L’Esprit Prêt-a-Partager 2009
Distributed by Third World Newsreel, 545 Eighth Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10018; 212-947-9277
Produced by Jamika Ajalon
Directed by Jamika Ajalon
DVD, color, 28 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Art, African Studies
Date Entered: 09/20/2010
Reviewed by Louise Greene, Art Library, University of Maryland, College ParkThis short documentary capturing highlights of the Prêt-a-pARTager (Ready to Share) arts workshop held in Dakar, Senegal in November of 2008, is a visual feast of light, color and form.
The 12-day event which drew visual artists, photographers, designers and performance artists from around the world, was followed by a two-year traveling exhibition with venues throughout Africa. Concurrent themes were fashion, sport and identity, which participating artists addressed with humor, pathos and ingenuity. The film captures beautifully their creative energy and collaborative spirit—and their effect upon this vibrant city which served, at the same time, as both stage and player.
Fast-paced visuals of the city and the artists are interwoven with a thoughtful narrative by workshop participants on the role of culture, history, place and personal experience in their varied approaches to their work.
L’Esprit Prêt-a-Partager is recommended for libraries with collections in art.