Output details
34 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
University of South Wales (joint submission with Cardiff Metropolitan University and University of Wales Trinity Saint David)
“Art of this Place: Women Artists in Cameroon”
Videofilm at Images of Black Women Film Festival, London
Research Context
This project is based around a revisionist dialogue, through documentary practice, ‘decolonising’ the cinematic gaze with reference to cultural representations of African people. It builds on a body of research emphasising the importance of representation as both a phenomenon and a methodology for research in film production and audience hermeneutics. The film forms part of a programme of practice-based research redefining and countering cultural misrepresentations of Africa through creative documentary film practice.
Research Imperatives
The underpinning concepts and thematic concerns include identity, subjectivity, performance, agency, (in)visibility, and the politics of representation. It asks “ What does the African woman desire?” What is her vision?’ “How can she be perceived outside traditional roles?” and “How does she engage with her culture?”
The project aimed to explore and present another kind of visibility of African women transcending predominant media stereotypes and gender discourses. The research investigates how young artists go against the grain of negative attitudes and prejudices against women, and how such performances in documentary enhance the reality of re-presenting the self. What new meanings are created from such ‘slices of reality’, and what perspectives of unimagined Africa, with particular reference to women, can such portrayals offer an audience?
Project methods
Documentary film was used as a mode of inquiry to explore and present women as ‘subjects’ who are not only ‘active’ participants inscribing their visions of their society, but also presenting challenging viewpoints in what they say as artists. Through interviews and observational footage, the context is defined by the women’s performance in their everyday creative art practices, and the audience can gain deeper awareness and understanding through direct engagement with the subjects.
Dissemination
CINEMAFRICA, Stockholm, Sweden (2011)
FilmAfrikan, Oslo, Norway (2011)
Images of Black Women Festival, London (2012)
Festival International du Cinéma Indépendant de Bafoussam, Cameroun, (2012)
International Images Film Festival for Women, Zimbabwe (2013)
