LUMIÈRES D’AFRIQUES  THE PROJECT

The 21st century is and will be the century of the African continent. That powerful conviction is at the origin of the Lumières d’Afriques exhibition, initiated by African Artists for Development. The exhibition’s title can be translated as “African Lights,” in every sense of the term.
“African Lights” because AAD is convinced that the incandescence of African artists gives meaning and illuminates the development of the continent.
“African Lights” because the access to energy — and therefore to light! — is a right to which every human being must have access. And it’s difficult, if not impossible, to learn, to undertake anything or to develop without electricity.

The 54 artworks artworks simultaneously illustrate: the ambition of an artistically luminous century, the importance of access to energy on all continents, and the imperative that their development is based on technologies that will not increase greenhouse gas emissions and thereby contribute to global warming.
Be they photographs, paintings, sculptures or performances, these 54 pieces offer a vision of the diversity, power and uniqueness of contemporary African art, the riches of which remain far too unrecognized. They also lead us to reflect on the challenges facing the development of the African continent.
Beyond that, AAD asked those 54 artists to film themselves in their environment during the creation of their artworks. This novel approach allows us to dive into the heart of the creative process, its driving force, its doubts and its investigations. Those videos will be assembled into a monumental installation, becoming a new piece, a unique testament to the inspiration and transcendence of the creativity of these artists, anchored in their daily reality to better escape it.

Lumières d’Afriques is brimming with passion and conviction — a passion for contemporary African art and the conviction that development is everyone’s business and must be done by respecting everyone. The AAD family is united behind these strong ideas. Lumières d’Afriques is a tribute to contemporary African creativity and a reflection of our confidence in the future of the African continent.

 ARTISTIC
DIRECTOR

After serving as director of French cultural institutes, as well as cultural attaché to French embassies in several Sub-Saharan African countries (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Nigeria, etc.), Jean-Michel Champault was commissioned by the French Association for Artistic Action (AFAA, currently know as the Institut Français) to oversee cooperation agreements between local French authorities and the AFAA, from 1995 to 2000.

In 2009, he participated in the creation of AAD. As Managing Director for Programs and Cultural and Artistic Action, he supervises the organization’s arts programs and endowment fund. He has simultaneously overseen a major private collection of contemporary African art for ten years.