Giovanni Battista Cairati: Who Was He?
The Italian Embassy in Kenya has decided to pay tribute this coming Thursday, April 23, to the architect and military engineer from Brianza who, working for the Portuguese in the 15th century, designed Fort Jesus—one of the symbols of Mombasa and the entire Kenyan coast.
To this end, a unique and unmissable performance has been conceived, taking shape through the artistic project titled “Sincronia,” curated by Isabella Indolfi and organized in collaboration with the National Museums of Kenya and the MedOr Foundation.
Performing in the extraordinary and evocative setting of Fort Jesus will be the Nova Media Duo, composed of Italians Federica Sorba and Eduard Tampu, who have traveled to Kenya specifically from Italy, accompanied by Kenyan saxophonist Juma Tutu.
 
The artists will present a performance that blends live music with video mapping projected onto the ancient walls of the fort, paying tribute not only to the historical and symbolic significance of the fort—which initially stood as a symbol of Portuguese colonialism but later also of the resistance of Mombasa’s citizens—but also to the man who envisioned it, and who brought to life what is recognized as a splendid example of Renaissance architecture in Africa and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.