BeBoz (english)

A «Village of Boz» in Togo

The adventures of Boz are continuing in Togo.

The Togolese representation of Julien Friedler’s  Association for Contemporary Art, lead by Magloire Adabra, is keeping on distributing «Around the Boz in 80 Years» questionnaires all over Togo.
In the first days of December, they were in Tovegan, an important agricultural village, 80 km far from the capital Lomé. The villagers have been seduced by the work and Julien Friedler’s other projects. They have massively completed the questionnaire and a Women Club has even been created around the Ambassador of Boz for Africa, Agnès Mukarubayiza.
Proving their craze, they proposed to rename their canton «Village of Boz» and to consider Julien Friedler as «born in the Village of Boz from Tovegan Canton». An honour.
At the end of December, the Representation was present at the International Fair of Lomé.

We are now in 2010. A very symbolic date, which represents the future in the mind of many. The beginning of a new decade with many political, economical and egological issues.

Since "How do you see the future ?" is one of the questions of Julien Friedler’s "Around the Boz in 80 Years" project, we invite you to share your thoughts, beliefs, fears, wishes, hopes,… of what the future will made. Your personal future as well the future in general.

Respond in this thread.

And we wish you all the best for 2010 (and the decade to come).

 The first Festival de Danses Chorégraphiques, Théatrales et Traditionnelles (F.E.D.CHO.T.TRA) (Festival of Choregraphic, Theatrical and Traditional Dances)in Lomé (Togo) finally took place with a little delay and some program modifications, partly due to climatic conditions. Co-organized by the Representation of Boz in Togo (with the MEED and CATEAFRIQUE), it was split in 2 different rounds.

First two series of preselections were held in Keve and Adiogoé, on August, 15, 2009, keeping 4 groups of dancers out of a total of 18. Then, the final took place during a great evening called "Night of Boz", at the Concordia Hotel in Lomé, on Saturday August, 22, in presence of a lot of artists, associations, journalists,…

In addition to the performance of the finalist dancing groups, a beauty competition was organized, electing the first Miss Boz Vacancia 2009. The evening was dedicated to all the people participating to the projects and the development of Spirit of Boz in Togo and even in the world.

It was a very festive and convivial event, full of art and even spirituality, exactly fitting the Spirit of Boz.

Ce fut un événement festif et haut en couleurs, empreint d’art et de spiritualité, tout à fait en adéquation avec l’esprit du Boz.

More photos in this slideshow

After her trips in Rwanda, Agnes Mukarubayiza is back in Africa for the "Around the Boz in 80 Years" project. This time, "the ambassador of Boz for Africa" was in Togo. There she set a press conference (in Lome, the capital of the country), met new Friends of Boz and collected new answers to the "Around the Boz in 80 Years" questionnaire.

The press conference.

Agnes Mukarubayiza, "ambassador of Boz", during the press conference.

A class of students, with their copy of the "Around the Boz" questionnaire.

A student concentrating in front of the "Around the Boz" questionnaire.

 
Curated by Isolde Brielmaier
 
May 28 – July 3, 2009 
Opening Reception: Thursday May 28 2009, 6-8 pm
 
Jack Shainman Gallery is pleased to present Signs Taken for Wonders, an exhibition curated by Isolde Brielmaier. In this presentation six artists, Kader Attia, Jn. Ulrick Désert, Julien Friedler, Jeffrey Gibson, Xaviera Simmons, and Carrie Mae Weems, use Africa as their muse as they examine representation, symbolism and the power of the image within the social, economic, political, historical and cultural spheres of the 20th and 21st centuries. Their work explores iconic figures, events and ideas that have contributed, explicitly and implicitly, to the imaging of the African continent around the world. 
 
In Signs, the artists use a range of media — painting, sculpture, photography, video, mixed media and installation — to articulate a particular
person, idea, event or time period that is significant to the role that African countries, cultures and individuals occupy within global politics, popular culture and economy. In so doing, they spotlight both the acknowledged and overlooked roles that international players, African
individuals and the continent as a whole, maintain on every level of the world stage.     
 
This exhibition is collaboratively presented as part of a wider project developed by the Spirit of BOZ Collective which was founded by artist Julien Friedler. An important pillar of this collective’s global movement is the Forest of Souls, an international engagement and production of art by thousands of people from countries such as China, Rwanda, Argentina, Bulgaria, Chile, Germany, Brazil and Morocco. The exhibition Signs Taken for Wonders is thus intended to inscribe itself in a broader effort to gather a multi-national range of artists who will be featured in a series of globally- oriented exhibitions as part of the Forest of Souls project.
 
For further information and press photography please contact Jack Shainman Gallery at (212) 645-1701.
 

The National Gallery for Foreign Arts in Sofia (Bulgarie) presents "Dialogues" de Julien Friedler. Intended as a "conceptual and interactive", art show,  "Dialogues" confronts works by Julien Friedler to the Be Art-Be Boz projects that he initiated a couple of years ago.

In this presentation, personal intimate works dialogue with  global collective ones, dream and reality responds to real, modernity interacts with traditions and writing with visual arts, with the intend the visitors will react and participate, since they are invited to answer the 6 questions of  "Around the Boz In 80 Years".

Julien Friedler’s "Shaman" dialogues with…

…the shaman of the indians Asurini, who took part to the "Around the Boz" project.

Exhibition from May 17 to July 14, 2009. Opening May 16, 5 PM, during the European Night of Museums.

The National Gallery for Foreign Art
St. Alexander Nevsky Square
1000-SOFIA — Bulgarie

In this episode, Julien Friedler tries to precise the Spirit of Boz experience, by highlighting what it is not : it is not the fruit of an anachorete’s vision, nor the result of a militant’s fight.

Narrated and adapted from Julien Friedler’s original French podcast by Chris.

In this third episode, Julien Friedler introduces us to Prolegomene, a strange little fellow, who will be our guide. We will then follow him in a forest, crowded with souls and columns.

Narrated and adapted from Julien Friedler’s original French podcast by Chris.

Mission

The goal of the association is to promote Spirit of Boz and to gather people interested in its values.

Friends organize events in the spirit of Boz (evenings among friends, seminars, conferences, distributions of «Forest of Soul» questionnaires and, in general, any creative, playful or interesting action).

Diffusion

The Friends of Boz are encouraged to promote the association and to invit new people.

Reflexion and creation

Different themes of reflexion and creation will be proposed to Friends of Boz.

1. Appropriating works, characters, themes, concepts, and projects of Spirit of Boz. It’s a call for creativity, in accordance with the philosophy of Be Art : «looking for art where we doesn’t wait for it.» These activities will be created individually or collectively, on any support or media.

2. Designing an original, commercial and popular piece of merchandising.

Emulation

Each year, the most creative friend will receive a prize of 1000 euros.

Its vocation

Federating and initiating synergies for creating a link of friendship and solidarity between Friends.

How do you become a Friend of Boz ?

An annual subscription of 5 or 25 euros (following countries) give the right to a personal member card.

A web directory will be proposed to members (including the names, email adress, work, hobbies,…).

The website of the Association is in construction. A quarterly newsletter will be sent to Friends.

Informations of the person in charge of the «Friends of Boz» association.

Stella Rouskova

6 Rue de l’Abbaye
98 000 Monaco

Email : stellarouskova(at)voila.fr
Tel. : 0033675284341

Subscription Price :

25 euros : Germany, Belgium, France, Israel, USA

5 euros : Argentina, Benin, Brasil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Morocco, Mexico, Rwanda, Togo, Uruguay, Venezuela.