Eza Possibles

Eza Possibles is a collective of painters, sculptors, and visual artists based in Kinshasa, Congo. The collective was founded in 2003 by Pathy Tshindele, Mega Mingiedi, and Kura Shomali, a group of artists of the Fine Art Academy of Kinshasa who took the initiative of reusing what they found in the streets to create sculptures and make installations. The group’s objective is to promote contemporary art in Congo by creating artworks which try to rethink the city. In 2007, Eza Possibles built a small bridge which connects two parts of a town separated by a river.  They view that work as a sign of public interest with the assumption that the artist is also responsible to make suggestions about how their town can be designed and organized differently. The collective curated local exhibitions and participated in exhibitions abroad including Congo Kitoko at Fondation Cartier in Paris. Some members also have their artworks that feature in private collections.

Gugulective

Gugulective is a group of artists founded in 2006 in the township of Gugulethu, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. The collective, which believe in art as an instrument for social change, includes painters, photographers, filmmakers, writers, critics, dancers, musicians, and performers. The group of artists collaborates with local communities to empower them through art, and to make the history and legacy of Apartheid visible again. Gugulective has curated several exhibitions in a local shebeen (a place that sells liquor without a license) called Kwa Mlamli, which was a meeting point for political activists during the Apartheid era. In reimagining the shebeen as an exhibition space, the collective have persisted in having shows in their own neighborhood rather than being pulled into the centre of town. Kwa Mlamli is far more attractive than a gallery, especially for young people who hardly ever come into contact with the arts. The group also participated in a number of group shows in South Africa, Germany, and Spain.

Cuss Group

Cuss is a group of artists based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The group was founded in 2011 by Ravi Govender, Jamal Nxedlana, and Zamani Xolo, and has over time extended to include new members. The projects that the group undertakes are often collaborative, stretching across a range of fields and disciplines. Since its inception, Cuss has changed his creative direction to better work as a collective. This shift included a move towards the creation of web television still however with a heavy focus on the cultural mapping of the country that was initially achieved through online publications. The collective has broadcast three webisodes, published four online magazines, a video magazine, a print magazine and a trailer for a documentary titled Skopo. The direction of Cuss is still in a constant state of development and perhaps the shared vision of wanting to broadcast issues from their perspective in context to their surroundings has and always will be a reason to produce.

Invisible Borders

Invisible Borders is a collective of artists including photographers, performers, filmmakers, and writers based in Nigeria. Founded in 2009 by Emeka Okereke, the collective started with a dozen of Nigerian artists brought together on a road trip from Lagos to Bamako. This initiative emerged from an urgent need to address the notion of dividing borders between countries in Africa. It was an attempt to acquire a more realistic sense of the similarity and singularity between peoples separated by cultural and geographical frontiers. During the trip, the collective explored the continent and participated in various photographic events, festivals, and exhibitions while engaging with the environment and the people encountered. Invisible Borders also organized other projects including a journal of reflection on African art, a public platform to enable people to share individual stories related to their African experiences, and a road trip across Nigeria to map diversity of the regions. The collective also participated in various international workshops and exhibitions including the 56th Venice Biennale of Arts.