Souvenir d'Italie: Migration and Identity at Dakar's Italian Cultural Institute

The 15th Dakar Biennale of Contemporary African Art opened under the theme 'The Wake,' featuring 58 international artists. Concurrently, the exhibition 'Souvenir d'Italie' launched in the OFF section and the 13th edition of Partcours, on view until February 8, 2025, at the new headquarters of the Italian Cultural Institute of Dakar in the Plateau district. Curated by Eugenio Viola, the show explores migration, identity, and memory through works by Binta Diaw, Adji Dieye, and Délio Jasse, highlighting how Italian culture is influenced by African stories and diasporas. Diaw's immersive installation 'Il peut pleurer du ciel' (Milan, 1995) was created during a residency in Senegal supported by the IIC Dakar as part of the third edition of Progetto Genesi. Arte e Diritti Umani, addressing migration between Africa and Europe. Dieye (Milan, 1991) presents 'Let Me' from the series 'Culture Lost and Learned by Heart,' examining the relationship between Senegal's national iconographic archives and architecture, inspired by Léopold Sédar Senghor's concept of 'asymmetric parallelism' and Felwine Sarr's thought. Jasse (Angola, 1980) explores memory and identity through meta-photography in series 'Città Foresta' and 'Visitate l'Italia,' reflecting on Italy's colonial history and forgotten personal narratives using found images like passports and family albums. Viola states the exhibition invites recognition of migratory and identity complexities, rethinking Italianness globally.