This four-day program was developed by Amal Alhaag and Selene Wendt in collaboration with
Pascale Obolo, Afrikadaa, and the African Art Book Fair and aimed to explore how artists,
designers, thinkers, activists, and communities in Africa and its diasporas address the
concept of epistemic restitution and the return of knowledge. The Unruly Knowledge
sessions are conceived as a pluriversal call and response to the African Art Book Fair
program.
Through this program we sought to centralize innovative forms of knowledge restitution by
highlighting existing practices, toolkits, strategies, and networks that are necessary to either
reinforce current community power structures or to challenge deeper structures of
exploitation and domination. It's a collective effort to understand how to (un)do or shift these
dynamics, and to foster a nuanced dialogue that highlights the complexities of the interplay
between knowledge, power, and societal structures.
The Unruly Knowledge sessions were organized around three interrelated themes: Rehearsing
for Restitution of Knowledge, Memory Work is Embodied Knowledge and Unruly Designs:
Decentering the Object. The conversations were complimented by a participatory spatial
experience: An Unruly Walk with Histories, as well as a collaborative sonic
lecture/performance with Robert Machiri and Ibaaku, and daily Unruly Knowledge radio
sessions broadcast live via Lumbung Radio from the African Art Book Fair.
Participants included Laeila Adjovi, Amal Alhaag, Barby Asante, Atelier Ndokette,
Anguezomo Mba Bikoro, Ibaaku, KENU LAB, Robert Machiri,Tracian Meikle, Lennon Mhishi, Victor Mutelekesha, Pascale Obolo, Bodil Ouédraogo, and
Selene Wendt.
Institution and dates: The African Art Book Fair, May 16-19
Address: Place du Souvenir Africain, Corniche Ouest, Aimé Césaire, Dakar, Senegal