From Bayreuth to “Ouaga”

It was here that she found a place to engage with contemporary African art: the Iwalewahaus in Bayreuth. What happened after that? Director of the Goethe Liaison Office Ouagadougou (pronounced Wagadugu) tells us in an interview with UBT-aktuell.

“African Culture & Society” at the University of Bayreuth - what made you decide on this degree programme?
After graduating from high school, I went to Togo for eight months to do voluntary service and worked in the agricultural and handicraft sectors. I had always had a great interest in other cultures, art, and travel. I was curious about the African continent, and my experience in Togo was a very positive one. I had thought of studying social anthropology or cultural and art studies anyway, and somehow the course of studies in Bayreuth seemed just right to me.

Do you have fond memories of your studies in Bayreuth?
I found my studies very interesting and had the opportunity to gain experience abroad through internships in Africa and to adapt my research topics to my own interests. The atmosphere in the programme was great, so I felt very comfortable in Bayreuth in my private life. I am still in contact with many of my former classmates today. My most formative time was at the Iwalewahaus, where I was able to work for three years as a student assistant. This enriched me personally and it brought me closer to contemporary art from Africa and creating exhibitions ... that still influences me today. 

Did the Iwalewahaus set a trend for your professional career?
The insights into the contemporary art scenes, exhibitions, the combination of research and art, and investigating African film strongly influenced my professional ideas for the future. I could identify with the work at the Iwalewahaus and in the area of Africa-Culture-Art, and for this reason I wanted to continue working in that area. Since I also wanted to broaden my experience at another university, I studied Art and Cultural Mediation in Bremen afterwards. There I maintained my focus on 'Africa' and adapted my research.

How did you end up at the Goethe-Institut?
After my studies in Bremen I heard about a vacancy as 'cultural coordinator' at the Goethe Centre of the Ugandan German Cultural Society in Kampala and managed to get the job. After seven or eight months, my boss at the time resigned and I took over his post after a lot of back and forth. That was not planned, but it had a positive effect on my further career. At the end of 2015, I applied for the position of Head of the Goethe Liaison Office in Burkina Faso - I had already been in Burkina Faso for various internships and research during my studies. In April 2016, I started that new job, and I am still working here today. In March 2019, I was finally accepted into the rotation of the Goethe-Institut, which means that I will remain with Goethe even after Burkina Faso.

What kind of work do you do exactly?
We promote the local art scene and thereby support the artists so that ideally they can live from their art. It is very important for us to be able to develop and carry out all our activities with local artists or local structures. For this reason, we are always looking for project partners. One project that is very close to my heart is our project room 'Kunstraum 226'. Here we accompany artists in the development and implementation of their exhibition concepts. On our website, you can have a look at the previous exhibitions. 

What does your typical working day look like?
My everyday life probably looks a lot like that of other managers. You sit at your PC, plan projects, meet with partners, take care of administration... However, the heat and even power outages can make work difficult.

What does Ouagadougou have to offer culturally?
Ouagadougou is internationally known as the venue of one of the largest film festivals in Africa, the FESPACO[the French abbreviation for Festival panafricain du cinéma et de la télévision de Ouagadougou, pan-African film and television festival]. But even beyond that, there are so many festivals and such a wide range of cultural activities in Ouagadougou that sometimes I can't even catch my breath. After more than three years, however, I feel like I've seen it all, and yet I miss a little more innovation and creativity. A lot of things seem to have become established and are being repeated. Compared to other African countries, Burkina Faso is much more traditional and conservative - this is also reflected in the art and cultural scene.

How is life in “Ouaga”? Do you miss Germany now and then?
In Ouagadougou, apart from the tough climate, life is very good. Ouaga is very quiet and almost village-like. There is hardly any everyday crime and you can move around freely. However, since the terrorist attacks[since 2015 there have been several terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, most recently in February 2020], I think the country has been in a rather difficult phase. Sometimes I miss Germany/ Europe or just a change of scenery. I sometimes miss Germany because of my family and friends, but I don't feel that I absolutely have to live and work in Germany now.

What advice do you have for students who want to gain a foothold in international cultural work?
I think that students need to be clear about what they really want and should pursue activities in that area. You have to be active in order to get internships and jobs, although having contacts can of course be helpful. It makes sense to already work on projects during your studies, as you will gain practical experience and contacts in this way.