Memory of Understanding

by Elsa M'Bala

The exhibition Ré-imaginer le passé, curated by Mahret Ifeoma Kupka, Isabel Raabe, Ibou C. Diop and Malick Ndiaye, closes tomorrow, 28 July. Part of the exhibition was the sound work ‘Memory of Understanding’ by the artist Elsa M'Bala, which investigates present and future archives and uses technology as a means of self-empowerment. Part 2 of her work ‘Memory of Understanding’ was presented as a live performance in Berlin on 17 July 2024.

In her sound piece Memory of Understanding, artist Elsa M'Bala, also known as A.M.E.T., explores present and future African archives. Based in Berlin and Yaoundé (Cameroon), she stands out as one of the few female sound artists of African heritage. In her work, she employs technology as a tool for self-empowerment, exploring the intersections of technology, race, gender, and spirituality. Part 1 of her sound series was shown in January 2023 at the National Museum of Yaoundé in Cameroon as part of the travelling exhibition Memoria. The sound installation incorporates the oldest documented sound recordings from Cameroon – currently housed in the Ethnological Collection at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin.

Memory of Understanding 2, the second part of the series, was shown in late 2023 at Musée Théodore Monod in Dakar and brings together perspectives on the topic of archives from numerous cultural practitioners in Dakar and neighbouring regions. The work engages with current discourse on the restitution of colonial-era looted art and aims to give aesthetic expression to the growing interest in African cultural production. For the exhibition Ré-imaginer le passé in Berlin, Elsa M'Bala will present the second part of her sound work on 17 July 2024 as a live performance. Click here to revisit her performance — picture and videos follow soon.

Memory of Understanding, 2023 by Elsa M'Bala. Photos by Sheiraf Art.