Urban Africa; David Adjaye

The London based architect David Adjaye ( born in Tanzania) has amassed over 3,000 picture postcard size 'snaps' of his foray into Africa.
Most document various styles of urban buildings ( well he is an architect, after all), but I am not too sure what he is trying to achive in this exhibition.

It is well neigh impossible to document a vast continent such as Africa, through the windows of a taxi !. Where are the limits and how come he has missed Lagos, home to 18 million people?

They say a picture speaks a thousand words, but maybe quality would be preferable to quantity.

You decide !

Design Museum, London until 5 of September.

Elise Godsell

Manifesto: a means of expression

AIM (Arts in Marrakesh) Biennale

The AIM (Arts in Marrakesh ) Biennale November 09, kicked off with Isaac Julien's multi screen installation, Western Union; Small Boats. Thousands of Africans hope for a better life, trying to escape bad economic and human rights conditions.

They make the perilous departure from N. Africa across the Med to the coast of Sicily, in small boats, often drifting for days on end. In the film they end up at the seaside village of Agrigento, where local families sunbathe whilst the 'clandenstines' are washed ashore, often dead. Such beautiful surroundings, but bathed in tragedy.

Julien uses no narrative, but on the 3 screens we have just a collage of sound and image. A meditation on migration and hope for a better life?


Elise Godsell

Manifesto: a means of expression