Students Attend Arts Festival In Kilifi

On Saturday, 4 September 2021, Diploma Programme (DP) Visual Arts and Music students at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa attended the DUOS Festival of Art and Education hosted by the Transcultural Perspectives in Art and Art Education (TPAAE) in Kilifi. 

This years theme, 'Women Power,' was inspired by the alarming rate of teenage pregnancies and violence against women in Kilifi County. The students toured several exhibitions that raised consciousness on these issues through diverse modes of artistic expression. The displays included ceramics, dances, music, poetry, textile designs and even animations.  

 

"Visual Arts and Music students are strongly encouraged by the International Baccalaureate (IB) to see and attend original work or performances as part of the contextual and critical analysis parts of the DP course in both subjects. This is one of only very few such possibilities in our coastal region," says Teacher Coach For The Arts Antoinette Blaine.

"The experience was really interesting, and as an Art student, I now truly understand the purpose of exhibiting your work. I also learned a lot about the varying cultural influence in every artist's craftsmanship regardless of their distinct creative mediums," DP2 student Bradley Ogolla says.

"The trip was very informative. We learnt about the story of Mekatilili, a fierce heroine who opposed the colonization and rule of the British. Two of the stations were about Mekatilili; one was a stop motion animation about her, and the other was an underwater statue of her," says DP1 student Hotep Mutinda.

 

All in all, the festival provided the students with technical tips and tricks that can be applied in their work, while also enlightening them on how an artist's context can influence creative expression.