Africa Basel Fountain Talks

Natasha Evans in conversation with Elisa da Costa

Artist Natasha Evans sits down with conversation partner Elisa da Costa to unpack a tactile practice that fuses fragmented textiles, acrylic and ink with vessels woven from fabric, copper wire and red oxide. In malachite-toned “soft structures,” Evans probes polarity—soft/hard, seen/unseen—through layered processes that conceal as much as they reveal. Prompted by da Costa, she traces a path from illustration studies in Bournemouth to building an independent studio in Lusaka, balancing commissions and a framing business while pushing toward large-scale installations, residencies and deeper material experimentation. Together they map Zambia’s art ecosystem—scarce spaces, DIY networks and the need for curatorial support—while circling themes of belonging, memory and transformation.

Najet Dhahbi en conversation avec Essé Dabla-Attikpo

Dans cet échange vif et généreux, l’artiste-chercheuse Najet Dhahbi dialogue avec la curatrice et médiatrice culturelle Essé Dabla-Attikpo autour de la fabrication des récits artistiques, de la médiation et des écosystèmes de l’art entre Afrique et diaspora. On y parle trajectoires, circulation des œuvres, alliances avec les institutions, et de ce qu’implique « tenir l’espace » pour les artistes : financement, communautés, et transmission. Entre identité, mémoire et ancrage local, l’épisode propose des pistes concrètes pour créer, montrer et faire voyager les œuvres sans diluer leurs contextes — un guide inspirant pour artistes, curateurs et publics curieux.

Helen Nzete in conversation with Dillon Jerry Mugume

Nigerian sculptor and mixed-media artist Helen Nzete joins Dillon Jerry Mugume for a warm, lounge-style exchange on materiality, healing, and artistic autonomy. Nzete traces her path from studio life in Abuja to immersive works that fuse papier-mâché, plaster, rope and painted glass. She unpacks pieces like “Entangled Cells,” about the hard conversations we have with ourselves, and her series “Year of Knots,” where rope becomes a metaphor for childhood trauma and the urgent work of untying generational patterns.  Conversations drift through gardens, bees, and a moment of communion with a tree—nature as listener and amplifier—before widening to education (Zaria’s legacy and the right to rebel), labels (“African artist” as embraced identity), and social healing. Mentoring an autistic student has taught her patience and a newfound taste for detail, sharpening both process and purpose. Recorded live with audience prompts, this candid talk maps an artist’s belief in curiosity, courage, and community.