David Katzenstein
David Katzenstein Joins DCC and OTTO for DVice Project : The Other NY
David Katzenstein has joined DCC and OTTO NY in collaboration for DVice Issue 3 : The Other NY.
From the DVice website :
DVice is the product of a group of individuals with a love for the visual arts. Each year a new theme is created, and every artist contributes a concept that culminates in the DVice project — a printed piece and a live event.
The only constant is the city we love, New York. The rest is wide open. Every participant contributes, and every DVice experience leads to the next. The beauty of the process is that we never know who or what will lead us to the next idea.
MAY 4, 2011, 6-9PM
DRIVEIN24 STUDIOS
443 W18TH STREET
DVice is created, edited and produced by DCC and OTTO NY.
David Katzenstein Finds Inspiration In Spiritual Pilgrimage
This year marked the 110th Grand Magal of Touba, the annual pilgrimage for Mouride Muslims, which occurs every year in Senegal, and will be celebrated this week with a parade in Harlem. David Katzenstein traveled to Senegal to experience Le Grande Magal De Touba first hand on the African continent. During the Grand Magal, millions of Mourides flock to the city to celebrate their thankfulness for God’s blessings. David’s fascination with the yearly trek began with a local project that ended up taking him halfway around the world, twice. We asked him a few questions about his experience.
What drew you to the Mouride in the first place?
Since the mid-1980s I had begun documenting ritual in different parts of the world. During the summer of 1987 I began a project photographing the African street vendors in NY City, most of them came from Senegal. I befriended a group of them and was invited to experience their rituals and daily life in the city. At the same time there was a documentary series on PBS about Africa. One scene was a shot of a train coming into the station of Touba and its exterior was completely covered with people – at that moment I decided to go there for the next Magal (annual pilgrimage), and with the help of my new friends in NY I arranged to stay with someone’s brother. Mourides are Sufis (mystical Islam) and their society is very special – women are treated as equals and there is a very strong work ethic and respect for education.
What is the most striking part of the pilgrimage process for you?
There constant challenge of being always ‘present’ in an environment that is not always physically hospitable. One of the challenges attending a pilgrimage of this size is how to deal with the throngs of pilgrims (4 million), and how to create your own space and order within the chaos. As westerners we are often overcome by physical discomfort (crowds, heat, cold). In situations like the Magal there is constantly physical discomfort, which needs to be accepted in order to experience each special situation with an open mind.
How did the trip and photographs differ after 16 years?
The first trip I was on my own. I had the bare minimum connections to make the pilgrimage journey possible, but I did not have access to any of the inner workings of the Magal. On the second trip with Cheikh Fara Gaye all doors were open into a world of endless spiritual journeys.
What is the atmosphere like in Touba during the Magal?
The atmosphere in Touba during the Magal is electric, chaotic and truly celebratory. It is like coming home to visit your 4 million relatives and to join together as a common spirit.
Check out more images here, or email Devin Monaco to find out about David’s portfolio.
Learn more :
Forward Thinking Museum | Islam in Africa: A Pilgrimage to Touba, Senegal
AlazharTouba.Com | The Grand Magal of Touba: What’s Behind the Commemoration?
Toubamica.org | Sufis on Parade: The Performance of Black, African, and Muslim Identities