For Centuries, art of all kinds looked to the Saharan desert for inspiration. Discovering that the desert carried more than just symbolic and poetic meaning - it's cultural, geo-political and historical implications remain on the contemporary artistic agenda.

Imaging the Book II, aims to further artistic research in this field by making its theme “Above, Below & In the Sahara Desert”.

The second round of the “Imaging the Book” biennale presents an attempt at addressing issues of personal, national and collective identity by creating a multicultural environment where such issues can be interpreted visually and conceptually.

Imaging the Book II invites African and international artists who live inside the African continent and abroad to participate in this event, custom-made for the intermingling of cultures, personal emotions and socio-political expression. Artists who live in their countries of birth and whose cultural insight is closely related to the African continent will represent their art alongside artists from the African and Arab Diaspora whose art represents the vision of those who have managed to partially or fully integrate into the cultural fabric of another continent.

Issues of ethnic, political and social identity are vital factors in the language of some artists but are secondary references in the works of others. In light of both cases, it is the biennale's aim to map out a pluralistic, non-didactic and elastic definition of the word “identity”. One that is applicable to the complexity of contemporary reality.

Artists from all corners of the globe interested in tackling this issue are welcome to participate. And though, Imagining the Book II aims at being an international exhibition, it does focus on artists of African and Arab origin – Diaspora included. The decision to place a spotlight on this particular area seems a logical step for the following reasons:

The Saharan desert can be seen as a terminal where one group of cultures stop and another group takes off. By focusing on the whole of the African continent, the biennale aims at creating an environment where ideas about the relationship between the north and the south of the continent can be addressed.; Residents of North African countries are not familiar with contemporary Sub-Saharan African art. If they are exposed to such art, it is usually through an intermediary channel. Imagining the Book II aims to present Northern and Southern African art without the aid of a proxy.

The African continent is so diverse in climate, general ambiance and surrounding environment. There is a desire to discover how African art – Northern or Sub-Saharan – is affected by its specific environment.

Some artists of the African and Arab Diaspora have been able to partially, or fully integrate into the societies of other continents and countries. The results of such integration are usually expressed in the art produced by these artists – where strains of very different cultures can be found overlapping or existing side by side. Imaging the Book II aims to demonstrate the rich and varying results of cultural blending and individual cross-cultural analysis through the art of artists of African or Arab origins living aboard.

For Centuries, art of all kinds looked to the Saharan desert for inspiration. Discovering that the desert carried more than just symbolic and poetic meaning - it's cultural, geo-political and historical implications remain on the contemporary artistic agenda.

Imaging the Book II, aims to further artistic research in this field by making its theme “Above, Below & In the Sahara Desert”.

The second round of the “Imaging the Book” biennale presents an attempt at addressing issues of personal, national and collective identity by creating a multicultural environment where such issues can be interpreted visually and conceptually.

Imaging the Book II invites African and international artists who live inside the African continent and abroad to participate in this event, custom-made for the intermingling of cultures, personal emotions and socio-political expression. Artists who live in their countries of birth and whose cultural insight is closely related to the African continent will represent their art alongside artists from the African and Arab Diaspora whose art represents the vision of those who have managed to partially or fully integrate into the cultural fabric of another continent.

Issues of ethnic, political and social identity are vital factors in the language of some artists but are secondary references in the works of others. In light of both cases, it is the biennale's aim to map out a pluralistic, non-didactic and elastic definition of the word “identity”. One that is applicable to the complexity of contemporary reality.; Artists from all corners of the globe interested in tackling this issue are welcome to participate. And though, Imagining the Book II aims at being an international exhibition, it does focus on artists of African and Arab origin – Diaspora included. The decision to place a spotlight on this particular area seems a logical step for the following reasons:

The Saharan desert can be seen as a terminal where one group of cultures stop and another group takes off. By focusing on the whole of the African continent, the biennale aims at creating an environment where ideas about the relationship between the north and the south of the continent can be addressed.

Residents of North African countries are not familiar with contemporary Sub-Saharan African art. If they are exposed to such art, it is usually through an intermediary channel. Imagining the Book II aims to present Northern and Southern African art without the aid of a proxy.

The African continent is so diverse in climate, general ambiance and surrounding environment. There is a desire to discover how African art – Northern or Sub-Saharan – is affected by its specific environment.

Some artists of the African and Arab Diaspora have been able to partially, or fully integrate into the societies of other continents and countries. The results of such integration are usually expressed in the art produced by these artists – where strains of very different cultures can be found overlapping or existing side by side. Imaging the Book II aims to demonstrate the rich and varying results of cultural blending and individual cross-cultural analysis through the art of artists of African or Arab origins living aboard.