AFROTOPIA IN AIETE (Donosti)

Afrotopia: Visions and Dreams of a Continent Full of Future was organized by África Imprescindible—a consortium formed by Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz, Proclade, Yanapay, and Tau Fundazioa—and directed by photographer Héctor Mediavilla.

The exhibition brought together 35 young photographers (12 women and 23 men) from Senegal, Niger, and Mali. It was presented at the Aiete Cultural Centre in the 19th Human Rights Film Festival and was open to the public from April 1st to June 26th, 2021.

Project and Concept

The project featured a selection of works developed through three workshops led by Mediavilla in Dakar, Niamey, and Bamako. The resulting exhibition included 58 photographs reflecting a wide range of perspectives and experiences.

At its core, the exhibition embraced the concept of Afrotopia, coined in 2016 by Senegalese thinker Felwine Sarr. The term proposes a new way of looking at Africa—one that moves beyond externally imposed narratives and instead promotes an “active utopia,” where the continent defines its own path and vision for the future.

Through this lens, the participating artists explored themes such as environmental challenges, sustainability, globalization, the role of women in society, youth aspirations, and tradition.

A Shared Reflection

As Mediavilla explained about the project:

“The idea was to invite participants to reflect on an African utopia—one that involves, above all, decolonizing thought and history. Rather than importing or being imposed a model from the West, the goal was for African participants to envision and define their own future, based on their own realities.”