We are delighted to welcome Senegalese visual artist, curator and independent scholar Djibril Dramé for a short experimental film screening and discussion. The event will explore narratives across photography and film, uncovering intersections of memory, identity, and creativity in contemporary Senegalese art. The discussion will be chaired by Dr Estrella Sendra.

About the film

Gardienne challenges traditional narrative structures by intertwining the stories of Muluken and Lukas, a sister and brother, with that of Israel Dejene, founder of Megabi Skate. Together, these narratives form a poetic and sensitive portrait of life in Entoto, on the outskirts of Addis Ababa.

Muluken, the elder sister, teaches her brother Lukas how to skateboard, offering him a way out of a cycle of poverty and decline. In parallel, Israel Dejene’s journey reveals how his passion for skateboarding became a path to community engagement, education, and empowerment for local youth.

Artist’s note

Who are our guardians? Who protects us, our shields, against society’s ills? They are our sisters, mothers, wives, daughters, friends, and colleagues.

In this film, the guardian is Muluken, Lukas’s elder sister, a young boy from Shromeda, a neighbourhood in Addis Ababa’s suburbs. Often left to his own devices, Lukas frequently found himself in trouble. His sister, full of tenderness and creative intuition, decided one day to buy him a skateboard. This simple gesture brought new hope into his life.

This part of the film is fiction. The other part follows Israel Dejene, founder of Megabi Skate, a skateboarding and personal development centre dedicated to children.

About Djibril Drame

Djibril Dramé is a Senegalese-born visual artist and independent scholar whose work illuminates socially relevant and often controversial issues. His art reflects Africa’s multifaceted history and diverse cultures, proposing alternative narratives of the continent.

In recent years, Djibril has engaged deeply with cinema. His work has featured at international art fairs such as Art X Lagos and 1-54 African Art Fair Paris. His first solo exhibition was in 2012 in Freiburg, Germany, and in 2023 he presented a 15-year photography retrospective at Mehari Sequar Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Central to his practice is an innovative use of materials, exploring sustainability through waste management, the reuse of animal skulls, and experimentation in fashion and textiles, all within a framework of cultural knowledge and research. He has collaborated with major brands and multinationals.

Djibril holds a bachelor’s in Journalism, a Certificate in Art Curatorial Studies (ICI/Raw Material Company), and a Certificate in Pan-African Studies in Art Curatorial Practice (Ikam, Mali, 2024). Since 2013, he has lectured internationally, including engagements with Fulbright, Virginia Tech, and ACASA. For over 20 years, he has documented graffiti and murals in Senegal and across Africa.

Programme

• 4 pm: Doors open
• 4.05 pm: Welcome and introductions
• 4.15 pm: Film screening of Gardienne (Djibril Dramé, Senegal, 2016, Experimental Film, 12 min. + 12 photographs, Wolof, French and English).
• 4.30 pm: Djibril Drame’s masterclass ‘Exploring the Arts of Photography: Techniques, Storytelling and Creative Approaches’
• 5 pm: Discussion with Dr Estrella Sendra and audiences
• 5.30 – 6 pm: Reception. Drinks and refreshments will be available.