a multi-stage art project for internet, gallery and television
home in the press
Tate Britain 5 October 2007 – 6 January 2008 Six artists showed newly commissioned work as part of imagine art after, a contemporary art project devised in different stages and locations. Exploring insecurities triggered by the tension between migration and the social and geographical sense of the local, imagine art after brings together artists who left their home countries and now live in London with artists who stayed. The project began on Guardian Unlimited with online dialogues between pairs of artists from Afghanistan, Albania, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria and Serbia. The work on display was produced after the dialogues, either individually or jointly, in most cases showing the profound impact the process had on the participating artists.
Click on the images below to download press releases for each work.
Addisalem Bizuwork To Live 2007 series of five paintings oil on canvas 50 x 40 cm each Placed within the Ethiopian Christian painting tradition, Bizuwork's recent works draw on her authentic urban way of life as well as the billboards and graffiti in contemporary Addis Ababa.		Estabrak Self-portrait with Aunt and Rebecca, 2007 two screen film for gallery 14’28” (Aunt); 18’41” (Rebecca); looped A two screen film about Estabrak coming out as lesbian within the context of her traditional Arab family.	Denis Hyka & Violana Murataj Finding Grandma’s Garden 2007 two-screen film for gallery (20’ each screen) & book on Tirana This collaborative project, performing a piece of detective work on the city of Tirana and Hyka’s emotions, explores the archaeology of memory and the social and psychological impact of the movement of people.	‘Muyiwa Osifuye Kaabiyesi: Courts of Influence 2007 series of six diptychs C-type prints 127cm x 185.4cm A series of diptychs about the role of traditional rulers within current governmental practices in Nigeria and Benin.		Senayt Samuel Rooted 2007 series of five C-type prints and texts 50cm x 50cm each This group of photographs and texts are an attempt to regroup elements personal history through the process of taking photographs, as Samuel returns to Addis Ababa for the first time in ten years.