The Brainstorming sessions were closed meetings conducted over 2 full days. The sessions were divided into morning and afternoon gatherings followed by attending the public screenings of archive-based films curated by June Givanni. The discussions primarily questioned “what is archive?” and what other forms of local knowledge and memory can be used in formulating new narratives. It was concluded that 3 main issues lie at the heart of how to reappropriate narratives handed down from colonial imagery: Access, Institutional parameters and Archives of the Future. These topics were addressed and unpacked on the second day of the Brainstorming Sessions.  

Participants: John Akomfrah, Saliou Sarr (ALIBETA), Younès Baba-Ali, Jean-Pierre Bekolo, Ali Essafi, Ibaaku, Onyeka Igwe, Keziah Jones, Hamedine Kane, Kamila Metwaly, Qudus Onikeku, The Otolith Group (Kodwo Eshun and Anjalika Sagar), Mohanad Yaqubi, Assia Bandaoui, Ntone Edjabe.

Our Curators conducting the AGORA with artistic head Jihan El Tahri were Marie Helene Pereira, Omar Berrada, Chiara Figone and film curator June Givanni.