Sustaining the Otherwise: The Earth as a Wayfinder

September 19-20, 2024
Lusaka Contemporary Art Center (LuCAC), Zambia

We are excited to announce Sustaining the Otherwise: The Earth as a Wayfinder, an experimental research forum curated by Amal Alhaag and Selene Wendt. Taking place September 19-20, 2024, at Lusaka Contemporary Art Center (LuCAC), this two-day event is designed to foster meaningful dialogues around restitution, with particular emphasis on the importance of transformative ecosystems.  

The Earth as a Wayfinder is organized around four basic themes: (Un)rooting Knowledge, Sonic Memory Work, Transformative Ecosystems in Practice, and Becoming at One with the World. By focusing on pluriversal narratives, histories, and perspectives, this forum seeks to create a fertile ground for local and international discussions on restitution, as considered in relation to spatial and architectural histories, land (dis)possession, and reparative futures.

This unique program offers a collaborative space for artists, thinkers, researchers, designers, and activists to exchange ideas and strategies. Our goal is to address the complexities of restitution in direct relation to artistic and design practices, while also considering the broader implications of knowledge restitution across Africa and its diasporas.

The program features a keynote lecture by Ngaire Blankenberg (The Institute for Creative Repair, Johannesburg); performances by Agnes & Lawrence Yombwe, Ogutu Muraya, Damien Ajavon and James Sakala, and additional contributions by Michael Barrett, Jim Chuchu, Letaru Dralega, Sana Ginwalla, Mulenga Kapwepwe, Linda Lamignan,  George Mahashe, Cliff Moustache, Andrew Mulenga,  Victor Mutelekesha, Stary Mwaba, Camille Norment, Kaloki Nyamai, and Victoria Phiri. 

Join us at LuCAC for an exploration of “restitutional (re)thinking” through a multidisciplinary approach that reimagines restitution beyond the objects, emphasizing the critical role of art and design in this transformative process.