Fribourg's cultural association charlatan, has taken on the task of initiating and organizing cultural projects with transdisciplinary aims. Dialogues preferably occur between artistic disciplines and further research domains (philiosophy, sociology, anthropology, etc.), as well as intercultural dialogues (see www.charlatan.ch).

Based on Fribourg's past and present, the historical and today still very present debate with the culture of the south, a transdisciplinary project tailored to this specific environment arose, chosen aspects of which will be presented at various venues in Switzerland and Africa.

A total of 12 creations by Swiss and African artists and academics and 8 pre-existing works will be presented for discussion to the general public in the spaces and surroundings of the Ancienne Gare in Fribourg. One week later, selected "Alienator" projects will go on tour to Marks Blond in Bern. In Fall/Winter an appropriate presentation and site-specific discussion of these themes will take place in Lomé and Kinshasha whereby for the African venue the complicated transport of material will be waived in favour of supporting chosen new creations in dialogue with the Swiss context. Artistic works and cultural manifestations, presentations and events (literature, music, film, academic research and debates) are centered around the themes of culture and identity : the experience of foreignness, memories of native countries, the search for familiarity and identity, the refusal to accept (traditional and new) enslavement, the wish for autonomy and the meaning of mutual support, the premonition or knowledge of the end or failure of modern utopias and the incessant questions of our era.

The "Alienator on Tour" project arose with the cooperation of the University of Fribourg, the Kollegium St. Michael Fribourg, the cultural team of the Ancienne Gare Fribourg and the Marks Blond Project in Bern.

A very special "alien" serves us as a visual leitmotif, making his appearance on invitations and posters and rechristened by us as Alienator: the representation of the once traditional Lègba – an orientation fetish for the protection of path and house and for the opening to the world of the afterlife. Ironically this image is a parody of a traditional sculpture. Its creator from Porto Novo (Benin) has castrated him and his once dark skin has become light pink with colorful pimples. It looks as if in post-colonial times the white man has been cuckolded.

The publication or printed result of the project "Alienator on Tour" is titled Expomag 3. It consists of numerous folded sheets, 33 x 47 cm, printed on both sides in color and oscillating between artwork, artist's book, poster, chronical, and academic paper. Its themes are (following Expomag 1 & 2 on "l'esprit colonial" and "colonisation and décolonisation") the great utopias and projects from the 1960s to today which equally shape African and western cultures. From artists come contributions, so-called "modes d'emploi" on the making of an artwork in its specific context, from Diana Dodson & Reto Leibundgut, Nika Spalinger, Isabelle Krieg, Olivier Suter, Jean-Damien Fleury, Friederike Klotz, Christiane Hamacher & Primula Bosshard, Mansour Ciss and Gottlieb Baruch. Research texts are authored by Paul Parin, Paul Vandepitte, Paul Virilio, Jean-Marie Pellaud.

Participating artists and academics:

Al Comet - Kangni Alem - Roger Atikpo - Nicolas Bancel - Johan Baggio - Fatma Charfi - MansourCiss & Baruch Gottlieb - Véronique Dasen - Diana Dodson / Reto Leibundgut - Jean-Damien Fleury - Christiane Hamacher / Significans - Isabelle Krieg - Carlos Amorim Lemos - Patrick Minder - Bernard Müller - Gaëtan Noussouglo - Nika Spalinger - Olivier Suter - Javier Téllez - Maria Turano - Paul Vandepitte - Zana