“The sociopolitical tensions of our time have infused our daily lives with an ominous aura. The atmosphere is fraught with tension. Anxiety is heightened. A sense of powerlessness and hopelessness pervade the air and constrict movement, both of the body and soul. Political positions are at loggerheads. All of this plays out most evidently at the boundaries of our differences. Despite these challenges, people worldwide have found creative ways to express support for life and condemn violence through demonstrations, dialogues, and artistic interventions. These actions arise from individual agency, aiming to reject a world where the boundaries between the self and the other are weaponized, and turned against one another.” (Emeka Okereke)

Berlin, known for its history as a city of intersections and multifarious identities, embodies many contradictions. Its residents navigate paradoxes engendered by ideological differences. Yet it is a city where children from myriad nationalities and races across the globe are raised and educated with a strong emphasis on multiculturalism. What kind of world will they inherit or create as they grow up?

As part of his podcast Nkata, artist and scholar Emeka Okereke discusses with Alain Missala the following questions: As humanity moves towards, and encounters, each other (intensively and extensively), what do we make of our differences and how might we nurture and encourage the children to embrace the wealth of difference to project themselves onto a world where, as the African philosophy, Ubuntu goes, “I am because we are”? 

The conversation will center around what Emeka Okereke calls “a volatile negotiation between the past and the present”, reflecting on the dilemmas of our time, and the new age – the world our children will one day inherit.

Selected episodes from Nkata are presented at Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (n.b.k.) as part of the exhibition A Home for Something Unknown (March 2 – April 28, 2024). In the series, Okereke speaks with cultural practitioners, theorists, and fellow artists about their lives and work. The conversations are renditions of significant events experienced by the guests that inform their way of being and moving in the world.

In English

Free admission

Participants

Alain Missala is the founder of Black Dads Germany, pioneering a secure haven for Black fathers and families with the aim of reshaping the narrative on Black fatherhood. Missala leads projects aimed at amplifying the stories of Black fathers in Germany. As the founder and CEO of ZULA, he empowers young minds and celebrates diversity through various formats, inspiring a new generation of creators and entrepreneurs, particularly from a BAME background. His commitment to positive change extends to initiatives like The ZULA 10in1, a diverse and inclusive book creation project, where he collaborates with Audible as well as private and public institutions to uplift disadvantaged schools and communities. Missala believes in the transformative power of storytelling, using dialogue and personal encounters to drive meaningful progress for young entrepreneurs, creators, business leaders, and individuals.

Emeka Okereke is a Nigerian visual artist and scholar who lives and works between Lagos and Berlin, moving from one to the other frequently. He holds a Master’s degree from the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris and has exhibited in biennials and art festivals in cities across the world. Okereke is the founder and artistic director of Invisible Borders Trans-African Project. He is also the founder and host of the Nkata Podcast Station. Okereke has served as a visiting lecturer in several art platforms and learning institutions – notably Hartford University’s MFA program in Photography, Salzburg Summer Academy and Sandberg Institute Amsterdam. In 2018, Okereke was conferred the insignia of the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the Ministry of Culture of France. He is currently a lecturer at the Interdisciplinary Art Practices and Theory program of the Berlin University of the Arts.