'John Akomfrah – Mimesis: African Soldier' at Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
26 October 2024
John Akomfrah’s Mimesis: African Soldier is a film installation presented across three screens, which reflects on the experience of soldiers from across the Commonwealth in World War 1.
The work aims to highlight the significant contribution of over six million African, Caribbean and South Asian people from across former colonies who fought, served, and died in the war. Fittingly, the exhibition at Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow opens in the closing days of Black History Month, and just two weeks before Remembrance Sunday, which this year commemorates 110 years since the start of World War 1.
The work was co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW, New Art Exchange, Nottingham and Smoking Dogs Films, and was first shown at London's Imperial War Museum.
Memisis: African Solider runs from 26 October 2024 to 31 August 2025.
Image: John Akomfrah, Mimesis: African Soldier, 2018 (film still), Three channel HD colour video installation, 7.1 sound, Dimensions variable, 73 minutes © Smoking Dogs Films
