Museum Africa, on Bree Street in Newtown, recently opened its doors for the International Exhibition Of Black Music. Here, everything from soul to afrobeat to funk, hip hop, jazz and everything in between is explored. As long as it came from a black mind and mouth, it's in here.
The travelling exhibition is an interactive one that asks you to trade in your smart phone at the reception for the exhibition's one. This is so that the exhibition gets all their equipment back but also because the pre-loaded smartphones from the exhibition allow you to unlock a world of gems about black music. Divided into six rooms, the touch screen technology allows you to engage with different aspects like videos, audiovisual poetry and even asks you to physically blow out a candle on the tiny device.
Armed with earphones and a smartphone, you can learn more about everyone from Miles Davis to Ali Farka Toure, Afrika Bambataa, Hugh Masekela, Bob Marley, Nina Simone, Fela Kuti, Stevie Wonder, Tumi And The Volume and loads more. In one room, the four sections of our continent are explored separately, while there is also a room full of Black Music Legends biographies. They are quite short and concise so its not as though you're going to spend aeons at the museum.
But to be honest, the information is overwhelming to the senses - there are over 13 hours of footage - and because it's so insightful, you may want to give it your full attention and make more than one trip to the museum. The entrance fee is R40 and the exhibition runs until 12 December. If you've already been, then let us know what you think.
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