Dear Museum!

The Truth of the Matter it Seems Everything Was Better When We Were Not Telling the Truth

Porträt Performance-Künstler*in Albert Ibokwe Khoza für die Eigenproduktion "Dear Museum!" – Porträt Performance-Künstler*in Albert Ibokwe Khoza für die Eigenproduktion "Dear Museum!"

What kind of life is associated with the cultural objects in the museum? Is someone buried in the display cases? And how can cultural artefacts speak to us? DEAR MUSEUM! is a work commissioned by the Humboldt Forum and created by Albert Ibokwe Khoza in collaboration with African Entertainers, Johannesburg. The performance is both a love letter and a farewell letter to ethnological museum practice, linking its presentation systems to what remains unsaid.

Following the provocative performance THE BLACK CIRCUS OF THE REPUBLIC OF BANTU as part of the Transcontinental Festival 2024, Khoza is developing this world premiere especially for the Humboldt Forum. Further information will follow.

Participants

The internationally recognized South African interdisciplinary performance artistAlbert Ibokwe Khoza repeatedly reveals and projects the state of mind of a lonely figure - a non-binary, feminine-looking male person and sangoma (traditional healer). Through explorations of sexuality and ancestral practices, Khoza moves fluidly between different artistic mediums to question societal ills and express what Khoza's divergent nature perceives and interprets from the world we live in. The works critically question the environment, leadership and life itself. Khoza is a multi-award winning artist, including the 2023 Bessie Award for And So You See ... Our Honorable Blue Sky and Ever Enduring Sun ... Can Only Be Consumed Slice by Slice ... (a collaboration with Robyn Orlin). Khoza's body of work also includes The Black Circus of the Republic of Bantu, which toured internationally throughout the US, South America and Europe, as well as The Red Femicycle and Influence of a Closet Chant, further affirming Khoza's distinctive voice within contemporary performance art.

Julia Burnham began dancing at a young age in Alexandra Township and trained in modern and traditional dance before joining Moving Into Dance Mophatong (MIDM) where she became a permanent member of the company. She has toured internationally with works by Robyn Orlin and performed on major international stages, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup Concert, alongside artists such as Shakira and Hugh Masekela. A former senior member of Vuyani Dance Theatre, she has worked closely with Gregory Maqoma and Luyanda Sidiya while choreographing her own acclaimed works including Something Black and Yellow, Noted: A Note to Self, Matlou, Knots and Codes and Fetch (later developed into a short film). Her collaborations extend to Via Katlehong, international residencies such as the American Dance Festival at Duke University and interdisciplinary projects including virtual reality performances. Today, Julia is an independent choreographer and mentor, leads her movement initiative "Starting the Conversation - Healing Through Movement" and continues to work for stage and commercial platforms.

Princess Mhlongo is an award-winning South African director and film producer as well as Managing Director of African Entertainers, a production and artist agency dedicated to promoting African works on the international stage. Awarded as "Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year for Theatre" (2012), she first established herself as a leading theater director before moving into film production. Her productions include "Inkabi The Hitman" (Netflix/NFVF), which screened internationally at the Kenya Film Festival and BRICS Film Festival (Moscow), won Best African Film at the Barcelona Indie Awards (2025) and received several South African nominations and awards. She collaborated with Albert Ibokwe Khoza on "The Black Circus of the Republic of Bantu" which toured internationally across the USA, South America and Europe. Internationally, she has participated in the Salzburg Young Directors Project, Theaterformen Festival (Germany) and Georgetown University's Laboratory for Global Performance & Politics (2020-22), where her work expanded to global platforms.

Born and raised in Soweto,Sandile Madi is a filmmaker with a broad background in content creation and short-format, branded storytelling. As co-founder of Johannesburg-based creative agency BushkoppiesAgency, he and his team work on an innovative intersection between sport and culture within the marketing landscape. Passionate about youth-driven cultural movements, he is committed to preserving the stories of South Africa's ongoing cultural renaissance for future generations. With a deep-rooted belief in the power of storytelling, Sandile understands these narratives as crucial to shaping the future. Having honed his craft as an editor at The Post Office, a leading post-production company, he brings a precise, cinematic eye to the audiovisual space. His independent perspective on South African culture is geared towards making the country's rich heritage and creativity visible on the global stage.

Noluthando "Thando" Lobese is a Johannesburg-based costume and production designer with a background in the fashion industry. Under the direction of award-winning designer Nadya Cohen, she worked on numerous productions at the Market Theatre before further honing her craft at the Stockholm Stadsteater in Sweden under Charlie Koroly. Her work has been presented internationally throughout Europe and the United States, earning her awards and nominations for design excellence. Thando received a SAFTA in 2022 for her production design on "Diep City" and was nominated for "Black Door". Her work also extends to the visual arts where she explores sustainable design using recycled materials, continually pushing creative boundaries on stage and canvas.

Nkululeko Mazibuko is an experienced South African lighting designer and technical specialist and currently works as Head of Lighting at the Soweto Theatre in Johannesburg, where he has been part of the team since its opening in 2012. After studying business administration at the University of Johannesburg, he first discovered his passion for theater through performance before moving into stagecraft and lighting design. He trained at the Market Theatre and went on to work freelance at festivals and productions nationwide. Mazibuko has participated in international exchange programs, including the Stadsteatern in Stockholm, Sweden, as well as professional platforms such as Crossings. His lighting design work includes productions by Thabo Rapoo, Kieron Jina, Swazi Dlamini, Ofentse Mothusi, Jenifer Irons, Podium Comedy Merchants and Miss Soweto.

Miranda Mogodla is an experienced stage manager and production coordinator based in Johannesburg whose experience spans theater, music and live events. Her production work includes "Paradise Fall" (Ntsieng Mokgoro - Olive Tree Productions), "Dick or Date" (Momo Matsunyane Productions), "Take Me to Town" (Blank Page Productions), "Julius" (Tick Tock Productions) and "Red Femicycle" (African Entertainers). Miranda has also worked on "The Black Circus of the Republic of Bantu" and has toured internationally with the production, further developing her expertise on the global stage. She has worked with platforms such as The Plat4orm and Music in Africa and previously worked as a production manager at Olive Theatre. Alongside her collaborative projects, Miranda continues to produce independent work, creating spaces where performance and meaningfulness collide.

Dear Museum! is commissioned by the Humboldt Forum Foundation at the Berlin Palace in cooperation with African Entertainers.

- Price: 16 EUR / reduced 8 EUR- from 16 years- Language: English- Location: Saal 2, EGTranslated with DeepL

Price: €16.00

Reduced price: €8.00

Next date:

• Date Monday, 04/May/2026 19:00 bis 20:30 (4 more dates)
• Venue Humboldt Forum
• Address Schloßplatz, 10178 Berlin-Mitte