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SummitShare engages with the Artists Collective to explore creative processes and discuss the future of art in Africa.

SummitShare engages with the Artists Collective to explore creative processes and discuss the future of art in Africa.

Shortly after our visit to CC Art Gallery, the SummitShare team had the opportunity in Q4 of 2023 to interview the current president of the Artists Collective and engage with other artists within the collective. We met with the artists during one of their workshops, witnessing their creative processes across various mediums. The president was particularly impressive, working on a large sculpture of an acoustic guitar made entirely from old bicycle chains. He meticulously galvanized the small pieces to remove rust before welding them into the larger structure. It was truly a sight to behold.

During our interview with the president, we focused on discussing the purpose of SummitShare and the role artists, like those in the collective, play in the grand narrative. We were particularly interested in his thoughts on creating spaces that hold art and how to effectively merge old with new to produce innovative outputs, a specialty of his and a core aim of SummitShare.

We also delved into the challenges faced by African artists striving to make a living from their work. A significant issue discussed was the problem of ownership and provenance once an artist’s work has been sold. Many artworks cannot be tracked back to their original creators, resulting in lost opportunities for visibility and value addition. The SummitShare team recognized this as a critical area worth exploring further. This realization has led us to consider an additional facet of our overarching project—a platform tentatively named 'Arteshare'. This platform would aim to enhance visibility, facilitate ownership, and add value for artists each time their artwork is sold.

After concluding our discussion with the president, we engaged with other artists who were actively working on their pieces. We met many talented young artists, some of whom have won local awards for their specialties. This experience allowed us to build bridges to a network of artists and identify a partner with a significant number of artists to consult. This partnership will help us further understand the diverse requirements of our solution.

Overall, the interview and interactions with the Artists Collective provided invaluable insights and connections. It reinforced the importance of integrating artist perspectives into SummitShare and highlighted new areas of focus, such as Arteshare, to support and empower African artists. We look forward to continuing these conversations and collaborations as we develop solutions that benefit the artistic community and contribute to the larger narrative of cultural preservation and innovation.

Check out our tweet on this here!