The itinerant art platform the Cera Project presents a series of conversations and screenings that depart from the premise ‘We Are All The Other", where artists, curators, researchers, filmmakers, scientists were invited to debate through Art relevant issues that have been molding today´s societies — as globalization, imperialism, exoticism, otherness, identities, language, activism, among other.

‘We Are All The Other" curated by Inês Valle, is organized in two main moments:

  • A first, in London at the Cera Project space during the days of 13 and 14 August, with the participation of Alana Jelinek, Alexandra Ferrini, Ana Mendes, Barby Asante, Cathy Hassan, Chun Hua Catherine Dong, Fatimah Kelleher, Hashi Mohamed, Henrietta Howells, Inês Valle, Joy Gregory, Luis Lacerda, Kinsi Abdulleh, Khaled Jarrar, Nikki Luna, Rachel Marsden and Rosanna Raymond.
  • The second, an online talk titled given by the artist Vasco Araújo which will accessible via the Cera Project website, on the 17 August at 4pm (UTC/GMT +1 hour), this will be followed by an online discussion where anyone in the world can contribute and make their voice heard.

Additionally, this talk is also going to be simultaneously video-projected in several art organizations based on the Southern Hemisphere that have partnered with the Cera Project, and, that will also stimulate a discussion among their audience about the subject. Lately part of these conversations will be shared at the Cera Project website, as well as, in a publication.

The talk “From exoticism to racism. The construction of a mirror” takes exoticism as a concept of desire/repulse for what is different. This is how the “Western” World has, over the centuries and still today, seen the "other". This relationship of power and abuse manifests itself not only by a mere economic and social domination, but also by a human identity characteristic, which relates to the need to build an enemy as a mirror of himself. This enemy is our mirror in the sense that it reveals ourselves in our true character, behavior and attitude towards what is different and opposite to us. In this sense, Western society has always built, when confronted with the "other", a thousand mirrors to somehow strengthen their power, but also to define and rediscover, in each second, their own identity.

The partner organizations that will host this event are:

  • PhotoGarage Lagos in Nigeria, moderated by the photographer James Uche-Iroha and the writer Minna Salami (17 August, 4pm)
  • The Studio Accra in Ghana, moderated by the art collective AfroDistrict (17 August, 4pm)
  • Kwanda Art Foundation in Rwanda moderated by the photographer Jacques Nkinzingabo. (17 August, 5pm)
  • First Floor Gallery Harare in Zimbabwe, moderated by the curator Valerie Kabov (17 August, 5pm)
  • Kivu Youth Entertainment (KEY) in Democratic Republic of Congo, moderated by Victoire Batumike (17 August, 5pm)
  • R.A.R.O. in Argentina, moderated by directors Felipe García and Lina Angel (17 August, 6pm)
  • The Wallace Gallery Morrinsville in New Zealand, moderated by curator Justin Morgan (18 August, 3am)