Art and Politics
in Africa
Journal
A big project I worked on during my MA programme was the “Art and Politics in Africa” journal. It is a digital journal series featuring written works that spotlight the intersections of contemporary art and politics in continental Africa and its diaspora.
The journal series champions artistic production as a medium for political commentary and a catalyst for sociocultural change. This was explored in the context of Africa’s rich artistic heritage in Issue 2, titled “Heritage: Resistance, Memory and Generative Practice”.
Issue 2 was entirely written, edited and published by a team of SOAS postgraduate students in the span of one semester. I volunteered to oversee all organisational aspects of the project as team coordinator. My main responsibilities were to set deadlines, hold on-campus meetings and update our progress tracking documents.
Besides coordinating the entire project, I authored an essay contribution titled “Spirits of Haiti” about the African diaspora reclaiming their identity by serving a Pan-African vodou pantheon. I also proofread the finished journal, wrote the promotional material for SOAS’s website and assisted in hosting a launch event on-campus.