Anawana Haloba, an artist born in Zambia and based in Norway, talks about vanishing cultures in her project for the 32nd Sao Paulo Biennial. Her poetic sound installation titled Close-Up poses questions on the subject of globalization and the loss of cultural diversity. Recorded on Skype, this episode is the first in a new series we’re producing for Contemporary And, a platform for international art from African perspectives.

From the Biennial website:
Anawana Haloba’s artistic practice is an ongoing investigation process into Zambian social, economic, ideological and cultural post-independence frameworks. Working with performance-based sound and video installations, Haloba creates situations where the material culture of any given place can be probed and reconsidered within the scheme of rapidly shifting contemporary subjectivities. For the 32nd Bienal, Haloba presents Close-Up (2016), an installation with sound elements revolving around salt blocks that, over a period of time, undergo a process of liquefaction. Close-Up makes reference to the bodily fluids of humans, minerals found in landscapes and the historical significance of salt as a means of exchange. The melting and trickling of the salt is a slow, timed, and amplified process that ultimately leads to relief on the one hand and extinction on the other.

Sound Editor: Guney Ozsan | Photography: Courtesy the artist

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Related Links: Anawana Haloba, 32nd São Paulo Biennial, Contemporary And