The exhibition Kubuni, comics of Africa.s presents, for the first time, a synthesis of the abundant African creation in the field of the ninth art.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to explore the richness of African comics through more than fifty authors, representing the 48 countries of sub-Saharan Africa.
Kubuni means “imaginary creation” in Swahili: the tree that decorates the exhibition poster, signed by author and illustrator Juni Ba, symbolizes the link between the pioneers of African comics and the diversity of today’s authors. Kubuni, comics of Africa.s thus proceeds in a didactic way, showing how African comics dialogue with certain Western influences while taking care to differentiate themselves from them. “As the curators point out in their foreword to the exhibition, “colonization imposed acculturation on the dominated countries”. But this acculturation soon faded in favor of other aesthetics, notably Afro-futuristic, or linked to the world of manga.
So with Kubuni, you’ll be transported to the heart of an experience where African comics reveal inspiring stories, ancient graphic traditions and contemporary expressions. Come and discover a plural vision of the continent through the ages: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.
Given the diversity and quantity of authors in Africa, Kubuni’s curators were forced to make a strict selection. They decided to focus on comics from sub-Saharan Africa. However, the -s applied to Afrique-s is intended to highlight the multiplicity of this group, made up of as many identities as there are authors and countries. The exhibition takes visitors on a journey from the earliest albums, often linked to linguistic or stylistic influences specific to the colonial history of each country, to a modernity that now embraces all forms of mixing. And one that willingly tackles hot-button themes, sometimes in a very unabashed way.
Kubuni is an unprecedented exhibition conceived as part of a partnership between the Cité Internationale de la bande dessinée et de l’image, the Institut français du Congo and the Bilili BD Festival in Congo Brazzaville. It testifies to the vitality of an ecosystem that relies heavily on festivals, which enable authors to meet and organize themselves. Although African comics are booming, it’s still difficult on the continent to find a publisher and see their work printed on paper. A situation that this major retrospective should help to change for the better.
Practical information:
12th December 2023 to 11th February 2024
Exhibition hall and media library
Free
French