Fashioning

Afro-Swedish Identity

Program Manager
Parvin Ardalan

Idea and Concept
Arieta Mujay
Jason D. Holness

Documentation Roozbeh Janghorban

Coordinator
Mamak Babak-Rad

In its third year, Migration Memory Encounter Project (MME) has continued to host multi–act events. MME 3:2 "Fashioning Afro-Swedish Identity" took place at the newly opened workplace of Museum of Movements (MoM) at Bergsgatan 20, Saturday Nov. 16:th.

This event focused on afro-Swedish identity, fashion, culture and also honoured the memory of 400 years since the first slave ship left the coast of West Africa triggering the mass dispersion of African people during the transatlantic slave trade.

There are nearly 200.000 Swedish people of African descent living in Sweden today. However, the idea of Sweden as a utopian society, different from the rest of Europe, and disconnected from legacies of slavery and colonialism , has made it very difficult to discuss the racist structures that "Afro Swedes" face today.

"FASHIONING AFRO SWEDISH IDENTITY” was a thematic discussion of the Conversation Series by the Migration Memory Encounters project (MME).

The program was a joint venture between Malmö stad - Rörelsernas museum, Kulturrådet and the two creative and talented cultural curators that came up with the idea and had curated the program, Arieta Mujay and Jason D. Holness.

The day encompassed: live installations, art, music, poetry, photography and portraiture, panel discussions on Afro Swedish identity and experience.

*The music of the event has been removed due to YouTube copyright restrictions

Welcome to MME 3-2: Fashioning Afro-Swedish Identity

welcome

Press release

opening

Projects

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MME

3.2

Anchor 1

Live Art

Installation

My Hair…

My Crown

by

Arieta Mujay
Olive Thelma

Performer

by

Sweden’s Pioneer Wedding Painter
Abiose

Abiose, performer artist donated her artwork to Rörelsernas museum (MoM) at MME program. Abiose has written the text below about her artwork. Thank you Abiose!

Consolidating and Questioning the Status Quo at MOM- Artwork

Everyone has rights. Everyone has a right to their own history. Everyone has a right to live in their most authentic self, as long as no physical harm is brought to another. Everyone has rights.

As the mom in a multiracial household, awakened within me is the protective instinct of a mama- bear, tigress, bird, lion, monkey, snake, whale, shark, (and any-and-all fierce animal mothers) all rolled into one. I am protective over the path that dictates what and how my family is/should be treated.... And my family is multiracial.

Speaking for one aspect of my family, "Consolidating and Questioning the Status Quo at MOM." Is the product of the live installation created during the event "Fashioning the AfroSwedish Identity". Everyone has rights.

about ABIOSE