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Focus on Burkina Faso

While we were distracted by football in 2014, artists in Burkino Faso were starting a political revolution ... and it worked! This art is the focus of Sleepless Nights: Burkina Faso Between Culture And Revolution on Nov 15-19 at HAU.

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Photo by Olivier Blin

2014: Germany won the world cup, Jennifer Lawrence nudes were leaked, and the President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré, dissolved the government. His attempts to pass a bill to extend his 27-year term were met with widespread popular uprisings, and these were successful: Compaoré stepped down and democratic elections were held in 2015. Artists were instrumental in this Burkinabé uprising, and their work is the focus of the festival Sleepless Nights: Burkina Faso Between Culture And Revolution this month at HAU. The eponymous dance theatre piece comes from Serge Aimé Coulibaly (in French with German and English surtitles), a series of performed self-portraits about the country’s awakening. But we’re particularly excited to see the rapper and grassroots activist Smockey on Nov 17 – not only is he one of Burkina Faso’s most well-known artists, he helped speed Compaoré’s resignation as co-founder of the “Citizen’s Broom” political movement. 

Sleepless Nights: Burkina Faso Between Culture And Revolution, Nov 15-19 | Hebbel am Ufer, Kreuzberg