Open call: participate to ‘WAKA Correspondences’, an exchange of ideas between “unemployed” people from Aalst and Njombé-Penja

Application deadline: Monday, 28 August 2023

Period: September 2023-September 2024

www.netwerkaalst.be

About Correspondences

In the frame of his collaboration with NW, artist Guy Woueté is looking for two “unemployed” people to participate in the “Correspondences” section of his project in development WAKA studio for Art and Research Njombé-Penja. “Correspondences” is a collaborative artistic platform that encourages and hosts (multinational) exchanges, reflections, and encounters between artists and “unemployed” people. Guy Woueté will bring together and participate in two three-voice Correspondences, between two “unemployed” people from Njombé-Penja in Cameroon and two “unemployed” people from Aalst in Belgium. The aim is to challenge and demystify stereotypes about the “other” and “elsewhere”, and to address the value of work in a world where goods and capital flow freely, while people struggle in precarious conditions, striving for improved living standards.

For one year, from September 2023 to September 2024, each group of correspondents will exchange a dozen letters. All the exchanges will be based on the following questions:

Would you describe yourself as “unemployed”?
Do you think that art and artists have a role to play in society?
Who are you and what is your social background?
Where have you worked?
Who have you worked with?
What have you been doing?
What is your relationship with work and what questions do you have about it?
What is the value of your work?
Do you have a commitment in life?
Have you ever wondered what other people on the other side of the world think and experience?
Has your condition as a “jobless” person ever made you think about immigrating, moving to another town or country?
How did you end up here (in this city, in this country)?

Correspondence will take place by any means available to the participants (video, voice message, audio recording, handwritten/printed letter, email).

All the correspondence will be selected and processed by the artist. Once this work has been completed, everything will be submitted to each participant, who will have the choice of whether to censor their, her or his voice/words/images. After that, the sharing of the work with the public can take place as part of presentations, publications on paper or on the internet, or exhibitions.

In short, we are looking for participants who are open-minded, ready to share and discuss their experiences with other “unemployed” people around the world. We’re looking for motivated people who are ready to work together on a long-term artistic project. A fee of 200 euro (incl. VAT) will be offered to every participation in this project.

How to apply?

Are you interested in being part of this project? Would you like to find out more? Please get in touch with Netwerk Aalst by sending a short message to info@netwerkaalst.be with the subject: Open call: ‘WAKA Correspondences’