- Venue
- The Container Project, Outside Portsmouth Cathedral
- Starts
- Sunday, October 22, 2017
- Ends
- Wednesday, October 25, 2017
- Address
- The Container Project, Outside Portsmouth Cathedral, High St, Portsmouth, PO1 2HH
- Location
- South East England
- Organiser
- Journeys Festival International Portsmouth
Artists Tony Spencer and Kye Wilson invite audiences in England to engage with their new, unique contemporary video installation ‘Spearman’.
Depicting a West African musician, the work creates an immersive experience of vibrant Gambian arts and culture.
Premiering at Journeys Festival International in Portsmouth, the exhibition will be presented as part of the Festival’s Container Project, in which a prominent 20ft shipping container is transformed into an innovative project space hosting live graffiti and exhibitions such as Spearman. The Container will be positioned in the grounds of Portsmouth Cathedral. Leicester based Urban Artist N4T4 will be painting the exterior live on site, accompanied by an African Drumming performance featuring celebrated Master Drummer, Khalifa Conte.
‘Spearman’ is a single-screen life-size video projection of the eponymous Gambian village drummer who left his home in Kartong village to risk a dangerous migration over land and sea to Europe, in the hope of discovering a better life. Filmed on location in Germany where Spearman now resides, the high-definition video depicts him in traditional Djembe Fola (African Drummer) costume, performing traditional West African rhythms.
First presented at the Kartong International Festival in The Gambia in February 2017, this site-specific work brought together an electrifying performance by Spearman and his former drumming troupe, Kouman Kan Africa.
The Journeys Festival International is an annual event, celebrating the creative talent of diverse and exceptional refugees and asylum seeker artists, who share their experiences through great art and culture.
‘Spearman’ is supported by public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England in partnership with Furry Fruits Visual Arts.
Exhibition: 22-25 October 2017 (open 12-2pm and 4-6pm each day)
Preview: Monday 23 October, 6pm
Venue: The Container Project, Outside Portsmouth Cathedral, High St, Portsmouth, PO1 2HH
Other related events:
Sun 22 October from 2pm onwards – Drumming
Featuring Drum Nation, Tony Spencer and West African Master Drummer Khalifa Conte.
Mon 23 October from 6.30pm to 7.30pm – Discussion
This live discussion ‘Africa to Diaspora’ is presented by artists Tony Spencer and Kye Wilson, together with special guest speaker, Jamaican British Photographer Vanley Burke.
Tues 24 October from 6.30pm to 7.30pm – Allunde & Africappella
Join us for superb local women’s singing groups, Africapella and Allunde, performing live at Portsmouth Cathedral.
