Parallel Perspectives video series
The Program of African Studies at Northwestern University presents “Parallel Perspectives,” a video series that invite artists, curators, academics, and educators to discuss topics related to the art world in Africa, the diaspora and beyond. In these conversations, hosts Uche Okpa-Iroha and Benita Nnachortam talk with their guests about contemporary practice, art education, history, curation, and more.
Uche Okpa-Iroha is photographer and graduate student in art history at Northwestern, and Benita Nnachortam, a professional photographer. Okpa-Iroha is a founding member of the Nigerian photography group known as the Blackbox Photography Collective and of the Invisible Borders Trans-African photography travel group. Benita Nnachortam has recently obtained her master’s in art administration from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Before coming to Chicago, she served as an official photographer in the Ogun State Governor’s Office. In addition, she is also the founder of BenTeller Media and creative director of the Kuta Arts Foundation, a proyouth organization in Ogun State.
Watch this series and more on the PAS Youtube channel.
The first four sessions of Parallel Perspective focuses on contemporary practice. The discussions focus on a wide array of topics ranging from artistic and creative motivation, support bases for artists, the role of ideologies and contexts within artists creative environments, the role of materiality in the creative process, the availability of learning and marker spaces in Africa (specifically in Nigeria), mentorships, and funding sources. Guests include renowned artists Abraham Oghobase (photographer), Bayo Omoboriowo (photographer), and Joseph Obanubi (visual artist/Artists' mentor), and Ayo Joy Okpa-Iroha (Convener of the Falcons Lounge and Fashion Style Consultant) All in all, the guests maintained that art is critical in our communities and should be used as a tool to enhance existing social contracts between community leaders and civil society.
The second segment focuses on curation, featuring: Oyindamola Fakeye (Artist Director, CCA Lagos), Jodi Minnis (Bahamian Artist and Curator at TERN Gallery, Nassau), Alexandria Eregbu (Convener/Curator of Finding IJEOMA: How to Build a Queendom), and Queendom exhibiting artists Lola Ayisha Ogbara (sculpture, sound, and installations) and Briana Clearly (Director, screenwriter, author).
