February 2, 2024: 24th Meeting of the Expert Panel

Minutes of the 24th meeting

Present: Ebenezer Acquah, Juste Constant Onana Amougui, Patrique deGraft-Yankson, Osuanyi Essel, Mary Claire Akinyi Kidenda, Runette Kruger, Jayne Otieno, Nicola Pauli, Christian Römmelt, Avi Sooful, Bernadette Van Haute, Ernst Wagner

Apologies: Paul-Henri Souvenir Assako Assako, Ruth Belinga, Stefan Eisenhofer, Lize Kriel, Suki Mwendwa, Constanze Kirchner

 

Welcome

Avi welcomed all participants, proposing the agenda. The minutes of the last meeting were confirmed.

 

Results of the survey - topics and formats of our collaboration

The survey focused on 2 questions: What is EVC for me? What kind of activities should EVC carry out? 15 members of the Expert Panel responded. The results show a clear picture regarding the existing profile as well as the expectations of EVC.

 

EVC is for most respondents a platform for international collaboration focusing on research and learning from each other. Consequently, EVC should publish its results in print (book, journal, zine) and online (www.explore-vc.org). EVC should also showcase (virtual) student exhibitions that focus on EVC’s main research topic. The Collective Memory (2020/21) virtual exhibition serves as an example of collaboration between students and art educators in higher education institutions in Africa and Europe. Physical student exhibitions should also be presented at EVC conferences where possible for example, documenta in Kassel, Germany (2022), (A)Gender Matters in Pretoria, South Africa (2023) and Artificial Intelligence to be hosted in Nairobi (2024). The combination of all institutional members' involvement in an exhibition, conference, and publication, focused on a specific topic, is EVC’s profile (at the moment).

 

Matters Arising - ongoing projects

  • Next conference and students’ exhibition: Mary Claire reported on the process and preparations adopted for the 3-day conference on AI that will take place at the Technical University- Kenya (TU-K) in Nairobi in November 2024 (dates not yet confirmed & concepts are attached). Expert Panel members are expected to suggest further sub-themes and to volunteer for Sub-Committees.
  • Zine: MaryMary Claire, Nicola, Ebenezer and Christian are preparing the first edition titled Dennis the Goat to be published in April. Ebenezer indicated that the topic of the 2nd issue will be Intimacy. There is a possibility for a third edition in 2024 which is dependent on time.
  • Young EVC: Christian, Michaela, and Matete are working on a pilot project between South Africa and Germany that includes three areas of collaboration- film, artistic exchanges and academic theses. The timeline is March/April 2024. If this format is successful, EVC members will be invited to join.
  • Analysis and reflection on the Gender Matters Exhibition: Runette will present at the next EVC meeting.
  • Supervisors: Mary Clare has already received many CVs for possible supervisory duties. Those wanting to forward their CVs can still do so until the 15 February.

 

Information Sharing

  • Patrique informed the house that an InSEA Webinar on AI and Art Education will take place on February 17, at noon (GMT). More information: https://explore-vc.org/en/activities/news.html
  • ACASA: TThe EVC submission submitted by Paul was accepted. Paul will inform the Panel of due process.
  • The working group on “Heritage – Museums” has been disbanded due to to loss of interest.
  • We await a response from Mexico and IoC (USA) regarding their project.
  • The working group “Educational Material / Textbooks” meets for a workshop in South Africa, 19-23 February. Patrique, Ebenezer, Osuanyi, Avi, Christian, Nicole, Ernst, Phillip and Christiane will represent Art; Esther and Gabriele will contribute to discussions on Geography and Gertrude will represent History.
  • EVC MOU: Malik from the National Museum in Ghana will accompany the Ghanaian colleagues and work with colleagues at the Heritage and Cultural Sciences Heritage Conservation programme at the University of Pretoria.
  • Another Roadmap Africa Cluster: David Andrew will meet with Ernst in February.
  • NICE Lab 50/50: MMary Claire and Avi reported on the collaboration between Kenyan/German (Dortmund University)/South African students in formal/informal or analogue/digital learning. This could relate to Young EVC and/or further publications and collaborations.
  • Documenta Publication: Lize, Avi, Bernadette and Ernst are working on this publication.
  • EVC’s objects database. Mina (Augsburg University) is researching EVC’s objects database for the PhD study. She will be invited to a future meeting to present her findings.

 

Date of the next meeting

March (date to be confirmed).