guest bloggers | the global africa project

i nice, thank you, merci: An Ongoing Dialogue about Art, Life and Building Bridges

This posting was submitted by Janet Goldner a New York-based artist who has worked in Mali over the last 26 years. Her main contacts and collaborators are member of the Groupe Bogolan Kasobane who have been instrumental in reviving and preserving traditional Malian textile techniques and cultural objects particularly the clay slip painting known as “bogolan.”

Continue Reading 3 comments June 3rd, 2010 Janet Goldner

curators | the global africa project

Update on The Global Africa Project exhibition

There’s lots going on this spring and summer at MAD with Dead or Alive opening officially on April 27th, Bespoke on May 13th and Abraaj 2010, scheduled for August 31st. In the midst of all this preparations for The Global Africa Project—to open on November 16, 2010—are progressing with great intensity.

Continue Reading 2 comments April 27th, 2010 lowery

guest bloggers | the global africa project

Abdul Koroma Interview

Fashion designer Abdul Koroma was born and raised in Freetown Sierra Leone and educated in London. Koroma is co-owner of the London-based fashion house and design consultancy Modernist. The brand, which has shown its collection at London’s Fashion Week, is know for it’s clean lines and precise tailoring.

Continue Reading Add comment April 27th, 2010 tiana

guest bloggers | the global africa project

Interview with Stephen Burks

“Design Activist” would be the most appropriate way to describe American industrial designer Stephen Burks. This young multi-talented visionary, who has worked with some of the world’s most recognizable names in fashion and furniture industry, is changing the we way think about design – one idea at a time. By simultaneously using a top-down and a bottom-up approach he brings together the industrialized world’s gatekeepers of culture with traditional people in remote locales to create sustainable objects and symbiotic relationships.

Continue Reading 1 comment March 8th, 2010 tiana

curators | the global africa project

The Content of Design

On Monday February 1, 2010 I ventured into the Javits Center here in New York City in the midst of the International Gift Fair. I was on a mission. I was meeting with Oumar Cisse (AKA Peace Corps Baba) from Mopti, Mali.

Continue Reading Add comment February 18th, 2010 lowery

the global africa project

Interview with Kossi Aguessy

Togolese designer, Kossi Aguessy is best known for award winning design for the Stella McCartney perfume bottle. Aguessy who trained in industrial and interior design at Central St. Martins, has worked with Renault, Yves Saint Laurent, Cartier, Swarovski, St Dupont and Branex to create sleek, sensual objects that range from lighting to watches. A consummate artist, Aguessy has exhibited art, sculpture and furniture in Paris, Copehagen, Tokyo, Shanghai and Istanbul.

Continue Reading 2 comments February 1st, 2010 tiana

guest bloggers | the global africa project

From Bottle to Bead

Suzanne Morlock is an artist who lives outside Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She is works in painting and more recently sculpture and installation involving more organic materials, paper and felt. Morlock has exhibited in the US and internationally. This posting is drawn from her experiences in the summer of 2009 with Cross Cultural Collaborative, Inc., Teshie/ Nungua, Ghana.

Continue Reading 2 comments January 22nd, 2010 suzanne morlock

guest bloggers | the global africa project

Celebrating Dangriga Settlement Day in Belize

First, a little history – during the 1600’s, groups of escaped and shipwrecked African slaves made their way to St Vincent Island, an island of the Lesser Antilles, the islands that form eastern side of the Caribbean Sea. They mixed with the indigenous Caribs and Arawaks and the Garinagu (that’s plural for Garifuna) were born. They developed a unique language, culture and ritual. Drumming and dance had a central place in the culture.

Continue Reading 1 comment January 4th, 2010 john jacob sims

curators | the global africa project

The YA/YA group designs sets for production of “Peter and the Wolf” at the Guggenheim

Have you heard of the YA/YAs of New Orleans? No, I don’t mean the “Divine Sisterhood” of movie fame, but the organization (Young Aspirations/ Young Artists) whose mission is to “empower creative young people to become successful adults.” Founded over twenty years ago by Jana Napoli this organization works to give the youth of New Orleans “educational experiences in arts” and encourage “entrepreneurship…by fostering and supporting their ambitions.”

Continue Reading Add comment December 14th, 2009 lowery

curators | the global africa project

Like a child at play: Toying with Barbie & Ethnic Motifs

This is not your little cousin Muffie’s Barbie – not at all. With his limited-edition figurines for Mattel, Fashion Designer Byron Lars plays around with the legendary plastic style icon, keeping all the prerequisite Barbie musts intact – pointy ‘Barbie’ toes, beyond-perfect makeup, posture, and figure – whilst deftly playing around with her overall style dna.

Continue Reading 1 comment December 4th, 2009 Lisa Marie

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Photos from the Museum

Admissions Sam Amidon, Bruce Greene, and Loy McWhirter Elegant Armor Erica Rosenfeld Suzanne Tick Zack Davis Open Studios with Jean Shin High-5 at MAD Slowlabs Gallery Tour Fragiles Installation at Design Miami Gallery Tour Curators David McFadden and Lowery Sims Where craft and design intersect Virginia Griswald Studio Sundays Elegant Armor Jean Shin Sam Amidon Elegant Armor
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