Dakar – On the occasion of the closing of the exhibition Souvenir d’Italie, presented at the 15th edition of the Biennale of Contemporary African Art Dak’Art and Partcours, curated by Eugenio Viola and featuring works by Binta Diaw, Adji Dieye, and Délio Jasse, a series of in-depth discussions will be held in Dakar.

The program, curated and organized by the Italian Cultural Institute with the support of the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Italian Ministry of Culture, aims to strengthen the dialogue between the Italian and Senegalese contemporary art systems and to offer a platform for exchange between public and private institutions, fostering new international collaborations for artists and curators.

The program includes three roundtables that will take place at the Institute’s headquarters on February 11 and 12, featuring guests from Italian and Senegalese institutions. These discussions will explore the role of culture as a driver of social, artistic, and environmental transformation.

On February 11 at 11:00 AM, the roundtable “Italy – Senegal: Projects, Networks, and Opportunities for Artistic Residencies” will be held. At 3:00 PM, the focus will shift to “The Themes of Dak’Art 2024: Climate Change and Migration.” Finally, on February 12 at 11:00 AM, the discussion will address “Culture as a Key Driver of Sustainable Development: The Role of Museums.”

Among the speakers are Paolo Mele, President of STARE – Association of Italian Artistic Residencies; Lucrezia Cippitelli, Artistic Director of Kunst Merano Arte, curator, and professor at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts; Lorenzo Balbi, Director of the Museum of Modern Art of Bologna (MAMbo) and President of the Association of Italian Contemporary Art Museums; and Andrea Viliani, Director of the Museum of Civilizations in Rome.

The discussions will be held in Italian and French with simultaneous translation.