The colours of Africa
Published on 18 March 2020
Paris Design Week has qualified to be part of the Africa2020 season in France, so it’s the perfect opportunity for any participants who want to embrace the many colours of African design!
The Africa2020 season is an extraordinary event co-developed by African and French professionals. The season, orchestrated by the Institut Français and dedicated to the 54 countries that comprise the continent, presents the African people’s point of view on questions as diverse as the economy, knowledge dissemination, history, land and citizenship. Every discipline is involved, from artistic creativity to scientific research, not forgetting entrepreneurship and of course design. Events will be taking place all over France. Paris Design Week and MAISON&OBJET both received the Africa2020 label and this year’s Rising Talent Awards, which reward excellence amongst emerging designers, will be focussing on the African design scene. Previous editions showcased talented designers from the UK, Italy, Lebanon and France. Just as in 2019 when an exhibition paid tribute to America’s Rising Talents at Galerie Froissart during Paris Design Week, this year you will be able to discover the prizewinning African designers at the 2020 edition (as well as at MAISON&OBJET). The jury which will examine the applications brings together some prestigious and inspirational creators: Senegalese designer Bibi Seck, London-based Nigerian designer Yinka Ilori, Mariam Hazem & Hend Riad (Reform Studio, Cairo), Pierre-Christophe Gam, a visual artist from Cameroon and Moroccan designer Hicham Lalou. They will be joined by Elizabeth Leriche. Participants in Paris Design Week who choose to exhibit the work of African creators will be able to take advantage of the buzz created by this event.