John Akomfrah, a Ghanaian-born British artist and filmmaker, is known for his powerful explorations of memory, post-colonialism, temporality, and the experiences of migrant diasporas. His work, often layered with rich visuals and reflective narratives, confronts historical and contemporary issues such as migration, identity, and the lasting effects of colonialism. Akomfrah’s recent presentation at the 2024 Venice Biennale, titled Listening All Night to the Rain, commissioned by the British Council, showcases his continued engagement with themes of migration and belonging.
Akomfrah is a founding member of the Black Audio Film Collective, an influential group that started in London in 1982. The collective’s works, such as the iconic Handsworth Songs (1986), engage deeply with the socio-political landscape of the time, including the 1985 riots in Birmingham and London. Throughout his career, Akomfrah has worked on complex, multi-layered projects, such as the three-screen installation The Unfinished Conversation (2012), which explores the life and work of cultural theorist Stuart Hall, and Mnemosyne (2010), which delves into the migrant experience in the UK, challenging the myth of Britain as a promised land.
One of Akomfrah’s most moving works, The Call of Mist, was filmed in the dramatic landscape of the Isle of Skye. The work, presented in the unique and poignant setting of Dunvegan Castle, is a meditation on loss, memory, and media. Using sepia and blue-toned film, the piece evokes the haunting beauty of the Scottish landscape, particularly Loch Dunvegan, reflecting Akomfrah’s long-standing relationship with the island. Having visited Skye as a child with his mother, the landscape has become an integral part of his artistic vision. His personal connection to the place imbues the film with a sense of nostalgia and emotional depth, as Akomfrah revisits the island over the years.
The work’s elegiac tone explores how places and memories intertwine, using the powerful symbolism of nature to reflect on broader themes of displacement, history, and collective memory. As with much of Akomfrah’s work, it is both deeply personal and profoundly political, offering an intimate portrayal of how landscapes can carry the weight of personal history and collective experience.
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Akomfrah’s work has been exhibited at renowned venues worldwide, from the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art to the Barbican in London. In 2017, he was awarded the prestigious Artes Mundi Prize, and in 2023, he received a Knighthood for services to the Arts. His exhibition history includes prominent institutions like the New Museum in New York, SFMOMA in San Francisco, and the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid.
The Call of Mist was curated by Keith Whittle and Margherita Gramegna, in collaboration with Film London and Sallaumines | Maison de l’Art et de la Communication, France. The work is an extension of Akomfrah’s ongoing exploration of how art can engage with memory, history, and the complexities of identity in a globalized world.
