Series Editor Sharon Dodua Otoo has won the prestigious Ingeborg-Bachmann-Preis 2016!

The announcement was made on Sunday, July 3rd in Klagenfurt (Austria): Sharon Dodua Otoo is the winner of this year's Ingeborg-Bachmann-Preis, an annual competition which took place for the 40th time this year and is televised live. The competition, which is officially known as Tage der deutschsprachigen Literatur (Festival of German-Language Literature) is one of the most prestigious German language literature competitions in existence. She won it for her unpublished text: "Herr Gröttrup setzt sich hin" (Mr Gröttrup sits down).

It is a great honour.
Thank you to everyone who has supported the work of Sharon both as an author and as an editor of the Witnessed Series.

"I am - ich bin - me ne" & "Winter Shorts"

Illustrator Sita Ngoumou will be presenting her exhibition "I am - ich bin - me ne" this Friday (20th November) in SUSI Interkulturelles Frauenzentrum.

As part of the programme to mark the opening of the exhibition, WoMANtìs RANDom and Sharon Dodua Otoo will present the book "Winter Shorts" the latest edition of the Witnessed Series edited by Clementine Burnley and Sharon Dodua Otoo. Sita Ngoumou also designed the beautiful cover for the collection of short stories.

Come and join us!


"I am - ich bin - me ne" & "Winter Shorts"
Friday, 20th November from 19:00
SUSI Interkulturelles Frauenzentrum
Innsbrucker Str. 58 (= Bayerischer Platz 9), Berlin-Schöneberg
U4 & U7 Bayerischer Platz

Lecture in "Frauenkreise": Black in Germany

As part of the lecture series: "Queer Feminist Perspectives in Germany" with Dr. Heidi R. Lewis from Colorado College, USA Sharon Dodua Otoo (Series editor) will be presenting the Witnessed Series.

When? Tuesday, 10th June, 9am

Where? Frauenkreise, Choriner Str. 10, 10119 Berlin

How much? Free entry! Come by...

Click here for the link to the Facebook event

Daima: On Wit­nes­ses, Ima­ges and Vi­si­ons. A Book Pre­sen­ta­ti­on in Dresden

“wi­thout a vi­si­on, every so­ci­al chan­ge feels like death.”

Audre Lorde

In glo­bal con­texts, Black women have his­to­ri­cal­ly been ren­de­red in­vi­si­ble both wi­t­hin (white do­mi­na­ted) fe­mi­nist mo­ve­ments and wi­t­hin (male do­mi­na­ted) Black power mo­ve­ments. In Ger­ma­ny, this si­tua­ti­on has been no dif­fe­rent and cul­tu­ral re­pre­sen­ta­ti­ons in this coun­try con­ti­nue to be do­mi­na­ted by the ide­als of „white“ and „male.“ Just the same, Black women in Ger­ma­ny have con­ti­n­uous­ly or­ga­nis­ed and re­pre­sen­ted them­sel­ves – the pho­to­book „Daima“ is sim­ply one fur­ther cont­ri­bu­ti­on to a long tra­di­ti­on of cul­tu­ral pro­duc­tions and crea­ti­ve work by Black women in Ger­ma­ny.

In this in­ter­ac­tive event, mo­ther, aut­hor, edi­tor and ac­tivist Sharon Dodua Otoo will talk about her mo­ti­va­ti­on for crea­ting the English lan­gua­ge book se­ries „Wit­nes­sed“ with a spe­cial focus on the la­test pu­bli­ca­ti­on „Daima. Ima­ges of Women of Co­lour in Ger­ma­ny“ by Nzitu Ma­wak­ha.

Pre­sen­ta­ti­on in English & Ger­man. All wel­co­me.

Cafém - getting to know feminism part 6

Date: Sunday, Fe­bru­ary 16th 2014
Where: kos­mo­tique, Martin-Luther-Str. 13, 01099 Dresden
When: 2 – 8pm (talk begins 4pm)

Support Rheinland!

RHEINLAND is a film project which focuses on the 12 year old Afro-German Joachim and his family, whose lives - already marred by racism - take a dramatic turn when Hitler seizes power and become mortally endangered.Joachim is forced to grapple with his identity while the environment and the village he lives in becomes increasingly hostile.


Historical background:

During the first World War the French government forced African men - many coming from Senegal or Cameroon - to leave their colonies and fight for the French army in the Rheinland. Until​ 1919, there were between 25,000 and 40,000 African soldiers based in Rheinland. After the war many of them decided to stay in Germany and found families. When Hitler seized power the lives of these families suddenly changed.Hitler referred to the children of former African colonial soldiers and white German women as a "disgrace" for Germany and as "contaminators" of the white race. In 1937 he instated the so called Commission No. 3, which was supposed to deal with this "problem" on the Rhine. Thus, more than 400 children were sterilized against their will and interned in concentration camps - many of them disappeared forever.


RHEINLAND - the movie

The feature length film will tell the story of the so called "Rheinland Children" through the eyes of 12-year-old Joachim, the son of the Senegalese Awa and the German Annemarie. According to the production team Mokoari Street Productions, Rheinland is more than just a movie - it is a very personal project because each member of the team feels strongly connected to the characters in different ways.

Support RHEINLAND!

The production team are currently raising funds through Startnext - a crowdfunding platform www.startnext.de/Rheinland. They need to raise 30,000 € by Spring 2014.

Please support this project.

C& Call for Interns

Contemporary And (C&) is a dynamic space for the reflection on and linking together of ideas, discourse and information on contemporary art practice from diverse African perspectives.

C& is seeking an intern from mid February 2014!

Candidates should be self-motivated, collaborative and familiar with the website’s motivation and content. As C& operates as a network-driven entity, candidates can be based anywhere in the world and must have permanent online access.

This is a great opportunity to learn about the intersection between contemporary art, art critic and digital media, and to be part of a rapidly growing cultural platform.

http://www.contemporaryand.com/blog/exhibition/c-call-for-interns

Intern responsibilities include:

→ Assisting with day-to-day administration tasks
→ Assisting in organizing editorial projects
→ Transcribing interviews
→ Content Research (C& Databases)

Intern Qualifications:

→ A background and interest in African studies, art history, cultural studies/management, curatorial studies, communication/media studies would be highly valued.
→ Proficient in Microsoft
→ Experience with social media (facebook, twitter, Youtube, Vimeo etc.)
→ preferably a full-time/part-time enrolled University student with ability to receive credit for internship
→ Fluency in spoken and written English necessary, French an asset, German too
→ Must be available 3 full days per week for a minimum of 4 months

Expense allowance: 100 € monthly

Please send your applications (short cover letter + resumé) by February, 5 2014 to Aicha Diallo
 –>  adiallo@contemporaryand.com with “internship” in the subject-line.

Candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Call for Submissions! "Winter Shorts"

We are looking for original, unpublished short fiction for a new anthology: "Winter Shorts" edited by Mirjam Nuenning and Sharon Dodua Otoo. The date of publication will be Winter 2015.

You are welcome to send submissions for consideration if you are:
- a Black author (of African Diasporan descent)
- have lived in Germany
- have lived in an English-speaking country or write in English

Criteria for short stories:
- written in English, from a Black perspective 
- takes place in a German-speaking country / reflects on life in a German-speaking country
- between 1,000 and 15,000 words
- Theme: Winter / Winter celebrations (e.g. Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, Diwali)


What we are especially looking for:
- Stories that move: to laugh, to cry, to reflect, to inspire to greater things
- Beautiful language, realistic characterisation, vivid images and strong plots
- If referred to at all, thoughtful, sensitive incorporation of religion 

Please submit only one short story at a time by email to: 
witnessed-submissions@limitedtoyou.com
by Monday, June 16th 2014

Your covering letter should be in the body of the email and be as short as possible. It should include a little about the story and a little about yourself. Please make the subject heading of your email your title and your name.

The attachment should be one Word document which includes a title page (name of author, title of publication), and the complete story (double line spaced, numbered pages). Please make sure that the work you submit is edited, proofread and at a mature stage of development. We do not accept re-submissions, edited or otherwise.

Any questions? Please contact us on: witnessed@limitedtoyou.com

Resistance and Longing - Exhibition opening on Saturday, 30th November in Berlin

Witnessed Authors Sandrine Micossé-Aikins, Sonia E. Barrett and Asoka Esuruoso will be in dialogue with Melody LaVerne Bettencourt this Saturday from 19:00

For more details visit the website: www.melodylavernebettencourt.com

Interview with Branwen Okpako, Berlin-based Filmmaker

The wonderful filmmaker Branwen Okpako on the responsibilities of her craft and the role of the artist in society.

"The Little Book of Big Visions" at Homestory Deutschland

The editors of "The Little Book of Big Visions" will participate in the panel discussion "Black Perspectives - Kultur und Widerstand" as part of the Homestory Deutschland programme of events this Friday, April 5th starting at 8pm.

Black cultural producers will make keynote statements pertinent to the current debates in Germany about the use of racist imagery and language in art. Sandrine Micossé-Aikins and Sharon Dodua Otoo will participate in the panel discussion alongside Mekonnen Mesghena, Head of Migration and Diversity at the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Nadine Golly of Leuphania University and Lara-Sophie Milagro, Artist Director of Label Noir.

For more information about this event visit the website: http://www.homestory-deutschland.de/ausstellungsorte-programm/hamburg/diskussionsrunden.html

Friday, April 5th 2013
20:00
Westwerk, Admiralitätstr. 74, 20459 Hamburg
Entrance: Free

Signed copies of the book will be on sale!

Introducing Ashai Nicolas

The beautiful artwork on the cover of Olumide Popoola's new play "Also By Mail" was designed by the Canadian-based artist Ashai Nicolas.

Olumide herself says about the cover: "It really fits the play: sassy and serious but with a light-hearted humour." I totally agree!

Thank you Ashai.

Launch of CONTEMPORARY AND (C&) - A platform for international art from African perspectives

CONTEMPORARY AND (C&)

A platform for international art from African perspectives



Launch Party with South African DJs Lakuti (Uzuri , Süd Electronic) and Rushmo, February 22, 2013 starting at 9.30 pm at Roter Salon, Volksbühne, Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin

Contemporary And (C&) is an international online platform for diverse and critical insights into, and perspectives on, contemporary African art. The project is initiated and published by the German „Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen“ – ifa (Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations). C& gives established and emerging artists, curators, art critics and other cultural producers from Africa and the diaspora the opportunity to reach an international audience and expand their networks.

C& is edited by a team of art critics and other cross-cultural writers and cultural producers, all of whom have close connections to Africa and the diaspora. Editor-in-chief is the journalist and art historian Julia Grosse; coordinator is the cultural scholar and producer Aicha Diallo. The advisory board expands the platform’s range and includes architect David Adjaye, Clémentine Deliss, director of Weltkulturen Museum in Frankfurt am Main, curator Christine Eyene, and Bisi Silva, director of CCA Lagos.

C& will publish articles in English, French, and German. The website will offer a lively magazine with critical essays, columns, and reviews. The first edition will feature interviews with Yinka Shonibare and Dineo Seshee Bopape, as well as writing by authors Sean O’Toole and Caine Prize winner Olufemi Terry. Numerous other contributors will broaden the scope of the magazine’s focus and inform readers about important new publications, current exhibitions, art venues, symposia, and biennials in Africa and beyond. A reoccurring emphasis will consist in looking back at historically important exhibitions, biennials, workshops, as well as important African artists and collectives.

C& will also include an ART SPACE, a virtual room where artists and curators can meet and realize projects and exhibitions together. C& ART SPACE wants to create opportunities for interaction beyond borders or transportation difficulties. The ART SPACE doesn’t replace the real exchange but is an alternative opportunity for collaboration and exchange.


Come, dance and celebrate the launch of Contemporary And with us on February 22. Details to follow.


For further information, please feel free to contact


Markus Müller
Bureau Mueller
Alte Schönhauser Str. 35
10119 Berlin
Germany
Phone:  +49 (0) 30 20188432
E-mail: mm@bureaumueller.com



C& is an Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa) project.

C& is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office through “Aktion Afrika”.
Africavenir - www.africavenir.org - is our media partner.

See us at the Frankfurter Buchmesse...

The launch in Berlin was a big success.

"The Little Book of Big Visions. How to be an Artist and Revolutionize the World" edited by Sandrine Micossé-Aikins and Sharon Dodua Otoo (edition assemblage) is now available and will be presented in Frankfurt during the Frankfurt Book Fair (Frankfurter Buchmesse)

With authors Yvette Mutumba, Philipp Khabo Koepsell, Sandrine Micossé-Aikins and Sharon Otoo

Signed copies of the book will be on sale.
5 € for each book sold will be donated to the Initiative of Black People in Germany (ISD Bund e.V.)

Here are the details:

Saturday, 13th October, from 6pm
at Roots Deepartment, Friedberger Landstr. 86, 60316 Frankfurt am Main

Hope to see you there!

Out Now! The Little Book of Big Visions

The Little Book of Big Visions:
How to be an Artist and Revolutionize the World

Sandrine Micossé-Aikins and Sharon Dodua Otoo (eds.) (edition assemblage, 2012)


Black artists in Germany find themselves – necessarily – in a position in which subversiveness and resistance – implicit and explicit – become essential strategies to be used in their work if they wish to survive in this predominantly white context. However, after resistance is no longer necessary, what could be the vision then? And what is the central role of the artist in shaping or creating these visions?

This book contributes to the discourse firstly by providing a contextual discussion of the current situation of Black artists in Germany, and secondly, by reflecting on the question of how contemporary Black artists in Germany create and convey visions of equality.  The methods used to engage with these ideas, concepts and questions are partly in written form (fiction and non-fiction), and partly in visual form. This results in an innovative work focusing on the visions of Black artists in Germany.

“The Little Book of Big Visions: How to be an Artist and Revolutionize the World” is aimed primarily at Black cultural producers living and working in Germany as well as those who reside in English-speaking contexts throughout Europe, UK, US and beyond. However, this book is also aimed at everyone who has an interest in ensuring that the contemporary art scene in Germany finally begins to be truly reflective of its actual and future population.

Available now!

Launch of Witnessed! Sunday, September 30th at 3pm

Tayo  ©  www.tayo-online.de

"The Little Book of Big Visions. How to be an Artist and Revolutionize the World" edited by Sandrine Micossé-Aikins and Sharon Dodua Otoo (edition assemblage) will be presented at the launch event of the Witnessed Series.

With...
readings by authors Asoka Esuruoso, Bibiana Arena and Philipp Khabo Köpsell
and music by Tayo and Fourth Man's Friend, and Gonza, Jeanny & Bona

Signed copies of the book will be on sale.

Here are the details:
Sunday, 30th September, from 3pm
"T. Berlin", Fidicinstr. 38, 10965 Berlin-Kreuzberg

RSVP by emailing at: justtryandkeepmeaway@limitedtoyou.com :-)

Witnessed Edition 1: Imagine if Black Artists Actually Mattered?

Forthcoming publication (October 2012):

Imagine if Black Artists Actually Mattered? Visions of Equality in Germany

Sandrine Micossé-Aikins and Sharon Dodua Otoo (Editors)

Black artists in Germany find themselves – necessarily – in a position in which double-consciousness; subversiveness and resistance – implicit and explicit – become essential strategies to be used in their work if they wish to survive in this predominantly white context. "Imagine if Black Artists Actually Mattered?", the first edition of the Witnessed series, answers the questions of how a society which has achieved true equality could look and what the central role of the artist is in shaping or creating these visions? What would Black artistic practices in the context of such a visionary society look like? What actions are possible beyond reaction and resistance?

This book attempts to contribute to a discourse that is underrepresented in Germany by providing a contextual discussion of the current situation of Black artists in Germany and also focuses on examining how contemporary Black artists in Germany create and convey visions of equality.  

---

Further Information: http://www.edition-assemblage.de/imagine/
Support this project through Crowdfunding: http://www.startnext.de/witnessed