Written by us, Not about us: Reclaiming Art Histories & Developing Critical Discourse in Northern Ireland and Nigeria
Critical Writing Residency
December 2021 - May 2023
'Written by us, Not about us:
Reclaiming Art Histories & Developing Critical Discourse in Northern Ireland and
Nigeria' addresses a particular challenge in relation to the lack of critical discourse
surrounding the arts, particularly the visual arts, in Northern Ireland and Nigeria.
While both countries have a strong literary tradition, this has not translated to an equally
strong practice of criticism, analysis or discourse in relation to the visual arts. As a result,
there is inadequate record of our art histories and little international recognition given to
contemporary art practice in each country.
What does exist has too often been written about,
not by us, and in most cases the vibrant and urgent work emerging from these
non-arts-epicentre countries often goes unseen. This has amplified the sense of a
‘voicelessness’ often experienced by the people of colonised nations; a sense that their
perspective, knowledge and cultural offering is not of significance.
This project aims to rectify that by bringing together the two dominant artist support
organisations of each country to deliver a collaborative programme of mentoring,
commissioning and advocacy work.
Embedding artist support and institutional learning at its core over the course of a year, Northern Irish Art Network (NIAN) and African Artists' Foundation (AAF) will work together to identify four emerging arts writers/critics from each
country (eight in total); commission new writing; create platforms for the publication of work;
and lobby the national and international arts press to better represent the art scenes of
Nigeria and Northern Ireland.
Primary activities/outputs include:
- Newly commissioned work by the eight writers/thinkers/bloggers/podcasters, produced with guidance and support from NIAN, AAF and selected mentors
- Connecting writers from each country to editors of major arts publications (eg. Art Monthly, Art Forum) and initiate working relationships between writers and publishers
- An online platform for critical writing from NI and Nigeria
- A collaborative podcast episode as part of AFF’s ‘Speaking Truth’ series
- A publication/suite of writings to be published collectively in English, Hausa/Yoruba and Irish Gaelic
- Physical publication launch event at Ulster Museum, Belfast and AFF, Lagos
- Public online event/symposium on Northern Irish and Nigeria Art Histories, in collaboration with TATE
- Knowledge exchange between NIAN and AFF, supported by monthly online meetings
and physical visits to each other's organisations/country (Covid-dependent).
Our overall aims of this collaborative project are to: - Strengthen critical discourse around the visual arts in both countries
- Build the skills base of the eight arts writers/critics/bloggers/podcasters
- Explore together the multiple platforms/means of fostering critical discourse (eg.
publication, blogging, podcasts)
- Encourage scholarship on NI and Nigerian artists through connections with Tate and
NI/Nigerian Universities
- Facilitate conversations about the colonial contexts of each nation and the impact
this has had on the recording of art histories
- Illuminate the hidden art histories of Nigeria and Northern Ireland, and establish
ongoing critical discourse around contemporary art practice in both countries, so that
our present won’t be lost in the way our history has been
- Give international prominence to Nigerian and Northern Irish artists through events,
publications, press
- Lay the groundwork for future learning and collaboration between NIAN and AFF, with possibility of initiating an artist residency exchange in 2023/24.
About
The Northern Irish Art Network (NIAN) currently hold the Critical Writing residency in PS².
This research group, co-led by Anna Liesching and Clare Gormley aims to identify, share and connect multiple
strands of research on contemporary and historical Northern Irish art. Their goal is to develop the profile of Northern Irish art practice and
scholarship in addition to creating opportunities for curators, artists
and researchers.
African Artists' Foundation (AAF)
AAF is a non-profit organisation dedicated
to the promotion and development of contemporary African art. The
underlying tenets of AAF are capacity building, peer support and
advocacy. Established in 2007 in Lagos, it serves a significant role in art and academic communities
through organising art exhibitions, festivals, competitions,
residencies, and workshops with the aim of unearthing and developing
talent, creating societal awareness, and providing a platform to express
creativity. By providing assistance to professional and emerging
artists in Africa and support to international exhibitions and community
outreach programmes, African Artists’ Foundation views the contribution
to a strong cultural landscape in Africa as a transformative element in
driving social change.
'Written by us, Not about us:
Reclaiming Art Histories & Developing Critical Discourse in Northern Ireland and
Nigeria' is funded by the British Council’s International Collaboration Grants, which are
designed to support UK and overseas organisations to collaborate on international arts projects.