Troy Makaza’s work is a conscious reflection on the conditions of life today in Zimbabwe, both as a human and as a political subject. Drawing from cultural, sociopolitical, and personal histories, the artist transforms silicone and pigment to paint, going on to pipe, cast, and weave the viscous substance into his enigmatic compositions. 

Crafting materiality and storytelling into a distinctive artistic language, the artist’s material process models his creative concerns. As the silicone transitions from plastic, to paint, to sculpture, to tapestry, the artwork’s narrative shifts from personal, to political, to existential.  

This Salon explores the artist’s inspirations and influences, as well as the ways in which his Shona heritage and Sufism shaped his creative process in the making of Mutiwaora (The tree is rotten), a monumental silicone painting-sculpture created specifically for the exhibition Un Ciel intérieur.

Continuing the ongoing series spotlighting the exhibiting artists of Un Ciel intérieur (An inner Sky) . MACS MTO Inaugural Exhibition, AFSACK is honored to welcome multidisciplinary artist Pinaree Sanpitak in conversation with Alexandra Baudelot, Director of Musée d’Art et de Culture Soufis MTO, for “Reciprocal Vessels: The Body and the Inner Journey.” In this discussion, Baudelot introduces us to the visionary artist as they reflect on the body as a symbolic site where physical and metaphorical spaces intersect.

Artwork caption: Detail of The Affairs of Serving II, 2022, acrylic, ink, pencil, fabric, paper on canvas. Courtesy of Pinaree Sanpitak and Ames Yavuz. Photo by Aroon Permpoonsopol.

Embark on a journey “Between Object, Void, and Light” as we engage in a profound dialogue on spirituality and its translations in contemporary artistic practice with Moroccan artist Younes Rahmoun. Unravel the interwoven narratives that shape our intimate experience of spaces and its spiritual dimension.

With the twelfth installment of Salon Conversations, AFSACK® kicked off a new series with Alexandra Baudelot, the Director of the Musée d’Art et de Culture Soufis MTO.

For this first session, Baudelot joined AFSACK to share how Sufism can act as a catalyst for artistic research and discovery, previewing both the opening of the museum and the Salon Conversations she’ll host throughout the upcoming series.

To learn more about MACS MTO, visit macsmto.fr/en.

For AFSACK’S 11th Salon Conversation, we are thrilled to present an insightful dialogue featuring the visionary Sumayya Vally. "Threads of Culture: A Dialogue on Design, Identity, and Spirituality" engages in a profound discussion with the distinguished architect to traverse the interwoven narratives that shape our spaces and souls. Through the lens of Vally’s insights, this thought-provoking conversation transcends conventional boundaries and considers redefining the essence of space and spirituality.

Watch this session on demand as we unravel the intricate connections between cultural threads and architectural narratives, exploring how design weaves together diverse identities and spiritual dimensions in our built environment.

Embark on a captivating conversation with the renowned Finnish architect, scholar, author, and former professor and Dean of architecture at the Helsinki University of Technology, Juhani Pallasmaa, to unravel the creative and formless quality of architecture as he presents, "Poetics of Architecture: Existence, Silence, and Solitude." This moderated session explores the abstract connection between architecture and the atmospheres it traces, delving into the poetic core that resides within the built environment.