The exhibition
Great Black Music was held in the Rwandan capital from 12 May to 3 November 2017. Rwanda Arts Initiative (RAI) was keen to host this exhibition, presented for the first time in East Africa. It was in Kigali's public library that the public was invited to embark on an exploration of the music.
At the heart of this project is a desire to present an important facet of black intangible culture: music. The exhibition is built around hundreds of audio and audiovisual documents, immersing visitors with smartphones in an interactive sensory experience. By tracing the history of black music, from jazz to hip hop, blues, funk, reggae and much more, the exhibition reveals just how pervasive African influences are in popular culture today.
The exhibition's curator, Marc Benaïche, wanted to highlight the divide between the perception of African music as "traditional" in Europe and the United States, and the reality of this much more contemporary and innovative music. In this way, he is enabling visitors to free themselves from preconceived ideas about black music and appreciate its richness and diversity.
Celebrating music through digital technology...
This exhibition came at just the right time for Rwanda, whose cultural sector has been gaining in importance and credibility in recent years. Africalia also highlights the importance of cultural projects like this one, which focus on the infinite possibilities that digital technology can open up in the creative industries.
Alongside the exhibition, there were a number of workshops for stage managers, DJs and digital application programmers. These educational activities, in addition to the many guided tours, provided the daily rhythm for the exhibition. These few months were the perfect pretext for digital education and awareness-raising, especially in a country that has made digital one of its strategic priorities.
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