “FAVT: Future Africa Visions in Time” aims to examine and instigate discourse around the acknowledgement of a past and its importance in shaping visions of the future. Simultaneously, the exhibition questions the typical knowledge production and opens the views and discussions through the inclusion of art into different approaches of understanding, imagining and participating in visions of futures.

FAVT – more than a mere exhibition

The exhibition in Kampala will be framed by several events, including fashion workshops, a fashion show, producing a fashion zine, a symposium and a tour of the exhibition. The official opening of the exhibition will take place on 15^th of August at Makerere Art Gallery.

The workshops around fashion (from 22^nd of July to 11^th of August) will be mentored by Sarah Nakisanze, Elisabeth Mbabazi and Hellen Nabukenya co-working with Sheila Nakitende. They will culminate in a two-day  workshop  (13^th and 14^th August) with Emeka Alams, James Muriuki and Katharina Fink. Along with the participants, the three FAVT-artists and researchers will produce a zine-publication, which will be available during the fashion show taking place on the 17^th August at Makerere Art Gallery.

Furthermore, a public symposium on the theme “East-Africa’s Rising Middle Class: Challenges and Opportunities” will take place on 16^th of August from 5 pm at Makerere University (Food Science and Technology Conference Hall). Besides awarding the winners of the Photo Contest – presenting lived realities of Kampala’s Middle Class – a symposium will discuss East-African perspectives on Middle Class with a key note by Paul Isolo Mukwayaa (UG) from Makerere University and the following panelists: Rosemary Mukite (UG), Milton Ayoki (UG), Yamara-Monika Wessling (DE) and James Muriuki (KE). The symposium is organised and hosted by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.