The Night of Ideas 2021 offered to the numerous public, this Thursday, January 28 at the French Institute of Benin in Cotonou, more than 3 hours of artistic and reflective wandering around the poetic, aesthetic, cultural and cultural circulations, woven between the African, European and American shores of the Atlantic. It highlighted the proximity generated by interculturality and the richness revealed in the variety of cultures.
Like every year, the French Institute of Benin is associated with the Night of Ideas which took place on Thursday, January 28, 2021 from 7:30 pm in the premises of the French Institute in Cotonou, broadcast live at the French Institute in Parakou.
In response to the theme "close", proposed by the French Institute in Paris, IF Benin questioned the proximity in culture, through interculturality and in the poetic and aesthetic circulations woven between the African, European and American shores of the Atlantic.
The reflective and artistic wanderings at the French Institute of Benin were organized around cultural and cultic expressions shaped through history, memory and contemporary circulation of intangible heritage: song, music and dance, on the scale of the Atlantic worlds. The format was designed to alternate artistic performances and cross reflections between experts, artists, academics, tradition bearers and researchers.
This event marked the launch of the cycle of debates "Atlantic Dialogues: Reinterpreting the Europe-Africa-America triangle in its cultural, artistic and creative resonances and correspondences", supported by the Fonds d'Alembert and which will run throughout 2021.
Course of the evening and speakers
1. Performance: sacred songs from Benin and Haiti - The Teriba sisters (Benin) and James Germain (Haiti)
This performance was the first stop of the evening. It allowed us to understand the influence of the sacred in contemporary music on both sides of the Atlantic, in Benin, with the vocal group Teriba, and in Haiti, with James Germain.
2. Debate: "Atlantic circulation and artistic updating of the sacred and ancestrality
moderated by Mr. Gérald Brun, attaché for scientific and academic cooperation at the French Embassy in Benin, with :
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- Mrs. Kadya Tall, anthropologist, researcher at the IRD (Institute of Research for Development), by videoconference from France;
- Mr. Carlo Celius, art historian, researcher at the CNRS (Centre national de la recherche scientifique), by videoconference from France;
- Mr. Ousmane Alédji, cultural expert, director, advisor to the President of the Republic of Benin for culture and heritage;
- Mr Marcel Padey, musicologist, researcher, journalist;
- Teriba vocal group ;
- Mr. James Germain, singer.
3. Performance: Percussion, dance and ceremonial songs - Pepit'Art (Benin)
4. Debate: "Intangible cultural heritage: knowing, conserving, transmitting
animated by Mr. Osseni Souberou, in charge of the African Heritage School, with :
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- Mr. Bienvenu Koudjo, artistic director of the Conservatoire des danses cérémonielles et royales du Bénin;
- Mr Didier Houénoudé, Director of the National Institute of Art, Archaeology and Culture (INMAAC) - University of Abomey-Calavi;
- Mr Michel Noudogbessi, head of the Pepit'Art Association
5. Performance: live choreography and digital art
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- Ms. Rachelle Agbossou, choreographer, dancer, Benin;
- Mr Marcel Gbeffa of the Multicorps company, choreographer, dancer, Benin;
- Ms. Céline Coyac, choreographer, dancer, France ;
- Mr. Maksaens Denis, V-jay, Haiti.
6. Words from artists: "Heritage and contemporary creation: artists, creators, researchers and transmitters
moderated by Mrs Coline-Lee Toumson-Venite, delegated director of the French Institute of Benin, with :
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- The vocal group Teriba, Benin ;
- Mr. James Germain, musician, Haiti;
- Ms. Rachelle Agbossou, choreographer, dancer, Benin;
- Mr Marcel Gbeffa, choreographer, dancer, Benin;
- Ms. Céline Coyac, choreographer, dancer, France ;
- Mr. Maksaens Denis, V-jay, Haiti
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28/06/2021
