I first heard of the Mogadishu – Forgotten Pasts and Distant Futures art project as it made its rounds through the crowd funding circles. Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia holds an intriguing position in the media as it is frequently described as the most miserable and dangerous city in the world. However as is often the case, such media portrayals make it impossible to learn about Mogadishu as a city – a city of struggle, love, marriage, conflict, education, culture, history and so forth.
Thus the importance of Forgotten Pasts and Distant Futures can’t be stressed enough. The art project is an architectural installation using both sound and visuals. It is currently being displayed for the London Festival of Architecture and is aimed at re-awakening discussions around the cultural history of Mogadishu by charting the urban transformation of the city from the late 19th century through the first few decades of the 20th century.
Hopefully it will be turned into an international exhibition allowing various people to get an insight into the urban and historical development of one of the most controversial yet largely misunderstood cities.
SOURCE: VINTAGE SOMALIA & BRITISH COUNCIL ARCHITECTURE
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