Afrovism

ABIGAIL JOHNSON

Abigail Johnson opens the evening with a voice that feels both tender and deeply grounded. Blending R&B and soul, her music explores healing, self-forgiveness, and quiet transformation with remarkable honesty. There is a warmth in the way she sings—each lyric unfolding with gentle conviction, inviting listeners into moments of reflection and renewal. Her performances are intimate yet powerful, leaving an impression that lingers long after the final note.

MIDI KWAKWA

MiDi KwaKwa brings a sound that feels both expansive and deeply personal – blending alternative R&B, neo-soul, Afro influences, and textured guitar melodies into music that invites reflection and connection. Rooted in her Ghanaian heritage and shaped by a journey of self-discovery, her songs explore healing, identity, and emotional growth with warmth and honesty. On stage, she creates an atmosphere that is intimate yet immersive, drawing listeners into a world where every performance feels like a heartfelt conversation, lingering long after the music fades.

SAFAE GOUNANE

The visual world is shaped by Safae Gounane, whose paintings emerge from intuition, memory, cultural inheritance, and lucid dream imagery. Her figures appear as if they belong to multiple timelines at once— manifestations of inner worlds made visible. Drawing from themes of intimacy, identity, existentialism, metaphysics, and human connection, Gounane creates compositions that blur the boundaries between reality and imagination. Her paintings do not simply depict dreamlike scenarios; they operate according to the logic of dreams, where space bends, time overlaps, and meaning unfolds through feeling rather than certainty. During the evening, her work becomes a portal into layered worlds where the tangible and intangible meet.

SISTERS JANSSEN

Within the space, Sisters Janssen give us a glimpse of their atelier and create a visual environment in the balcony. Rooted in their Curaçaoan heritage and shaped by their upbringing in the Netherlands, their work reflects layered identities. Color, form, and texture become tools to express this in-between space. Their compositions feel intuitive yet intentional – playful on the surface, but carrying deeper reflections on identity, belonging, and transformation. During the evening, Sisters Janssen will simulate their atelier and create a live body of work in which they explore the theme of memory within dreams.

ELLA WANENDEYA

Throughout the evening, Ella Wanendeya weaves an invisible narrative through light and scent. Her installations move beyond the visual, engaging the senses through atmosphere—subtle shifts in illumination and curated fragrances that evoke memory, nostalgia, and presence.

UP CLOSE COMMUNITY

Up Close is a cultural initiative rooted in collective growth through intentional exchange. Led and moderated by writer and cultural researcher Chloé Heyart, the platform operates as a connector between people, spaces and disciplines. Up Close brings communities together to share knowledge, spotlight inspiring bodies of work and create a space where storytelling and inspiration take centre stage. This takes shape and form through curated industry talks and conversation circles aimed at empowering individuals in their work and crafts.

FAOUZIAT BIERA FAOUS

Faouziat Biera Faous is a multidisciplinary creative and the founder of Afrovism. She is born in Burundi, raised in the  Netherlands and currently calls Amsterdam her home. She studied Fashion Design and continued with a studies in Fashion Branding at Amsterdam Fashion Institute. During the 8 years of her studies she began her career as a freelance fashion stylist, earning features in publications such as Vogue, Nataal Media and more. After graduating Fashion and Branding, she worked for brands such as Daily Paper, Calvin Klein, Gisou, The New Originals and more. 

Her passion for art led her to establish Afrovism, a platform where she celebrates Arts and Culture. Throughout the years, Afrovism has had beautiful editions at venues such as Soho House, Foam Museum Amsterdam, Felix Meritis Amsterdam, Paradiso, Oscam and Compagnietheater Amsterdam.