Minutes of the 30th meeting
Present: Ebenezer Acquah, Juste Constant Onana Amougui, Osuanyi Essel, Mary Clare Kidenda, Lize Kriel, Runette Kruger, Christian Römmelt, Avi Sooful, Mina Ton, Bernadette Van Haute, Ernst Wagner.
Apologies: Paul-Henri Souvenir Assako Assako, Ruth Belinga, Isadora Canela, Elsa Cuissard, Patrique deGraft-Yankson, Stefan Eisenhofer, Constanze Kirchner, Lydia Muthuma, Jane Otieno.
Welcome
Avi Sooful welcomed all participants and proposed the agenda.
Constitution
Patrique, Avi, Mary Clare and Bernadette met and developed a draft that was distributed amongst the panel’s members. Bernadette introduced the paper. Avi suggested that all members should read it carefully and send their feedback to Bernadette by Thursday, 15 January. A final version will be compiled and discussed for adoption at our next meeting.
Ongoing activities
- Un-Told Stories: Runette reported that it is a bit quiet at the moment, but activities will start in early 2026: https://www.explore-vc.org/en/documenta-xv/un-told-stories-2025.html
- UEW (Ebenezer Kow Abraham), XRHub Bavaria (Silke Schmidt) and the Technical University Munich (Lars Wüstmann) started a project to develop virtual museums showing Ghanaian items. A presentation of prototypes is scheduled for February 2026: https://www.explore-vc.org/en/documenta-xv/un-told-stories-2026.html
- The Imbali-Weingarten Project: Christian informed on a close collaboration between Imbali Johannesburg (Justine Watterson, Ruth Sack) and a German team from the University of Education Weingarten. Both teams are developing a joint prototype for a manual for art teachers: https://www.explore-vc.org/en/documenta-xv/teacher-manuals-in-south-africa-germany-2026.html
- The call for abstracts for the publication “Decolonizing Art Education” with approximately 30 submissions was successful: https://www.explore-vc.org/en/activities/news/decolonization-in-art-education.html. Applicants will be informed by January 15.
- The publication presenting the results of the last EVC conference in Nairobi on AI with the journal “Image & Text” is in process. Kyle Rath (UP) is the coordinator.
- Bernadette reported on a research project looking at narratives on the other and oneself in art history, focusing on Southern Africa and Central Europe. The idea is to negotiate mutual perceptions and self-concepts, examining them from various perspectives, including those of diaspora. The names forwarded to be part of the project are Ernst Wagner, Bernadette van Haute and Pfunzo Sidogi. Lize suggested Siko Siyotula to also partner in the project.
- Journal Afrikaland: The first issue of the journal Afrikaland Arts & Design was launched at LABA Douala on 26 November 2025: https://www.explore-vc.org/en/activities/news/november-26-2025-afrikaland.html. Congratulations to Paul-Henri, Constant and their team.
EVC Conference 2026
UEW invites EVC to Ghana. The conference takes place in Winneba from Tuesday, 31st March to Thursday, 2nd April 2026. Panel members were asked to respond to the call: https://www.explore-vc.org/en/activities/news/december-2025-call.html)
Next joint exhibition
The exhibition’s topic is: “The World in Polycrises: Art Driving Change”. There will be an analogue show in Winneba during the conference in March/April and an online version on the website.
International and national (Ghana) curator: Ebenezer
National curators: Kenya: Mary Clare; South Africa: Avi; Cameroon: Constant; Germany: Lukas Sterzenbach
Young EVC
Elsa’s concept was attached to the invitation. As Elsa and Isadora (at that time in Brazil) couldn’t join the meeting, a more thorough discussion will take place at the next meeting.
Newsletter
Mina introduced the idea of a new concept for the newsletter: shorter and more focussing on specific topics.
Collaboration with Zeppelin University
The concept for a conference organised by Zeppelin University (Germany) was attached to the invitation. The Expert Panel supports the idea of cooperation, especially as the topic aligns with EVC’s interests. Osuanyi asked whether there would be a call for abstracts, Ernst clarified in the meantime. Osuanyi was invited to speak at the conference. Lize mentioned the cooperation of the Albert Luthuli Institute for Leadership (UP) with Zeppelin University.
EVC Kenya
As Suki Mwenda has resigned from TUK, Mary Clare proposed to Dr Wango from Kenyatta University (KU) as a Panel member replacement for Kenya. KU has a very strong visual art department. The panel supported this.
Anniversary
EVC is ten years old – we celebrate the anniversary at the conference in Winneba
Next meeting
Thursday, 22 January, Ghana: 8am; Cameroon / Germany: 9am; South Africa: 10am; Kenya: 11am