Where Film Meets Music

A multifaceted evening programme of our re:publica Accra connects artistic perspectives with digital topics – and across continents at that. One of our presentations include the internationally renowned artist Kudzanai Chiurai from Zimbabwe and a screening of We Live in Silence with a live soundtrack by the award-winning musician M.anifest.

Live Soundtrack with Band - by M.anifest

Described in 2015 by the Guardian (UK) as “the foremost rapper on the continent,” M.anifest has been shifting the status quo of the African music scene since his arrival. Known for his signature sound that marries traditional African sounds with Hip Hop sensibilities, he is an award-winning artist from Accra, Ghana.
 
Born Kwame Tsikata, M.anifest, who describes his music as “transformative,” has received wide recognition for his clever wordplay and effortless trilingual lyricism, employing English, Twi, and Pidgin English to produce boundary crossing music.
 
M.anifest was one of the stars of MIDEM 2017 winning an International Midem Award in Cannes, France. His performance on the beaches of Cannes and at the Awards Gala made him the talk of the conference. He is Ghana’s reigning Rapper and Hip Hop Artist of the Year.

An unabashed music lover, M.anifest, is comfortable crossing, and collaborating, across genres. His impressive list of collaborators includes Erykah Badu, Femi Kuti, Tony Allen (Nigeria), Brymo (Nigeria), Highlife legend A.B Crentsil (Ghana), Tumi, Kwesta & Proverb (South Africa), Fatoumata Diawara (Mali), and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (U.S). M.anifest also recently scored the film adaptation of Chimamanda Adichie’s short story On Monday of Last Week set to be released in 2017. He co-created and performed the credits song for groundbreaking Black historical fantasy short film, 'Forever Tree.'

He is a co-founder of Giant Steps, a conference for creative entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial creatives that has been a valuable part of many success stories of a community of like minded pioneers in the Twin Cities. M.anifest has had artist residencies and given lectures at St. Lawrence University (NY), University of Ghana and more. 

Screening: We Live In Silence

We Live in Silence (2017) is the final installment in a three-part series, which brings to full circle the photographic work which begun with Revelations in 2011. Although it was created at a later date, chronologically, the series begins with Genesis [Je n’isi isi] (2016) as a prelude to Revelations (2011). We Live in Silence takes its lead from the previous two series in an attempt to offer a conclusion, while also exploring what was not resolved in Genesis and Revelations.

Med Hondo’s 1967 film Soleil O provides a suitable entry point. The film explores diverse narratives on race and colonization, weaving an intersecting story that positions race and colonization at the center of a story about migration, with white supremacy, religion and the post-colony as the subtext. This final series attempts to dissect the film through similitude (quality or state of being similar to something), while shifting the story of the central protagonist to embody the complexities of race, gender, colonization and the post-colony. In this series of photographs and video works, the central figure becomes the colonizer and liberator, laborer and migrant. He embodies the post-colony leader. He is also symbolic of the converts who evangelized on behalf of the missionaries, promising eternal salvation.  Perhaps another consideration which is similar to similitude is addressed by Mudimbe:

“The African project of succession also designates this same configuration of its locus of creativity. In effect in the early 1960's, the African scholar succeeded the anthropologist, the 'Native” theologian replaced the missionary and the politician took the place of the Colonial Commissioner.”

We are very proud and more than happy to present you this great intermezzo at our first Ghanaian re:publica issue! Welcome M.anifest and Kudzanai Chiurai!