This reading salon will be centered around “Effets de miroir: penser l’Afrique, penser le monde” [Reflections: Thinking Africa, Thinking the World]–an essay by philosopher Séverine Kodjo-Grandvaux translated from French into English and Chinese, selected by artist Christian Nyampeta for the exhibition École du soir. 

The discussion will dive deeply into the idea of Ubuntu, a philosophical concept originating from Africa that played a crucial role in leading South Africa out of Apartheid and inspired numerous works in contemporary African literature and art. 

The second half of the discussion will transition into the politics of language and translation. In his writing, author Ngũgĩ Wa Thiong’o’ staunchly dismissed the past attempts of African authors to write in colonial languages: by recognizing the grammatical cul-de-sac between African and Western language systems, translation nevertheless makes thinking beyond our existing way of knowing possible. 

Relating back to the exhibition École du soir, the reading salon prompts participants to reconsider the meaning of “thinking Africa” by reflecting on the relationship between individuals and communities.  By thinking about the “non-self,” we can reexamine “our-self” enabled by a different lens.

To register, please add our WeChat account to join the event group chat (WeChat ID: NYUICA). We will distribute reading materials and send announcements through this platform.

In Chinese only.

Free and open to the public.

In conjunction with the exhibition École du soir, an exhibition by Christian Nyampeta.

The exhibition École du soir and related events are presented as the fourth season of the ICA’s second artist research program, Another Knowledge Is Possible (2021-24), exploring neglected and repressed ways of knowing and the complex politics of knowledge decolonization.