Project Black Planet fights its way through a thicket of jargon
Illustration: Chris Ofili, Union Black, 2003 © Chris Ofili. Courtesy the artist, David Zwirner and Victoria Miro
Daniel Nelson
Forget the academic jargon that infests the new blockbuster exhibition on Panafricanism at the Barbican and enjoy the fighting spirit, creativity, bite, diversity, drama and humour on show.
Panafricanism began as movements of resistance to colonialism and discrimination, helped shape freedom struggles and more recently has shape-shifted into Afrofuturism through science fiction, technology, and speculative fiction.
“It has long been recognised as a galvanising force in 20th-century global history”, says the show: but, truth to tell, it’s little known outside African intellectuals, which might be an indicator of continuing anti-Black prejudice.
The exhibition fills many gaps in history and knowledge: Garveyism, Quilombismo (look it up), Négritude, W.E.B Du Bois, Ousmane Sembene, it’s all there, and it’s genuinely erudite.
Sadly, the unfiltered erudition will be offputting to many people, particularly pupils. The captions reek of old-fashioned earnest museum-going, with no attempt to reach a general audience by talking about racism and anger and rebellion in everyday language.
I fear that the language barrier, the high entry price and ignorance about Panafricanaism will keep the public away. Which is a pity because many of the 300 works are another matter altogether:
a batch of upright decorated coffins (“You may not have noticed me when I was alive but you will damn well see me as I leave”); kangas hanging from the ceiling; a sculpture of man bending over and into a bag (“This man is hot)”; a line of miniature figures who took part in the 2011-13 Egyptian Revolution (anyone remember the Arab Spring?); a recording of people’s responses to being asked when was the first time they realised they were “people of colour”; salvaged doors sawn in half (“Murderer! Murderer!”); a reworking of the UK flag, “Union Black”. If an exhibition needed and potentially offered the general public a fascinating way into austere Museum World, this is it.
The materials alone show the variety of thinking on offer: ceramics, wood, steel, paint, beads, iron, string, gelatin silver print, oil crayon, enamel, lace, glass, fabrics, and much much more — an array matched by huge variations in size and style.
Don’t get me wrong. This important exhibition is a landmark, and to be fair to the Barbican it’s accompanied by a 50-event Project a Black Planet season “celebrating the rich influence of Pan-Africanism on contemporary arts and culture”.
Nevertheless, even the season talks about films “reshaping global imaginaries”. Who uses such language? I’m worried that the accompanying films, performance and talks will be limited by the stilted phrases of academia talking to itself and not to the public. One of the artists, Christopher Cozier, reportedly said that many ideas highlighted in the show “reached him in his youth, not through textbooks but through music.”. I hope I’m wrong. It would be a vital opportunity missed.
Featuring work by El Anatsui, Fatma Arargi, Liz Johnson Artur, Kader Attia, Farid Belkahia, Christopher Cozier, Marlene Dumas, Inji Efflatoun, Ibrahim El-Salahi, Benedict Enwonwu, Dumile Feni, Samuel Fosso, Coco Fusco, Abdel Hadi Al Gazzar, Sonia Gomes, David Hammons, Lubaina Himid, Nicholas Hlobo, Claudette Johnson, William Kentridge, Wifredo Lam, Simone Leigh, Bertina Lopes, Ernest Mancoba, Sabelo Mlangeni, Ronald Moody, Azikiwe Mohammed, Kawira Mwirichia, Abdias do Nascimento, Iba N’Diaye, Grace Ndiritu, Malangatana Ngwenya, Everlyn Nicodemus, Magdalene Odundo, Chris Ofili, Colette Omogbai, Ingrid Pollard, Samir Rafi, Ibrahima Sanlé Sory, Gerard Sekoto, Cauleen Smith, Tavares Strachan, Papa Ibra Tall, The Otolith Group and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye.
About 50 related events have been scheduled, including talks, films, workshops and music. Details here
Project a Black Planet: The art and culture of Panafrica, £19, discounts available, is at the Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS until 6 September. Info: Barbican