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CELAFI'25 

CELEBRATING AFRICAN IDENTITY

HISTORY & LEGACY

CELAFI 1992 & 1997 Conference / Festivals in Celebration of African Identity brought together academics, artists, advocates and patrons from across Canada and around the world to present, represent and challenge each other in public discussion.

 

                Twenty five years later we celebrated in conjunction with Canada's 150th and introduced the start-up collection of CELAFI artifacts designated for the home of CELAFI'25 Digital Archive, a repository dedicated to collecting, preserving and making publically available data that evidences the artistic achievements of Canada’s National community of Black Artists and their impact on Canadian culture.

The archive will `look back` commemorating and documenting what was, in 1992 & 1997, an explosive tour de force of creativity by Black Artists from many of Canada`s provinces, and their international contemporaries that filled a collective ten official days with music, dance, theatre, fashion, visual art, literature, oral tradition, body adorning, wearable art, film and video, forums and workshops and the ongoing creative output those events have manifested since. Then 'move forward' building a muscular digital archive dedicate to the artistry of the Black Canadian Artist then and now.  

INSIDE CELAFI'25

2. TRANSFORMING THE IMAGE- cover

2. TRANSFORMING THE IMAGE- cover

word-up1_edited

word-up1_edited

Black essentials _ Ita

Black essentials _ Ita

CELAFI'25 Video Introduction
artists and patrons button
CELAFI'25 Collection
Artis Lane, Sculpture
Jan Crick - Vancouver
AYANNA BLACK (1931 - July 21, 2009)
CELAFI'25 Archive
C'25 Offices
C'25 Archive: Research Garden
CELAFI '92 & '97Venues

There were over 1000 artist-participants  represented at CELAFI 1992 & 1997, and collectively as many advocates, patrons, funders and volunteers.  Previewed in 2017 , CELAFI25 start-up collection has given credit to these supporters by name, and will address omission and/or corrections as we ‘move forward’ building the CELAFI’25 Digital Archive.

CELAFI's landmark conference and festivals dug deep into the roots of Africa art aesthetics, and emanated the many thriving branches as they sprang forth and blossomed in every art form around the world. The site contains roughly 150 artifacts from over 100 events and over 1000 participants from CELAFI 1992 & 1997, including - artwork, exhibition catalogues,  publications, curatorial statements, programming essays,  bios, articles and more

Ayanna Black
Austin Clarke, Author
Djanet Sears
Clement Virgo
Glace Lawrence
Phylis Walker
Alfons Adetuyi
Dawn Wilkinson
Itah Sadu
Gregory Isaac
Buseje Bailey
Cameron Bailey
COBA
Lawrence Hill
Angela Lee

The initial archive was assembled from three private collections, it is also a work-in-progress.  Preview artifacts from the CELAFI'25 Archive.  We invite you to exploreshare and contribute.

COMING SOON : 

SAVE THE DATE JULY 7, 2018 

CELAFI Reunion and Reconnection Event.

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