Dakar – To mark the closing of Connexions Urbaines, a project bringing together contemporary art, skateboarding, urban culture, technology and augmented reality, the Italian Cultural Institute in Dakar and Bonobolabo will host an event on 8 October celebrating the project and the connections forged between Italian and Senegalese urban art communities. Opened on 10 May as part of Festigraff and the Saison Sèche programme of Partcours, the exhibition featured a selection of 23 skateboards created by leading artists from Italy’s contemporary art scene, turning the skateboard into an unconventional canvas for art. Augmented reality also gave visitors an interactive experience, fostering a dialogue between art, technology and urban culture. The event will also see the ten winners of the Le Style Avant Tout competition receive their awards. Organised by the Italian Cultural Institute in Dakar and Bonobolabo, the competition is dedicated to Senegalese skaters. Each winner will receive one of the skateboards featured in the exhibition, effectively taking the artworks beyond the exhibition space and into Senegal’s skateboarding community. The event will provide a final opportunity to celebrate the connections between Italy and Senegal, art and sport, technology and urban culture. (9colonne)