John Akomfrah is a unique British artist, writer, and filmmaker. Most of his works focus on memory and temporality in his art and filmmaking, through these he explores many cultural experiences.
At Tate Britian, Akomfrah’s The Unfinished Conversation 2012, is a three-screen installation film. The 45-minute film explores the personal memory of Stuart Hall and his upbringing and his ethnic identity. The three screens are play simultaneously and help us understand Hall’s life.
According to tate.org.uk, in the film there are “Extracted images from news footage of the 1960s, alongside Hall’s personal home videos and photographs, are presented to merge the past, present and future.” All of this footage works together to show Hall’s memory.
Akomfrah is very intentional in his artwork. He highlights Hall’s cultural identity through the soundtrack made up of jazz and gospel music. It all comes together to present The Unfinished Conversation of Hall’s life.
Hall says, “…Identity is not an essence or being, but instead a becoming that is part of an ‘ever-unfinished conversation’.”
Akomfrah and Hall worked together to create this film over three and a half years. Ultimately successfully highlighting Hall’s memory of his upbringing and cultural identity.
This exhibition is free to enter and is at Tate Britian Art Gallery.
