The African Arts

The African Arts Institute is proud to support the Poetry Africa 2012 roadshow when it hits Cape Town for a one-night-only show at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Saturday 13th of October. 

Following Cape Town and the past week's performances in Lilongwe, Harare and Gaberone, Poetry Africa heads for Durban where it will culminate in the annual week-long festival at the Sneddon Theatre from 15 to 19 October. 

Heading up the Cape Town showcase is Saul Williams, whose innovative work as an actor, poet and musician continues to break new ground on arts stages around the world. The proficiency and originality across different artforms which have established Williams at the cutting-edge of creativity provide a riveting fusion of voice and music artistry on matters of heart, mind and social conscience. Well-known for his breakout role in Slam, Williams has appeared in over ten films and starred in the Senegalese-shot film Tey, which showed at the recent Durban International Film Festival.

One of the signature characteristics of Poetry Africa is the showcasing of poets from the African continent, which this year includes Nii Ayikwei Parkes from Ghana and Philo Ikonya of Kenya. Parkes is a sought-after socio-cultural commentator whose poetry embraces themes of power, cultural conflicts, love, and the friction between capitalism and humanism. Poet and novelist Philo Ikonya was President of the Kenyan chapter of PEN when she suffered brutal arrest for speaking out against corruption and the clampdowns on freedom of expression in Kenya, and is now based in Norway. 

Completing the lineup for Cape Town are Lebo Mashile, Ewok, Madosini and Pedro-Espi-Sanchis. Popular television presenter Lebo Mashile is an iconic part of contemporary South African culture and a dynamic pinnacle of the poetry scene, while the razorsharp wordsmith Ewok is active as MC, playwright, actor, teacher, and is part of hip-hop outfit Illuminating Shadows. Madosini is the foremost exponent of the various bow instruments that form part of Xhosa culture and a crucial custodian of these traditions. A regular collaborator with Madosini is Pedro Espi-Sanchis; originally from Spain, Pedro has become a local and international legend for his African story-telling and expertise on indigenous music instruments, especially the Lekgodilo pipe-flute.