Talk

Mariam Kamara and David Adjaye in conversation

Monday 25 November 2019 6.30 - 8pm

The Benjamin West Lecture Theatre, Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly

£20, £12

Booking opens to Friends of the RA at 10am on Thursday 1 August 2019. Booking opens to the public at 10am Tuesday 6 August 2019.

Supported by

Join Mariam Kamara, founder of atelier masōmī in Niger, for a conversation with her Rolex Mentor, Sir David Adjaye OBE RA, chaired by Tim Marlow.

Mariam Kamara, founder of atelier masōmī in Niger, will present the plans for her first major building project in Niger – a library and arts centre – in this conversation with her Rolex Mentor, Sir David Adjaye OBE RA. The conversation will be chaired by Tim Marlow, the Royal Academy’s Artistic Director.

Mariam Kamara’s work is guided by the belief that architects have a responsibility to invent spaces with the power to elevate, dignify and improve the quality of life of its inhabitants. Her practice, atelier masōmī, regularly collaborates with local teams of engineers, masons and other craftsmen to produce simple projects that respond to the needs they identify on the ground, harnessing both local materials and skills.

Sir David Adjaye has won international acclaim for his ambitious designs and innovative use of materials in projects that display a high degree of awareness of the social purpose of architecture and the ways in which it can positively contribute to issues prevalent in contemporary society.

Adjaye and Kamara are joined by a shared passion to rethink contemporary architecture on the African continent. They are consistently looking for ways to make the future take shape in areas that often lack in both skills and confidence.

Sir David Adjaye is the 2018/2019 Rolex Mentor in Architecture. Mariam Kamara is his Rolex Protégée and a finalist for the 2019 Royal Academy Dorfman Award.

£20, £12

Booking opens to Friends of the RA at 10am on Thursday 1 August 2019. Booking opens to the public at 10am Tuesday 6 August 2019.

Supported by

About the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative

The Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative was set up to make a contribution to global culture. The programme seeks out gifted young artists from around the world and brings them together with artistic masters for a period of creative collaboration in a one-to-one mentoring relationship. Since 2002, Rolex has paired mentors and protégés in dance, film, literature, music, theatre, visual arts and architecture. The mentoring programme has evolved into an enriching dialogue between artists of different generations, cultures and disciplines, helping ensure that the world’s artistic heritage is passed on to the next generation.