Saturday, October 1, 2022 at the Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles, Brussel, was held the spectacular award ceremony for afro-descendant artists, named “Golden Afro Artistic Awards”. We met Laurent Simba Mbaah who won the prize «Digital Art».
Hello Laurent, it is a pleasure to have you to answer some of our questions. Who are you, to introduce yourself to our readers ?
Hello, my name is Laurent Simba Mbaah. I am a Franco-Cameroonian graphic designer and typographer who grew up in France. My activities alternate between my practice as a freelance graphic designer in which I respond to orders from clients with image-related requests, and my research work that I develop at the School of Graphic Research in Brussels. This research work results in the development of fictions and images related to the notion of decolonial utopia.
One of the branches of your work is focused on the Afro world, is it a question of identity or something else that drives you ?
Having grown up and studied in Europe, I have developed my practice with an essentially Western context and references. However, my Cameroonian roots have never left me and I have always had the desire to focus my projects on this wealth strongly invisibilized in the field of graphic design. It is with the intention of filling this gap and developing broader African imaginations that I now mix African references with my visual creations and research.
So you have just received an award in this field, explain to us how it went ?
The organizer of the Golden Afro artistic award simply contacted me to inform me of my selection as a winner by the jury. So I was invited to the award ceremony. I was surprised and honored to receive such an award, but I admit that I have not yet realized the extent of such a spotlight on my work.
What does this price mean for you ?
For me, this award is a magnificent gateway and a real recognition of my work. This situation motivates me to continue my work and to develop new graphic universes much more advanced. Receiving this award at my age and at this stage of my work is also an immense source of motivation to complicate my research projects and feel legitimate to disseminate them more widely.
For the reserved and discreet person that you are, will this first spotlight on you change your nature?
I do not consider myself reserved or discreet, I rather think of myself as a simple and assumed person. I learn to know myself every day and evolve with a caring environment that supports me. I hope to still have the chance to be supported like today and I don’t think an event can change my nature.
What are your upcoming projects ?
My upcoming projects are the publication of my book «Afrocosme», an edition in which I develop my views on the importance of art as a decolonial tool; the publication and implementation of personal typefaces giving a decentralized view of the West on typography; and the development of a video game project putting into action this decolonial utopia in which all these projects can mingle.
A last word ?
As I said in my improvised speech: A just and inclusive utopia cannot be the result of the thought of a single person. It is by using collective intelligence that we will be able to develop a decolonial utopia in which multiple African imaginations will find their place.
Merci et encore félicitations.
About this event
……. We have made the choice to build alternative spotlights to highlight talent, art, creativity in all its diversity, for the benefit of bringing together peoples and civilizations. Offer a new perspective, bring recognition, unveil hidden pearls while offering a plural vision of the Belgian and European sociocultural reality. Recognition, reward, promotion of artists and artistic projects that create values in the Afro-European mix are our leitmotif. This 7th edition will have the theme: “AFROTOPIE”. The ceremony will be broadcast live on the channel BX1 from 8 PM ……. (Source: eventbrite.be)
Watch the entire ceremony : https://bx1.be/emission/golden-afro-artistic-awards-2022/