Ghosts of Empires
“This show will highlight that among these narratives which history has taught us are different, there is overlap. There is a multitude of communities that have been oppressed because of colonization and imperialism, who in spite of that have been able to thrive, have been able to create rich cultures, and have been able to develop important ideas.” Larry Ossei-Mensah
This exhibition seeks to explore the intersections, overlaps, and dissonance between the Black Atlantic and Asia Imperialist Trade routes and brings together an extraordinary group of contemporary artists hailing from African and Asian diasporas.
It features the work of Hurvin Anderson, Adam de Boer, Delphine Desane, Theaster Gates, Jeanne F. Jalandoni, Chris Ofili, Fadekemi Ogunsanya, Maia Cruz Palileo, Miguel Angel Payano Jr., Paul Anthony Smith, Livien Yin and Zao Wou-Ki.
Inspired by the formative text by British-Ghanian author and MP Kwasi Kwarteng, Ghosts of Empire: Britain's Legacies in the Modern World, the exhibition at its crux is an examination of how artists from African and Asian diasporas are engaging with the legacies of slavery, migration, colonialism, sovereignty, trade, and imperialism in contemporary times. By amplifying the conscious acts of liberation, resistance, and perseverance these communities have exhibited – despite their historical circumstances – Ghosts of Empires will provide a forum for a nuanced understanding of collective histories and will explore how current diasporic artists are engaging with those histories today.
