ARTAFRICABut ‘Something Else’ was not just about
art and established artists. It was also about
education and involving young creative
talents in the conversation on contemporary
art production and its role in society. The
AtWork workshop which took place at the
heart of the Off Biennale at Darb 1718
Contemporary Art & Culture Center, had
this aim as its core focus. AtWork is an
educational format, conceived by the Italian
non-profit foundation lettera27 and Simon
Njami, that uses the creative process to
stimulate critical thinking and debate among
the participants. At the end of the workshop
each student produced a personalised
Moleskine notebook which consolidated
the process of self-reflection triggered by
the workshop. AtWork Cairo was the fourth
chapter of the format that lettera27 has
implemented on the African continent since
2012, with previous editions held in Dakar,
Abidjan and Kampala.In Cairo, the three-day AtWork workshop
was led by Simon Njami and facilitated
by the American University of Cairo’s
art assistant Professor Heba Amin. The
workshop involved sixteen art students
and drew its theme from the title of the
Off Biennale: ‘Something Else.’ It was an
opportunity for the students to discuss
alternative perspectives on their art practice;
a way to question their certainties, step out
of their comfort zones and practice critical
thinking in such a complex context as Cairo.
The workshop – also attended by some of
the Off Biennale’s protagonists, including
Ayana V Jackson – allowed the students,
as well as local and international artists, to
exchange and share ideas on contemporary
art production.Youssef Limoud, one of the artists
participating in the Off Biennale, described
his experience as such: “Simon has really2/7 ARTAFRICAFEATURE / ‘SOMETHING ELSE:’ OFF BIENNALE CAIRO AND AtWork WORKSHOPAN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO LOOK AT ART AND EDUCATION / ELENA KORZHENEVICH
TOP TO BOTTOM: AtWork workshop at Darb 1718 art
center in Cairo. Photo: Luca Dimoon; AtWork workshop
in progress. Photo: Luca Dimoon.