• Preparing Bozar

Preparing w Vincent Meessen a revised version of Sampling the Man of Memory, for Patterns for (Re)cognition, exhibited at Bozar, Brussels ( June 15th till September 10th 2017). – special thanks to Philippe Vandendriessche

Jan Vansina, godfather of oral history

Sampling the Man of Memory is a sound sculpture for a.o. 4 Nagra analogue tape recorders, starring the voice of Jan Vansina (see pic), the godfather of oral history, on his one-time encounter with pioneering Congolese visual artist Thela Tendu.

Jan Vansina passed away last February 8th 2017, the same day I had just started preparing for a new field recording trip to DR Congo, Uganda and Rwanda (with visual artist Isabelle Vigier). I was shocked by the news, but the sharp memory of Vansina’s generosity, fire and passion instantly encouraged me to never give up learning more about the underexposed and precious histories of the African continent.

Here a link to the Wisconsin University tribute page, in honor of Jan Vansina (1929-2017)