Honey in the coffee

1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair (second year) just ended at Somerset House in London. 4 days of full immersion on Contemporary Art from Africa. From the opening night on October 15th to the closing day on Sunday 19th we could discover and enjoy amazing artists' works, talks, studio and collectors visit, guided tours and a series of parallel events! Touria El Glaoui, the Fair's founder, did a wonderful job. The Fair is growing embracing estimators and collectors. I met also people who came to London especially for 1:54 (which is a great success considering that it is taking place at the same time of Frieze). It is emotional now to look at some of the precious moments at the fair. I really enjoyed the talk between Marlene Smith and John Akomfrah, introduced by Koyo Kouoh (Raw Material Company).

Exciting days are opening up in Dakar: not only the 11th Biennale, Dak'Art opening today but also an OFF section with events and exhibitions. My thoughts and best wishes are going to Maïmouna Patrizia Guerresi presenting a solo exhibition "M.eating" at the Ancienne Biscuiterie de Mé dina, conceived by Alessia Montani for M'AMA.ART and Arthemisia Group (vernissage tomorrow the 10th of May at 7.30pm). Maïmouna Guerresi, M-Eating, Red Table, 2013 The title is playing with the two verbs 'to meet' and 'to eat'. In fact her series of photographs are wondering about the importance of coming together while sharing a meal at the table. There is a sacred feeling in Maïmouna's meticulous compositions, time looks suspended and her 'characters' (African men, women and children) in the photographs, are isolated from the context. There is no communication between them, each one looks absorbed within his/her own universe. It makes m...

There is a nice cafe' in London (Islington area), it's called The Place.  A very good friend is running it, so I decided to go and have a look during my short visit in London. It is just beautiful.  The place is also hosting art exhibitions on the basement (the second one is on). For now artists from South America received deep attention.  If you'll visit the space, you will be also able to enjoy a selection of artworks on the walls i n the coffee area.       photos Alessandra Migani THE PLACE 11 Canonbury Place, London N1 2NQ

Famous for Wrong Reasons Photography exhibition by Sal Idriss Curated by Alessandra Migani 5 April - 2 May 2014 Opening: Saturday 5 April, 7pm WSP Photography - Via Costanzo Cloro 58 (San Paolo) - Rome, Italy WSP Photography is pleased to announce Famous for the Wrong Reasons (FFTWR) , a photo exhibition by internationally-acclaimed photographer Sal Idriss . The exhibition is curated by Alessandra Migani with the support of British Council (Rome). The project FFTWR, has been initiated by Sal Idriss, and is intended to be a free public event. It involves creating photographic portraits and an exhibition of those London families who lost teenage children to gun or knife crime. The project emerged through the personal tragedy of Sal and his family. On the 27th December 2007, Sal's youngest brother, 16 year old Nassirudeen, died after being stabbed in Islington, London. The experience drew Sal's attention to other families throughout London who had witne...

Barbican Curve, London. Walking through the dark passage along the gallery, the visitors and the space are illuminated by oscillating pendulum-like elements and guided by the sound. With their last work, Momentum, United Visual Artists (UVA) are offering a fantastic immersive experience: a way to forget about time and space. Elements like dark and light, sound and movement are combined together to communicate at a different level of perception. The visitor is taking his own time to walk along the 'curve' becoming immediately an essential part of the work. All photo credits: United Visual Artists: Momentum (Installation images), © Bethany Clark/Getty Images, courtesy Barbican Art Gallery United Visual Artists (UVA) is a London based art practice that combines a wide range of disciplines including sculpture, installation, live performance, and architecture. The studio was founded in 2003 by Matthew Clark, Chris ...

Isaac Julien, EMERALD CITY / CAPITAL (Playtime) , 2013. Endura Ultra photograph, 160 x 240 cm. Image courtesy Victoria Miro, London, and Metro Pictures, New York. © Isaac Julien. Isaac Julien 's PLAYTIME,  recently opened at Victoria Miro gallery in London (24 January - 1 March 2014). The exhibition is on show in Mayfair and Wharf Road and includes the world premiere of a seven-screen installation, the two-screen documentary, KAPITAL and a series of photographic works. Isaac Julien, PLAYTIME , 2014. Seven-screen ultra high-definition video installation with 7.1 surround sound, 69:47 minutes. Image courtesy of Victoria Miro, London. © Isaac Julien. The artist research is addressing more and more to the effects of capital on people's life. PLAYTIME offers an insight of people dealing with the financial crisis, considering in particular the art world. As the gallery press release states: "Playtime is set across three cities defined by their role in r...

Since the stunning exhibition and book "Gentlement of Bacongo" by Daniele Tamagni curated by Trolley Books in London back in 2009, I had the pleasure to connect with the world of the Sapeurs in Congo. Gentlement of Bacongo photo: Daniele Tamagni Gentlement of Bacongo photo: Daniele Tamagni Gentlement of Bacongo photo: Daniele Tamagni Gentlement of Bacongo photo: Daniele Tamagni Gentlement of Bacongo photo: Daniele Tamagni In the city of Brazzaville a little group of men are sharing a real passion for fashion and style. They became so popular that the latest Guinness campaign "Made of more" - a celebration of people with character - has been shot in Congo. We can watch online the campaign and documentary.