The African Desperate, Martine Syms, 2021 
Screening and Conversation as part of the exhibition Ins Dunkle schwimmen. Abysses oft he Creative Imperative

The African Desperate by artist Martine Syms offers a satirical critique of art institutions focusing on interpersonal dynamics and mechanisms of evaluation, categorization and exclusion. The film follows young Black artist Palace Bryant – portrayed by Diamond Stingily – during her time at an art school in upstate New York just before and after her graduation. After her final exam, Palace reluctantly attends the semester’s last party, setting off an absurdly funny odyssey. Syms uses hallucinatory images and ironically exaggerated situations to explore the desires of the “creative class” as well as the social and economic realities of the art world, while simultaneously challenging audience expectations.

The screening will be followed by a conversation with Nanna Heidenreich and the artists Brooklyn J. Pakathi and Frida Robles Ponce.

The event is part of the Vienna Art Week and will be held in English.
Please pre-register via ka-newsletter@uni-ak.ac.at. We look forward to your visit!
Start: 18:00