PAMM will host a special summer feature in partnership with Miami Film Festival and TV5Monde: a screening of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Africa at Heart (L’Afrique au coeur) followed by a conversation with director Cyril Bérard and producer Rachel Kahn, moderated by PAMM Director and Basquiat expert Franklin Sirmans. The event takes place on Thursday, July 21, at 7:00pm.

Description: In October 1986, Abidjan welcomed Brooklyn-based artist Jean-Michel Basquiat for his first exhibition in Africa. Having dreamed of working on this continent, Basquiat’s boldness of his works might be unsettling to some. It is his one and only trip to Africa. He stayed there for 10 days, the time to discover the Senufo country, in the north of the Ivory Coast. What link has the world’s highest-rated Black artist forged with this continent in his short life? How did this New York artist, in a few years, influence the contemporary art world and encourage the emergence of an entire generation of African artists? How did the status of Black artists change as a result of his own success? Although his only trip to Africa was short, it was nonetheless decisive for him. It is by going to meet some of the greatest contemporary African artists today that the film offers to answer these questions.

About Cyril Bérard: After making two short films as part of his studies, Cyril Bérard graduated in Political Science in 2006. He launched an independent press project, Journal Europa, which brings together young journalists from all over Europe in a monthly newspaper of which he is editor-in-chief until 2010. He made his first documentary film in 2012, “La Duce Vita”, about Mussolini’s hometown, of which he would make a second part eight years later, “Grano Amaro”. Based in Paris, he became a documentary film director for television and webcasting platforms and works on social and cultural topics. In 2020, he co-founded the ABC Penser project, which brings together contemporary intellectuals on a video platform.

About Rachel Kahn: First a journalist for the French newspaper “l’Express”, Rachel Kahn began her television career in 1982, alongside Jérôme Garcin in the literary program “Boîte aux lettres” on FR3. In 1986, she created “TARA PRODUCTIONS” with Takis Candilis. Together, they will produce fiction, cultural programs, and societal and historical documentaries for ARTE/LA 7, FRANCE TELEVISIONS AND TF1. In 1996, she joined France 2 as artistic director of the Youth Unit. Between 1996 and 2000, where she created and produced “DKTV” and “Rince ta bain!” (rewarded with “7 d’Or”). In 2000, she was appointed artistic director of Entertainment & Magazines of France 3. Kahn airs on France 3 “We can’t please everyone” with Marc-Olivier Fogiel and Cultures & Dépendances presented by Franz-Olivier Giesbert. She also develops a series of portraits of French stars (Renaud, Véronique Sanson, Julien Clerc, or Françoise Hardy.) In 2005, she was appointed director of the Cultural Magazines of France 3 and was responsible for developing the new daily cultural magazine of the channel. She created “Tonight (wherever)” and called on Frédéric Taddeï to host it. In October 2008, Kahn created “Et La Suite…! (Productions)” which will produce programs and numerous documentaries, notably for France Télévisions and Arte.

To join the event, visit https://www.pamm.org/en/event/jean-michel-basquiat-africa-at-the-heart-lafrique-au-coeur/