Art, Performativity, Blackness, Futurity: Cape Town. Vienna

Join Thabang Monoa of the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and Elisabeth Bakambamba Tambwe of Vienna in an engaging conversation that interweaves their powerful practices in art and performativity.

Dr. Thabang Monoa's research spans art history, criticism, visual culture, curatorial practice, and cultural studies. Meanwhile, Elisabeth Bakambamba Tambwe, based in Vienna since 2005, brings a unique perspective to her pioneering work, delving into performativity, the fragility of the body, and the histories of contemporary art. In this live discussion, Tambwe and Monoa will converge their distinct viewpoints, offering insights into the intersections of art, performativity, Blackness, and futurity. Through their dialogue Tambwe and Monoa will challenge dominant narratives and envision new possibilities for the role of art in shaping our collective future.

Moderation: Asma Aiad, MA, and Prof. Dr. Marina Gržinić

Elisabeth Bakambamba Tambwe was born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and spent her formative years in France, where she pursued her artistic studies. In 1998, she achieved the "Diplôme National d’Expression Plastique" with distinction from the jury for her sculptural work at the School of Fine Arts in Tourcoing, France. As an artist, choreographer, and stage director, Tambwe explores a diverse range of creative expressions, including performance, choreography, film, interactive and generative art, as well as various dramaturgies and spatial concepts such as installations and stages. Her focus lies in the exploration of new forms of otherness and the unique relationships and languages they inspire. She delves into what these forms reveal about our humanity and how they challenge the notion of anthropocentrism. Tambwe's projects are collaborative and transdisciplinary, aiming to establish shared research spaces that bridge performance art and the social sciences. (www.elitambwe.com)

Dr. Thabang Monoa’s research interests involve art history, art criticism, visual culture, curatorial practice, and cultural studies. He completed his undergraduate studies at the Tshwane University of Technology and then went on to work and study at the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (FADA) at the University of Johannesburg where he worked as an Art Historian in the faculty’s Department of Visual Art. His doctoral study, which he undertook with the SARChI Chair in South African Art and Visual Culture, focused on the notion of Blackness in Afrofuturist aesthetics. Monoa is currently a member of the CAA (College Art Association) based in the United States of America, he is a former council member of SAVAH (South African Visual Art Historians) and is a co-convenor of the Gerard Sekoto Summer School, which is administered through the Johannesburg Art Gallery. In his current capacity as a lecturer in Art History at the University of Cape Town’s Michaelis School of Fine Art, Dr. Monoa continues to generate academic output dealing with concerns in contemporary art and aesthetics.