My favorite art quote is by Noria Mabasa: "The artist is part of a community; you can't separate the two." This quote resonates deeply with my work as curator and director at Tengeneza Generation (TEG) and MAZI Art and Culture in the Morogoro region, Tanzania.
In April, I was invited to participate in the Création Africa program at the Venice Art Biennale 2024, a program supported by the Institut Français. This initiative aims to enhance and empower professionals and art centers that play a crucial role in developing Africa's future art market; I was selected because of the work MAZI does in empowering communities engaging art and culture The Institut Français wants to understand the perspective of African climate change, while also finding potential partners with whom they can work.
"Foreigners Everywhere" was the theme of this year’s Venice Biennale, an international visual art exhibition held in Italy. It included 88 national participations, with 13 from African countries. The biennale brought thousands professionals from civil society, art sector to private and government. The Biennale exhibited various art mediums, highlighting how they address community challenges at the global level, such as the effects of colonialism and what happens across the world due to neocolonialism.
One particularly inspiring experience was visiting the Portugal pavilion, where living archives—such as sounds, videos, and plant installations—were used. This pavilion brought together scientists, historians, and artists to educate visitors on the roles of freedom fighters and the significance of ecology in our lives. This interdisciplinary approach aligns with TEG's work to explore new techniques, methodologies, and partnerships.
At TEG, we utilize art to raise awareness and protect community culture, focusing on the ancient forests of Uluguru and Mkingu mountains. We emphasize that development activities should respect and preserve community culture. By integrating scientific research, indigenous knowledge from the Waluguru and Nguu ethnic groups, and audiovisual methods, we aim to archive and promote our community's cultural heritage and map natural species.
During this trip, I also visited our partners at FAO's Mountain Partnership and LIBERA in Rome, both of whom are committed to promoting and protecting human rights through environmental conservation.. Our discussions with FAO focused on strengthening our programs for youth in the Uluguru and Mkingu nature forest reserves. We discussed mountain documentation, archiving projects, and leadership expedition programs in the Eastern Arc Mountains, in collaboration with MAZI and the Tanzania Forest Service Agency. These initiatives include organizing photography expeditions and documenting community stories about food, landscape and endangered species, such as Saintpaulia and the three-horned chameleon. These photos are used for raising awareness, archival purposes, and supporting the restoration and preservation of community identity.
preservation of community identity. Since 2023, TEG has donated images to FAO to support awareness campaigns about the challenges faced in mountainous regions. These images have been included in FAO Mountain partnership report 2021 and 2022 and IUNC articles and reports and shared with their partners, such as PANORAMA, amplifying the voices of the Morogoro community on a global scale. Our collaboration with LIBERA introduced a forest preservation project and its impact on community life. We discussed how conserving forests helps prevent hunger, protect land rights, and maintain the cultural identity of the Waluguru and Nguu. By promoting environmentally friendly agricultural practices and ecological tourism, we aim to stimulate the local economy and preserve cultural heritage. Looking ahead, TEG remains dedicated to fostering collaborations with our partners and the community, using art as a powerful tool to engage and solve community challenges.