Nzuko – The Gathering

In the organizer's words:

An African village square in the functional glass architecture of the Arne Jacobsen Foyer? What else would this modern building be intended for, if not as a place of encounter? Nigerian artist Emeka Ogboh takes the original social role of the space as his starting point and creates a completely new place. Ogboh has decorated the large windows with traditional drawings from the Nigerian Igbo community. These "Uli patterns" were originally either colored on the body or painted as murals on the sides of buildings.

The foyer is filled with the choral singing of traditional folk songs and furnished with seat cushions and stools covered with hand-woven Igbo fabrics. The artist lets the energetic voices pulsate through the room, giving it a rhythmic heartbeat. The bright colors of the woven art and the voices of the singers provide sensual insights into the cultural traditions and invite visitors to participate.

The artist has the hand-woven Akwété fabrics for each of his installations made in Nigeria. For Ogboh, they represent the rich textile heritage of the Igbo community. The artist, who is internationally renowned for his sound art and spatial installations, is also considered an "Eat-Artist", for whom culinary techniques and food experiences are undoubtedly part of the arts. At the KunstFestSpiele, he will extend his installation into the festival center and the Ehrenhof on 19 May together with the chefs from freitagsküche, adding a culinary experience to the village square.