Nataal Presents: New African Male Diaspora Identities – come to our special talk at Africa Utopia

Nataal is hosting a talk at this weekend’s Africa Utopia festival at the Southbank Centre in London. Entitled Nataal Presents: New African Male Diaspora Identities, the roundtable on Sunday 16 July will discuss what it means to be an African man in the diaspora today. Chaired by writer and broadcaster Ekow Eshun, our speakers include video director Akinola Davies, writer and curator Kareem Reid and illustrator Jermaine Ampomah.

The special event is inspired by and previews a new photographic body of work by photographer Mehdi Lacoste and stylist KK Obi, celebrating contemporary African masculinities and featuring an extensive cast of London creatives. The full project is soon to be published as a limited edition booklet and Nataal exclusive.

The conversation follows the success of last year’s Nataal salon at Africa Utopia, which featured live music and spoken word, a film screening and book reading.

Now in its fifth year, Africa Utopia has become a major cultural festival exploring modern Africa. Performances, talks, debates and workshops cover everything from visual arts, music, dance and fashion through to technology, gender, faith and activism.

Other highlights of this year’s edition will include screenwriter Amma Asante MBE in conversation about her films, Belle and A United Kingdom; Selina Thompson’s play salt., which traces the slave trade from the UK to Ghana and Jamaica; a catwalk show in association with Africa Fashion Week London; a pop-up hair salon by Ugandan collective Salooni; a keynote on social change and solidarity across boarders by Nigerian poet Lola Shoneyin, and What The Trees Know – an improvisation between South African poet Toni Stuart and UK poet Remi Graves.

Nataal’s talk is included in both the Sunday Africa Utopia Pass and the Africa Utopia Weekend Pass. Entry to all events in this series is on a first-come, first-served basis, so don’t be late!

Nataal Presents: New African Male Diaspora Identities, Sunday 16 July, 1.30pm-2.30pm,Level 5 Function Room, Green side, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London

Photography Mehdi Lacoste
Styling KK Obi
Model Denise Okwera at  AMCK
Hair Virginie Moreira
Make-up Afrolion
Casting TM Casting
Set Design Louis Gibson

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