Identity: An Imagined State

Video Art Exhibition:Call for participation

Following the implementation of two successful video art workshops, the Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos will be hosting the first video art exhibition in Lagos, taking the form of a three part project to be held in October/November 2009.

The exhibition Identity: An Imagined State will cover themes that each takes a different perspective on notions of identity exploring issues of race, citizenship and migration using. The exhibition aims to provide a platform in Lagos for emerging and established video artists.

The exhibition, split into sections listed below will form the curatorial framework for the submission of works.

The first section of the exhibition aims to explore issues relating to race or skin tone and the impact it has made on identity amongst African people (living on the continent). Particular areas of interest relate to those whose racial identity is made up of multi-ethnic backgrounds, the problematic of skin toning (skin lightening) and non-Black Africans. By asking questions such as; can we always tell what race is when we see it? What role does race place in society? How do we negotiate between skin tone and identity?

The second section explores the challenges of political, economic and social predicaments, which have engendered voluntary or forced migratory movements into and out of Africa. The impacts of these actions have resulted in changes such as displacement, deprivation, enhanced economic benefits and psychological transformations.

This project will present a body of work by artists that engage with migration and trans-national pattern of movement in our continuously globalizing world. It will explore the effects and impacts of migration within and out of the continent, highlight issues on memory, identity, displacement, alienation as well as the challenges that arise from cultural and physical separation.

Video artists of African descent or artists of any nationality exploring these themes in relation to Africa are invited to make a submission for either one or both areas of interest. We ask for all videos to be sent in either English or with English subtitles. Submissions should be made in the following manner:

• DVD containing maximum 3 works
• A Full CV
• An Artist Statement
• 2x still images from the video (minimum 75 dpi)
• Completed application form below

Deadline Friday 10th July 2009
Please note that submitted work cannot be returned and unless indicated otherwise will form part of CCA,Lagos’ visual art library collection used for research and learning purposes only.

For further details and enquiry call: 234 7028367106, 234 705 568 0104, 234 803 439 2413 and ask for Oyinda Fakeye or Jude Anogwih or email: [email protected], [email protected]