History Repeating In The Presence Of Khadija Saye

History Repeating In The Presence Of Khadija Saye

Kimathi Donkor

10 min Located in Campo San Giovanni e Paolo, by the equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni.

‘History Repeating In The Presence Of Khadija Saye’ reworks my contribution to a panel discussion on Black Activism and Art held with Sonia Boyce, Jacob V Joyce and Michael McMillan at London’s Royal Academy in April 2017. I had spoken about three artworks addressing historic black women who faced prejudice and injustice. Afterwards, during the reception, I again met Khadija Saye, the young artist of Gambian heritage who, alongside myself and 17 others was participating in the Diaspora Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale. However, on June 14th 2017, shortly after the opening of the pavilion, Khadija, her mother Mary Mendy and at least 78 other residents of the Grenfell tower in London were killed in a disastrous fire. In the ensuing crisis, national attention focused on concerns that the inferno was caused by criminal negligence in the refurbishment of the tower—where occupants were disproportionately low-income women from Diaspora communities.

Sound recordings by Kimathi Donkor; ‘Black Art and Activism’ contribution copyright Kimathi Donkor, 2017.

Dr Kimathi Donkor’s work has featured in solo and group exhibitions, including the Diaspora Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale (2017), The New Art Exchange (Nottingham, 2017), Gallery MOMO in Johannesburg (2015), Rivington Place (London, 2012), the 29th São Paulo Biennial (2010) and the Bettie Morton Gallery (London, 2004).

Sound Works © The Artists and Contributors Texts © The Artists, Contributors and Curator Website © Sonic Soundings / Venice Trajectories

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