Tradition and innovation 2

Innovation is not limited to technology; it is primarily based on the adoption of new methodologies.

In order not to just preach theories, I initiated a program of residencies and workshops to test a new methodology.

The objective, to catalyze a creative synergy within the Foumbanese community: to bring together the different actors of crafts - established artisans, students and apprentices - from various specialties such as foundry, pottery, sculpture and manual engraving. By bringing them together in a space dedicated to innovation over a concentrated period, the program seeks to stimulate collaboration and the exchange of skills. This approach allows to explore the creative potential that emerges when different generations and expertise meet in a context of innovation.

The intention is to observe and evaluate the results of this convergence of talents and know-how, in terms of creativity, innovation and community dynamics.

With the complicity of CHEICK DIALLO who lent himself to the game as a mentor designer, the support of Barthélémy Toguo who accompanies the implementation with his Bandjoun Station center and the Foumban town hall which hosts, we were able to start a first edition of residencies and workshops last June.

The RAADEC program (Art, Design and Creation Craft Residencies), implemented by ART & EXCEPTION in Foumban, Cameroon last June, brought together 40 artisans, apprentices and students with an experienced international designer for 5 days, after 5 days of cultural immersion, with the aim of testing a new methodology to revitalize a declining community of artisans.

Indeed, despite their talent, Foumban artisans face several challenges:

❌ Decrease of young people's interest in the professions of foundry, pottery, sculpture,

❌ Devaluation of their products due to overproduction and abundance on local and international markets,

❌ Lack of in-depth training to perfect gestures and raise awareness of creation

❌ Absence of collaboration with equipped, structured workshops

❌ Disconnection between art students and local artisans

❌ Mismatch between the offer and consumer needs and aesthetic trends

With the RAADEC program, we want to raise awareness of the potential and promote the creation of synergies between actors to drive a new dynamic that will allow us to:

▶ Revisiting artisanal heritage by updating it in contemporary objects,

▶ Developing functional objects for the local and international market,

▶ Preserving and transmitting traditional Foumban techniques to a new generation of artisans

After 9 days of prototyping, we were able to produce a series of objects that we returned to the population through an exhibition that you can see in the photo below ⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵

The experience of this first edition of the RAADEC program has demonstrated the considerable potential of an integrated approach to revitalize the artisanal sector. However, to achieve sustainable results and create significant value in the long term, it is clear that it is necessary to:

1. Increase the resources allocated,

2. Develop more similar programs,

3. Encourage more creative collaborations,

4. Multiply experiments over time

This approach, combining heritage preservation, innovation, training and market orientation, could serve as a model for a development strategy on a national or international scale. The Cameroonian pilot project, which will continue until 2026, offers a unique opportunity to refine and extend this methodology. Its success could inspire similar initiatives in other regions, thus contributing to the revitalization of the artisanal sector on a larger scale.

We are working to ensure that this RAADEC program represents a significant step forward in the reinvention of traditional crafts for the 21st century. By combining ancestral know-how and contemporary innovation, I want to pave the way for a sustainable and culturally rich development model.

The turnout at the exhibition of the pieces from this project, first in Foumban and then in Paris, also demonstrates the interest of young people in this innovative approach.

African crafts, far from being a vestige of the past, can become a driver of innovation and economic growth. It is important that public policies support such approaches to ensure the sustainability and development of the craft sector, while preserving the unique cultural heritage of each region.