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Afropolitan Comics

From South Africa to the Continent, Images in Conversation

Welcome to a world of fact and fiction, a world that speaks in images and words as equal partners and tells us tales of life, of power, of struggle, of friendship and of worlds both familiar and not.

Here you will experience tales from across Africa as the artists and writers construct new narratives in one of the oldest forms of expression.

We, as the curatorial team, hope that you will be moved by what you see, as comics are often an unseen art on the Continent. Designed as a bipartisan display, you will experience the works previously displayed at the South African Art of Comics exhibition at the Johannesburg Art Gallery, in conversation with their pan-African equivalents in what we hope will offer a true glimpse of the Afropolitan - a spirit of African invigoration shared by our continent, our home.

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Chapter 1

Autobiography

Comics and graphic novels are an important new format for autobiographical literature, and the most natural form for comics authors to document personal histories and experiences. They allow for greater expression and experimental storytelling, where these different storytelling strategies allow us to feel closer to the author and their personal journeys. We can imagine pulling up a chair to listen to them talk or daydreaming ourselves into a world where we too could share our world with beloved superheroes. Here we can observe that no matter where we live, our stories of self-discovery and personal expression are universal and that the format of the comic allows us a creative space to express who we are.

South Africa

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The Continent

THE INITIATION
Mogorosi Motshumi

In The Initiation, Mogorosi Motshumi reflects on his childhood days, building up to his years as a Black Consciousness activist in the aftermath of the Soweto uprising and his move to Johannesburg where he had his heyday as the author of the popular Sloppy comic strip during the 1980’s.

From The Initiation by Mogorosi Motshumi

The novel takes us through divorce, addiction, family tragedy, and HIV/AIDS. Motshumi’s novel - permeated by the shadow of the Apartheid regime as seen through the eyes of a child, and then an increasingly politically aware teenager - is a classic South African story. It is also a rich and personal account of universal childhood joys and challenges, from hunting lizards, fording rivers and negotiating new schoolmates. It is the first part of the trilogy to be published with two volumes to follow.

I saw that I could express myself through this medium. As a child, I was not very talkative, but the paper became a conduit to express my feelings.

From The Initiation by Mogorosi Motshumi
From The Initiation by Mogorosi Motshumi
From The Initiation by Mogorosi Motshumi
MENGELMOES
Willem Samuel
From Mengelmoes by Willem Samuel

Mengelmoes, (roughly translated as ‘hodgepodge’ or ‘mishmash’ in English) explores Samuel’s teenage and boyhood days, as a young white Afrikaaner in post 1994 high school. The title is a reference to his experience of the country after the first democratic election, when the political situation was in a state of flux. His panels are a mixture between reality and fiction, reflecting his tendency for daydreaming and richly imaginative life. Figures from films and comics frequently appear in mundane situations, such as Judge Dredd and Star Wars characters, and scenes from Samuel’s life often manifest as ‘out-takes’, replicating the way our minds drift to different potential outcomes of a situation.

From Mengelmoes by Willem Samuels
From Mengelmoes by Willem Samuels
From Mengelmoes by Willem Samuels

You’re in society and you create art in response to things you see around you

Cameroon LUCHA, CHRONICLE OF AN UNARMED REVOLUTION IN CONGO
Annick Kamgang
From Lucha, Chronique d'une révolution sans armes au Congo by Kam

Lucha, Chronique d’une révolution sans armes au Congo is the story of the movement of the same name, created by young Congolese from all walks of life who have chosen to fight a peaceful struggle in a country where things are often settled by the use of weapons, clientelism or corruption. This citizen movement was born in January 2012 in Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kivu).


written by Justine Brabant, illustrated by Annick Kamgang

Motivated by the desire for a new, truly independent and democratic country, La Lucha campaigns through non-violent actions for access to water, education, an end to impunity for armed groups and the holding of presidential elections. This very popular movement is regularly repressed by the authorities.

From Lucha, Chronique d'une révolution sans armes au Congo by Kam
From Lucha, Chronique d'une révolution sans armes au Congo by Kam
From Lucha, Chronique d'une révolution sans armes au Congo by Kam

I love incisive, trenchant and topical drawings

Algeria NOSTALGEEK
Togui
From Nostalgeek by Togui

Nostalgeek follows the adventures of Togui, a 37 year old Algerian; clumsy, goofy, an avid lover of cinema, TV series, comics, food, and rock music (Dire Straits in particular). The author takes us on a journey of adventures, anecdotes and memories from the 1980s to the present day, following in the footsteps of a young dreamer during what has been called the "black decade" in Algeria (1990-2000), those years during which the Algerian government established an authoritarian regime under the pretext of curbing the rise of radical Islam. The socio-political criticism that punctuates this juvenilization narrative is marked by much self-mockery and sprinkled with geek references that Togui is particularly fond of.

Comics are literary style in their own right. It's not just for kids, it's not inferior literature.

From Nostalgeek by Togui
From Nostalgeek by Togui
From Nostalgeek by Togui

Chapter 2

Heroes and History

Comics aren’t always just about the fabulous world of superheroes. Their narratives can also recount the stories of real-life heroes whose actions and sacrifices have changed the world. Termed Biographical Comics, facts around historical figures are assembled along with comic visuals to tell the reader about and show the actions performed by these people during their lives. Subjects ranging from famous political figures, sports stars and celebrated musicians have all appeared in the pages of comics about their lives and achievements.

South Africa

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The Continent

BASADI SADI
Lesego Ditlhake
From Basadi Sadi by Lesego Ditlhake

Basadi-Sadi is the work of Wits Digital Arts Master’s student Lesego Ditlhake. The project is as a unique combination of comic pages, factual information and poetry, celebrating the lives of some of the most important female figures of the Apartheid struggle, including Phyllis Ntantala-Jordan, Ruth First and Miriam Makeba.

From Basadi Sadi by Lesego Ditlhake
From Basadi Sadi by Lesego Ditlhake
From Basadi Sadi by Lesego Ditlhake

Interspersed with prose written by Ditlhake, the comic is formatted in different art styles that are crafted individually for each of the eight chosen women, weaving a beautiful visual tribute to truly remarkable people. Biographic comics fall in a unique space of providing education as well as entertainment, enabling them to reach a much larger audience than a standard textbook.

We don’t take her words for granted, they squeeze and struggle through the crevices and shadows of a brutal past and present. An Apartheid framework.

SHAKA RISING: A LEGEND OF THE WARRIOR PRINCE
Luke Molver

Shaka Rising: A Legend of the Warrior Prince, written and illustrated by Luke Molver, is the first of a series of comics from Story Press Africa that explore African history. Stories of Shaka’s life weave fact and fiction, often passed down through oral storytelling traditions, and biased accounts from Shaka’s rivals and white settlers have further shrouded his true history. Molver carefully researched and drew from both oral history and written historical accounts, emphasising that this story too, is just one interpretation. His striking art style and evocative colouring drives the narrative, and the educational sections of the book provide an enhanced experience around engaging with such an important South African story. The second book, King Shaka: Zulu Prince, was published last year.

From Shaka Rising; a legend of the warrior Prince by Luke Molver
From Shaka Rising; a legend of the warrior Prince by Luke Molver
From Shaka Rising; a legend of the warrior Prince by Luke Molver
From Shaka Rising; a legend of the warrior Prince by Luke Molver

I refer to the old adage, "A picture speaks a thousand words…" and if you put pictures and words together, you’ve got the best of all worlds...

Nigeria OUR ROOTS
Tayo Fatunla
From Our roots by Tayo Fatunla

This is a historic journey which originally began as a school project whilst Tayo was a student at The Kubert School in New Jersey, US. There, he first created the series which he initially titled African Sketchbook. Our roots chronicles many prominent black historical figures, events, and customs.

Topics and people featured are Malcom X, tribal marks, black people in Nazi Germany, and many other times, people, and places through history, as related to the development of current black culture.

Africans are good storytellers and should be able to tell Africa’s various stories and history through visual communication.

From Our roots by Tayo Fatunla
From Our roots by Tayo Fatunla
From Our roots by Tayo Fatunla
Ivory Coast CHAKA
Koffi Roger N’Guessan
From Chaka by Koffi Roger N’Guessan

Unable to obtain a male child to succeed him from one of his four wives, Senza'ngakona, the chief of a small tribe in 18th Century South Africa fell in love with a young woman. From this unconsecrated union a boy named Chaka will be born. A child of adultery, a child of sin, Chaka is rejected by his family. Forced to flee, he embarks on a long wandering that will bring him to fulfil an extraordinary destiny.

Somewhere between historical narrative and legend, Chaka is inspired by the best known novel of the Sotho-language writer Thomas Mofolo, who recounted in the form of an epic the destiny of Chaka, better know as Shaka, the founder of the Zulu Empire. A story full of magic, madness and blood.

written by Jean-François Chanson and illustrated by Koffi Roger N'guessan

From Chaka by Koffi Roger N’Guessan
From Chaka by Koffi Roger N’Guessan
From Chaka by Koffi Roger N’Guessan

At the end of each book, there is always the desire to do better, (...) to always do a little bit more than in the previous ones. The feeling of going further, of taking on the challenges I set for myself in order to always live up to the readers' expectations.

Chapter 3

Folklore & The Future

A long time ago, when the world was still a little bit strange the African continent was regaled with tales of wickedly impish tokoloshe, the ferocious Nyami-Nyami and the trickster god Anansi. These fabled creatures stood as guardians of precious resources; they served as cautions against lapses in morality; or even how animals took the forms that we know today.

With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that African Folklore continues to inspire the comics of our continent, with some faithfully retelling the legends and others modernising them and combining them into speculative worlds much like our own; but populated by amazing creatures and colours.

South Africa

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The Continent

KARIBA
Daniel Clarke
From Kariba by Daniel Clarke

Kariba, by Daniel and James Clarke, tells the story of the construction of one of Africa’s largest dams, Kariba. The real world construction was rumoured to be plagued by Zimbabwean river god, Nyami-Nyami, inspiring the graphic novel’s storyline which follows characters Siku and Amadeo - the daughter of Nyami-Nyami and the son of the dam’s engineer, respectively. Siku is unaware of her heritage, but as she develops powers the mystery of her origins begin to unravel. Kariba is unique in that it has a shared heritage in both comics and animation, starting originally as a pitch for a feature-length film, then moving over to its comics form to raise funds for the cinematic project.

Illustrated and Conceptualised by Daniel Clarke, Written by James Clarke

We don’t believe that children need things to be so explicitly spelled out for them or that they can’t deal with a certain level of complexity or ambiguity.

From Kariba by Daniel Clarke
From Kariba by Daniel Clarke
From Kariba by Daniel Clarke
THE SOUVENIR
Daniel Hugo

The Souvenir, by Daniël Hugo and Jayson Geland also draws on mythology as a source of inspiration. The story takes place on Table Mountain where, according to legend, Van Hunks and the Devil had a pipe-smoking competition resulting in clouds pouring over the mountain. The Souvenir plays with this piece of local folklore, and is the prologue for the series Unchartered Waters, published in South African comics anthology SECTOR. The understated tones of the colours are wonderfully complemented by Hugo’s incredibly detailed art - his sprawling landscapes are both expansive, yet strangely intimate, allowing for the reader to truly immerse themselves in the incredible landscapes of the earliest days of the Cape.

Illustrated by Daniël Hugo,
Written by Jayson Geland

From The Souvenir by Daniël Hugo

One is able to tell very personal stories visually without constraints like budgets or clients; you are only limited by your imagination and the ability to tell a story with pictures and words.

From The Souvenir by Daniël Hugo
From The Souvenir by Daniël Hugo
From The Souvenir by Daniël Hugo
WANTON
Ray Whitcher

Wanton, by Ray Whitcher, inspired by South African myths and a certain daily newspaper, follows the journey of four people dealing with a country ravaged by war and overwhelmed by the sudden uprising of creatures once thought to be myth. The first issue sees a pair of inyanga (traditional spiritualists) set to battle an inumerable horde of tokoloshe (wicked imps inclined to kidnap and murder) as an ominous figure looks on.

From Wanton by Ray Whitcher

As the series progresses, more of the dark and mysterious speculative universe will be revealed, a universe filled with ruthless monsters, dangerous mercenaries and story lines directly drawn from tabloid publications. The second issue will be released in the second half of 2020.

I want my readers to hear my comics in their own voices when they read them and feel at home with the characters they see.

From Wanton by Ray Whitcher
From Wanton by Ray Whitcher
From Wanton by Ray Whitcher
KWEZI
Loyiso Mkize
From Kwezi by Loyiso Mkize

Kwezi, which debuted in 2011, follows the adventures of the eponymous character as he navigates the development of his superpowers in fictional Gold City (a hybrid of Johannesburg and Cape Town). In an arguably realistic representation, the hero starts out as an arrogant social media influencer, using his powers to attract attention rather than for altruistic ends. He ultimately becomes the hero he is meant to be by embracing his legacy and his new teammates.

From Kwezi by Loyiso Mkize
From Kwezi by Loyiso Mkize
From Kwezi by Loyiso Mkize

Kwezi explores themes of power, dignity, African heritage and modernity in its story and has the privilege of being touted as possibly the first truly official South African superhero comic. Kwezi has been translated into several languages, including Swahili and Phedi.

Illustrated by Loyiso Mkize, Coloured by Clyde Beech and Written by Mohale Mashigo.
Story Development by Loyiso Mkize, Clyde Beech and Mohale Mashigo

I address themes of time, power, society, culture, social terrain and the dynamic results that develop

Cameroon MULATAKO
Reine Dibussi
From Mulatako Tome 1 by Reine Dibussi

Mulatako, name meaning ''union'' in the Duala and Malimba languages of Cameroon, is a sci-fi comic book inspired by the local version of the Mami-Wata myth. Known in African and Afro-descendant cultures as the mother of waters, half-woman, half-snake, in the Cameroonian coastline, the mami-wata or miengu are humanoid water spirits, with their feet turned upside down. The heroine of the comic book, Jéméa is a 10-year-old Mami Wata, enrolled in the initiation camp for young miengu of the Pamba. She is not a very assiduous student and is forced to repeat the year. At the same time, in the depths of the sea, a lively discussion breaks out among the members of the Assembly of the Miengu chiefs. During this discussion, a terrible decision is taken: to exterminate part of the population.

From Mulatako Tome 1 by Reine Dibussi
From Mulatako Tome 1 by Reine Dibussi
From Mulatako Tome 1 by Reine Dibussi

Educate yourself well and don't be afraid to return to training, take every opportunity to do so (masterclasses, free and paid online training, and so on), and know how to recognize opportunities.

Cameroon UN VOYAGE SANS RETOUR
Gaspard Njock
From Un Voyage sans Retour by Gaspard Njock

Culturally, I wasn't taught to love my own country, Cameroon. I was taught to love France.

In the popular New Bell district of Douala, the unemployed kids dream of Europe. Like so many young people his age, 17-year-old Malik lets himself be dragged along on this risky journey. From Cameroon to Lampedusa, via the Libyan coast, one dramatic event follows another, until one day Malik is taken in by a humanitarian association. But when nostalgia for his homeland overcomes him, Malik wonders if he made the right choice. Will he be happy in Europe, which has suddenly become less welcoming? This Voyage sans retour (Journey of no return) is a very beautiful album, as much for its graphics (the author having drawn it entirely in watercolours with a remarkable result), as for its story. It is presented as a docu-drama, where the author was somewhat inspired by his own experience.

From Un Voyage sans Retour by Gaspard Njock
From Un Voyage sans Retour by Gaspard Njock
From Un Voyage sans Retour by Gaspard Njock
Senegal DJELIYA
Juni Ba
From Djeliya by Juni Ba

Years ago, the wizard Soumaoro broke the world before retreating to his magical tower. The people now live in fear of the almighty tower, and may be in need of a saviour. At least so thinks Awa, counselor to Prince Mansour Keita, as she tries to raise him to be the king the world may need. But perhaps the solution lies in her qualities more than his. As they enter the evil tower, mysteries are unravelled and a coming of age story unfolds as we follow their adventures inspired by folklores and aesthetics from West Africa.

Juni Ba dives into the rich folklore, mythology, and history of his heritage, mixing it with 21st century pop culture aesthetics, and a unique and energetic animated art style inspired as much by manga or Jack Kirby as it is by classic African art.
Juni Ba dives into the rich folklore, mythology, and history of his heritage, mixing it with 21st century pop culture aesthetics, and a unique and energetic animated art style inspired as much by manga or Jack Kirby as it is by classic African art.

When I pitched a “fantasy-sci-fi-funky" comic using West African influences, and published in a format of animated web comic, my teachers sort of flipped.

From Djeliya by Juni Ba
From Djeliya by Juni Ba
From Djeliya by Juni Ba
Zimbabwe CAPTAIN SOUTH AFRICA
Bill Masuku
From Captain South Africa by Bill Masuku

Inspired by all the politics and social changes that happen in South Africa, the character of Captain South Africa was inspired by all the inspirational women that Bill Masuku attended university with. The very first Captain South Africa was the pinnacle of superheroism in the country. He was a police officer that stepped up to take down crime to a record low and became the dam wall that kept evil at bay. He suddenly vanished forever and just like that, crime and villainy flooded the streets. Three years later a new Captain South Africa made her debut. A Black female superhero who "doesn't want to punch criminals because that doesn't end crime” and speaks of putting an end to all crime, not just saving the day, but saving the future. Made in the aesthetic tradition of American comic books, Captain South Africa, is an original deconstruction and reinvention of the super-hero genre.

I have chosen these areas because I have been in love with comic books, cartoons, anime, manga, and gaming since my youth. They are part and parcel of my identity, and wholly fuel my passion with each project I endeavour.

From Captain South Africa by Bill Masuku
From Captain South Africa by Bill Masuku
From Captain South Africa by Bill Masuku

Curators

South Africa

The Continent

Tara Weber

Tara Weber was born and grew up in Cape Town where she graduated from the University of Cape Town with a B.A in Art History, English Literature Media Studies in 2012. After this she completed an honours degree in Curatorship at the Michaelis School of Fine Arts (UCT) in 2013. Currently working as registrar at the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG), she also operates as an ‘opportunistic curator’ and has curated and co-curated several exhibitions including The Evidence of Things Not Seen (2016), Spellbinders (2017) and in 2019 co-curating The Art of Comics.

Ray Whitcher

Ray Whitcher is simultaneously a fan, a maker and a scholar of comics; combining this unusual approach into his studies around a Ph.D. in what he terms ‘vernacular comics’ (stories located directly to their audience). He also lectures in Animation, Comic Theory and illustration at Wits University’s Digital Arts Department and recently published a chapter in the 2019 book Perspectives on Digital Comics. Ray previously curated 2019’s The Art of Comics Exhibition alongside Tara Weber and Thierry Groensteen.

Jean-Philippe Martin

Jean-Philippe Martin is a comic book critic and has collaborated with various magazines (Critix, Neuvième Art, Bang!, Art press...). He designed numerous exhibitions (Cent pour cent, Le Monde magique des Moomins, L'Eau dessinée...), conducted several symposiums and contributed to numerous books on comics for the Cité internationale de la bande dessinée, of which he is the scientific advisor in charge of research. He is co-curator of the exhibitions "Afropolitan Comics" and "Kubuni, bandes dessinées d'Afrique.s" alongside Joëlle Epée Mandengue.

Joelle Epée

Joëlle Epée Mandengue - Elyon's - was born in 1982 in Cameroon and holds a degree in modern literature and a diploma in graphic arts. She began her professional career as a cultural officer at the French Cultural Centre (now the French Institute), before working as a graphic designer and subsequently as a copywriter in the MW-DDB° group. As the author of La vie d'Ebène Duta
(2014 - ), a stand-up comedian and the creator of the Congo BZV: Bilili comics Festival, she co-curated various comic exhibitions in Africa, with the IF of South Africa and the CIBDI of Angoulême.

Artists

Mogorosi Motshumi

Mogorosi Motshumi (b.1957, South Africa) is an artist, author and cartoonist whose autobiographical graphic novel trilogy, The 360 Degree Trilogy is the first of its kind by a Black South African author. So far only the first book, The Initiation, has been released. Motshumi drew cartoons for Freestate newspapers as well as working for 14 years at the adult literacy magazine Learn and Teach. His first book, The Demon and the Angel, about late boxer Jake Tuli, was published in 1999.

Willem Samuel

Willem Samuel is a comics artist best known for Mengelmoes, his autobiographical graphic novel series. Samuel studied Fine Arts at Stellenbosch University, and like many other comics artists in South Africa, he worked at Supa Strikas as an Art Director and illustrator. He did all the illustrations for the re-issue of popular 1980s comics Die Swart Kat in 2012. He now works freelance as a storyboard artist and illustrator. Aside from comics, he also dabbles in painting and music and songwriting.

Lesego Ditlhake

Lesego Ditlhake is a Masters student at the Wits School of Arts in the Digital Arts Department. Basadi-Sadi is her 4th year project, in which she tasked herself with creating a work that combines poetic prose with varied illustrations. Having weathered great adversity, Ditlhake is a bright young academic as well as a fantastic poet and one whose future should be watched closely.

Luke Molver

Luke W. Molver was born in Durban and studied Fine Art and Graphic Design at the Durban University of Technology. Best known for the Shaka Rising graphic novel, he has been published numerous times over the years, including by Mamba Comix, the Laugh It Off annuals, the Velocity Graphic Anthology and Graflit: Graveyard Literature in South Africa. He also self-publishes his own sci-fi comic book series ‘Nero‘, and his southern gothic horror tale ‘Sunday’s Slave’.

Daniel Clarke

Daniel Clarke is a freelance illustrator, concept and fine artist from Cape Town. Largely self-taught, Clarke made a successful career as a commercial artist, rising through the ranks at Triggerfish Animation Studios to become Production Designer. In more recent years, he has focused his attention again to the Fine Arts, and the graphic novel Kariba which was conceived of as a film by the Blue Forest Collective, a team of artists with various backgrounds. The group consists of Daniel Clarke, his brother James Clarke, and lead animators Daniel Snaddon and Malcolm Wope.

Daniel Hugo

Daniël Hugo was born in 1975 in the Western Cape town of Riversdale (Western Cape, South Africa) and is a comic book artist and illustrator based in the Western Cape. At a young age he fell in love with comics and began drawing. He soon committed himself to a career in art, working as a graphic artist while filling up sketchbooks with ideas and dreams. He then began working with Photoshop much later in his career in 2007 where he began to work as a concept artist. He has worked for several commercial agencies as a freelance artist. Daniël has contributed greatly to well-loved South African titles such as The Velocity Anthology and SECTOR.

Ray Whitcher

Ray has worked as a comic artist for 16 years, with his work featured in Supa Strikas, Job Mesego as well as internationally in Star Wars: Clone Wars Confidential and That Bulletproof Kid. His two self-published titles, Wanton and Spoek combine his love of African folklore with Speculative fiction – presenting a world where superpowers are created by muthi and villains aren’t always wrong. Wanton is thematically based on Ray’s life, from grief to seeking an identity in a world gone awry.

Loyiso Mkize

Loyiso Mkize was born in the town of Butterworth (also known as Gcuwa) in South Africa. He completed his studies in graphic design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in 2009. Mkize has created illustrated artworks for a number of comic book projects and is also a fine artist in his own right. Mkize’s Kwezi explores the life of a 19 years old in Gold City (think of a Jo'burg version of Metropolis) who grapples with conflicting cultural and urban identities, as well as his developing super powers.

Annick Kamgang

Annick Kamgang, known as KAM, is an editorial cartoonist and a French-Cameroonian comic book author, born in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Raised between the Central African regions of Bokassa and the Caribbean islands of Maryse Condé or Aimé Césaire, she regularly collaborates with the magazine Jeune Afrique and leads workshops with Cartooning For Peace. In 2018 she published Lucha, the chronicle of an unarmed revolution in Congo, which was nominated for the Artemisia Prize. Her next graphic novel will be entitled Main basse sur le Cameroun.

Togui

Toudji Samir, Togui is a cartoonist and Graphic Designer born in Algiers in 1982. Having first been published by Laabstore and then by El Bendir, he was awarded the Prize for Young Talents at the Algiers International Comics Festival in 2008. From there, he went on to write the Togui Diary (2010), the Collectif des Monstres (2011) and L'histoire d'Algérie pour les nuls (2012) for which he was awarded an International Prize. After the release of Freelestine (2015), which was awarded the title of best fanzine, he took up residence at the Maison des auteurs d'Angoulême (2018) and is working on his latest project, entitled Nostalgeek.

Tayo Fatunla

Comic Artist, Editorial Cartoonist, Writer and Illustrator, Tayo was born in the U.K and raised in Nigeria where he began his career. After drawing for several Nigerian publications, he joined the Punch Newspaper. Holding exhibitions and workshop sessions in Nigeria, the U.K, Cameroon, Finland, Israel, South Korea, France, Ethiopia, In 2018 he became recipient of the Pioneer Lifetime Achievement (PLA) U.S Award, for his contribution to black history through his publication Our roots covering three decades.

Koffi Roger N’Guessan

Koffi R. N'guessan was born in 1975 in Bouaké, Ivory Coast and studied fine arts in Abidjan. He is an illustrator, engraver and art teacher who embraced the profession of cartoonist with his first album Mille mystères d'Afrique (2013), followed by Nouvelles d'Afrique (2014), Paris vaille que vaille (2014), Les Fins limiers (2016), Légère amertume - une histoire du thé- (2019). Winner of the UEMOA prize at the Ouagadougou International Comics Festival (2015), he is working on an essay on the topics of Comics in Ivory Coast.

Reine Dibussi

A graduate of the Émile Cohl art school in Lyon, Reine Dibussi has mastered the techniques of drawing, painting, classical sculpture, digital art, illustration, cartooning and graphic design.
Illustrator for Abito and Kiraa published by Planète J'aime Lire, she participated in the first Cameroonian animated feature film Minga et la cuillère cassée (2017), and published Mulatako, a four-part children's series. In 2019, she created a Doodle for Google, which fills with pride her country of origin, Cameroon.

Gaspard Njock

Gaspard is a multidisciplinary artist born in 1985 in Douala, Cameroon. He creates and promotes productions blending opera and comic books. Specialized in researching the interaction between opera and comics, he is pursuing his research at the UFR of musicology of the Sorbonne’s University of Literature. Published in Italy and France, Un voyage sans retour (2018) is his penultimate publication, followed by Maria Callas, l'enfance d'une Diva (2020).

Juni Ba

Juni Ba spawned spontaneously from the chemical reaction between a stack of books and a cd of Sonic the hedgehog, on Senegalese soil. Using art as a way to create weird and quirky things, while conveying the themes he cares about in stories he both writes and illustrates. Currently based in France, he has his sights set on the whole world.

Bill Masuku

Bill is the Nommo Award-nominated comic book artist creator of Captain South Africa and Welcome to Dead World. As well as a sci-fi and fantasy book author based in Harare, Zimbabwe. As a freelancer, his focus areas are character design, storyboarding, concept art and 2D game asset design. Masuku is conscious of his brand and whom he aligns his work with, in an effort to develop African visual literature and further his career opportunities in animation, video games, and comic books.

About the project

About IFAS

The French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) is the cultural agency of the Embassy of France in South Africa. It comprises three departments, operating in the cultural, audio-visual and research sectors. IFAS notably organises and supports artistic events at different venues and festivals throughout the country, thanks to strong local partnerships. IFAS is a platform for cooperation, which encourages cultural diversity and exchanges between South Africa, France and the rest of the African continent. At the French Institute of South Africa, we strive to share the best of French and Francophone culture with South Africans and to promote South African artists on the international scene. We do so through residency programmes and by supporting young talent and cross-cultural projects such as the Afropolitan Comics exhibition!

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About Cité de la bande dessinée et de l'image

A very singular cultural center, unique in Europe and with high international visibility, the Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l’image (International City of Comics and Images) is located in Angoulême, France. It brings together a museum, a reference library, an independant cinema, a creative hub dedicated to audiovisual professionals, a bookstore, and an international residence for comic book artists. The Cité is composed of three buildings, including the Moebius Ship, architectural work by French architect Roland Castro, landmark of the city of Angoulême and labelled Remarkable Contemporary Architecture by the French Government. The establishment celebrates in 2020 the thirtieth anniversary of its creation.
The whole establishment welcomes more than 200 000 visitors each year, as well as numerous audiovisual professionals from around the world. In addition, in January 2020, the Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l'image created the first foundation dedicated to Comics: Fondation Cité du Neuvième Art, under the aegis of the Institut de France, chaired by Mr. Xavier Darcos, chancellor of the Institute.

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About The Art of Comics Exhibition

The Art of Comics is the first project of the French Institute of South Africa in the field of comics, and the source of inspiration behind Afropolitan Comics. This exhibition was the result of a strong partnership with the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG), Friends of JAG and the Cité internationale de la Bande dessinée et de l’image of Angoulême, France. It consisted of a conversation between South African comics and Francophone “bande dessinée” and was curated by Tara Weber of the JAG and Raymond Whitcher (both curators of the Afropolitan Comics exhibition), as well as Thierry Groensteen (independent curator) for its francophone part which was initially exhibited at the Cité.

The exhibition, with the support of Total, took place at the JAG between September and November 2019.