24/11/2019

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women


November 25 has been designated by The United Nations General Assembly as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Resolution 54/134). 


"Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it." - The UN explained. 

 The 2019 theme for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is ‘Orange the World: Generation Equality Stands Against Rape’. 

 Like in previous years, this year's International Day will mark the launch of 16 days of activism that will conclude on 10 December 2019, which is International Human Rights Day.

Alarming Figures

  • 1 in 3 women and girls experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, most frequently by an intimate partner 
  • Only 52% of women married or in a union freely make their own decisions about sexual relations, contraceptive use and health care
  • Worldwide, almost 750 million women and girls alive today were married before their 18th birthday; while 200 million women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) 
  • 1 in 2 women killed worldwide were killed by their partners or family in 2017; while only 1 out of 20 men were killed under similar circumstances 
  • 71% of all human trafficking victims worldwide are women and girls, and 3 out of 4 of these women and girls are sexually exploited 
  • Violence against women is as serious a cause of death and incapacity among women of reproductive age as cancer, and a greater cause of ill health than traffic accidents and malaria combined.






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23/11/2019

On fiction and reality, on writing reality and becoming real again through reading


This interesting interview with the fascinating Zadie Smith... got me thinking about my writing process.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-23/zadie-smith-fiction-novel-short-stories-white-teeth/11730358

Extract:

About news... 
"It's on your phone, in your mind constantly," she told The Book Show.
"When you are committed to the urgency of non-fiction and the news, there is a widespread belief in reality of the news. [But] 100 years ago, we had a slightly more analytical perspective, we understood it was a monetised thing," she said.
In the current context, she feels that fiction, and the novel, have lost the predominance they once enjoyed.
"Suddenly, there's this very scandalous feeling of, 'Why should I have to read this thing which isn't real?' That's suddenly [society's] feeling."
(...)
"Fiction now seems like a bit of an outrage."
But books have acquired a curious new currency in the digital, data-driven 'surveillance age', says Smith.
"To read is to be out of the observing eye — apart from if you are reading on your Kindle of course."
"In front of the book, the reader is free — interpreting what you read, thinking, without performing it back to someone, without being observed, without it being codified or monetised. That seems to me a very exciting thing right now."
"When I am feeling very optimistic I think the future of fiction is a radical future of people who are really determined to exist in the privacy of books."

-


Zadie is one of the main inspirations the main character in my novel learns from. A novel no one wants to publish yet, but that I try to get out there still.

As I'm currently writing texts as part of my residence at the Arnolfini gallery in Bristol, I reflect deeply on the links between news and fiction. 

Some of the 20th century's greatest writers were also journalists, from Hemingway to Martha Gellhorn and Hunter Thompson, Albert Londres in France. 

Hopefully, this constant entanglement between reality and imagination will successfully make sense in my current explorations.


Two photographs from the 'Still I Rise' exhibition




-


I'll talk more about this exhibition on feminism and resistance, and about the writing that I'm working on for the gallery.
It's currently all work-in-progress, but the first texts are ready.

I'll posted the first one here on Sunday 1st of December, the day after this tour/talk...

See you there, hopefully...



SATURDAY 30TH NOVEMBER 2019

TOUR | WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE- MELISSA CHEMAM — Arnolfini




A few words from the gallery:

We are delighted to have Melissa Chemam working with us as writer-in-residence throughout Still I Rise. On this tour, she will link pieces of writing to a selection of artworks currently exhibited in our galleries.

Freelance journalist/reporter, radio producer and writer, Melissa Chemam has been presenting her work for print, television and radio since 2004. She has reported for the BBC World Service, Reuters, DW, France 24, and Vox Africa, among others; while her writing has been featured in The Public Art Review, Transfuge Magazine, Le Figaro, Le Monde, Skin Deep, The Bristol Cable, Bristol 24/7, CIRCA Art Magazine, Public Pressure, and The Times Literary Supplement.

Writing is her favoured means of expression, covering literature, the arts, music, but especially social change, migration issues & international politics. Passionate about travel, she has lived in Prague, Miami, London, Nairobi, Bangui (in Central African Republic), Bristol, and Paris (where she was born in 1980). She has travelled to more than 14 African countries in the past 10 years, and 40 countries worldwide.

Her first book published, 'Massive Attack – Out of the Comfort Zone', on Bristol's music, art and politics, was released in the UK in March 2019.

-

You can book here:


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20/11/2019

Sound of the Mad Professor


I've interviewed the Mad Professor a few times the past 12 months now...

More on this soon!

The first interview should be out on WhyNow in January.





Island Music Ep21: Mad Professor


Dub pioneer Mad Professor joins Rick Howe in the studio for a special edition of Island Music
Australian radio

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