NAZO PO TOZALI... on the way to find myself.

Time & Location

05 Sept 2025, 19:00 - 28 Sept 2025, 23:00
Institut français Mainz, Schillerstraße 11, 55116 Mainz, Germany

About the exhibition

Who am I? What defines me?

To what extent are we shaped by our surroundings, our heritage, the choices of others? Isn’t life a constant search for oneself? And if so, how much do others define us? To what degree does the past of those who resemble us weigh on who we are? Are we forever connected?

“Naza po tozali” in Lingala means: “I am because we are.” This reflection gave birth to the exhibition, driven by the desire to explore a subject that resonates today with particular intensity. In the midst of a global identity crisis, marked by the rise of extremist groups calling for exclusive identities, the awakening of once-oppressed peoples, waves of clandestine migration, and the growing normalization of hateful and “remigration” discourses, one question arises: Who are we in society today?

Through an exclusively photographic exhibition, three artists from different cultural backgrounds, DR Congo-Germany, Burkina Faso, and France-Senegal, explore the concept of identity by engaging with their environment, confronting certain traditions, and observing the political choices that still shape coexistence.

Program

05.09.2025: Opening

With Benga Mavinga, Eveline Soum, and Jean-Baptiste Joire.
Time: 19:00
Location: Institut français Mainz, Schillerstraße 11, 55116 Mainz
Languages: German / French / English

06.09.2025: Artist Talk

With the three artists.
Moderation: Chéria Essieke-Bayer
German translation: Alina Guillouet
Topic: Naza Po Tozali / Ich bin, weil wir sind
Time: 18:30-20:00
Location: Institut français Mainz, Schillerstraße 11, 55116 Mainz

26-28.09.2025: 3x Klingeln & Finissage

Supported by Institut français Mainz, OFAJ, Kultursommer RLP, Förderverein für das Institut français Mainz e.V., Ministerium für Familie, Frauen, Kultur und Integration, and Schloss Vaux.

Photo credits: Benga Mavinga, Eveline Soum. Graphic design: Maria Bayer. Curated by Chéria Essieke-Bayer and the New Afro Team.